Well, I'm painting my roof! Last year my CR MCS w/ black roof was keyed down to the metal at a predominantly Classic Mini meet and has to be completely re-painted. This of course spawned all kinds of ideas and color dilemmas. Platinum Silver Metallic --like my recently sold Mini 40 (and an homage to Coopers of yesteryear)?
Anyway, I've decided on Audi Nimbus Gray. Call me crazy , but I've always loved that color. Pretty nervous about it although it's being done by a great paint shop in Glendale, CA.
I wondered if I should care about resale value and I've decided a one of a kind MCS is worth it to me.

Too late to talk me out of it as it's being stripped for paint now, but I would appreciate comments. Will post photos when it's done. Next dilemmas...stripes!

 

Given your easy access to roof graphic material, couldn't you have just put on a full roof graphic instead?

 

Is that the same color they used to call Dolphin grey?

 

I could have done that but I wanted the spoiler and the shark fin to match and wrapping a spoiler is impossible (at least by me).

 

Great color. I'm interested to see the results.

While we're dreaming with the Audi color pallet, make mine Nogaro Blue with a Numbus Gray top.

 

That should look great...there are special limited edition MINIs due in September, one being the "Park Lane" with silver roof and silver mirror caps.

 

Do it! It'll be great! I think you'll be starting something. Wasn't grey an original Mini roof color for a few years???

 

Thanks, Dave.

If I can find someone to do the stripes I want, perhaps it will be worthy of some DB photos. I like the 3D effect of using graduated width pinstripes.
I tried Mighty Stripes but theirs would be all separate pieces of vinyl for the accent stripes. I think I'll get them printed as one piece.



Dolphin Gray is actually Dolphin Gray metallic for 2004 and 2005. Nimbus gray was earlier and then there's Nimbus Gray Pearl...ooohhh!

 

Oh cool...where did you read about that. Glad now that I didn't do the silver.


edit: Ah...I found that on MINI2. I think it's great that they'll carry on the tradition of limited editions. The original 1987 Park Lane can be seen here
http://www.minilimitededitions.co.uk/index.htm

along with the other limited edition Minis.

 

Just a correction. It was also available prior to 2003. Discontinued on A6 in 2003 and brought back in 2004. I know this because that is the color I wanted on my '03 A6 and couldn't get.

 

thanks...your convertible ROCKS , BTW...I haven't seen you on the road here but hope. I don't get to west side often..that where you are?

 

Thank you. I am actually in Sherman Oaks. But any time you want to go MOTOR just drop me note. I am always up for it. Specially if the weather is nice...

 

You probably already know this, but thought I would chime in for balance. When combining red and gray you ought to consider the tertiary components of your colors. You may wish to base the gray on Audi's, but its characteristics should be tweaked to be compatible with those of the red. A tuppence worth of my cranial exertions for your consideration.

 

I think it will look awesome. I'm very partial to MINI red and Audi gray

 

Yeah, I mentioned that to Enrique, the painter, and he said, " Homes, easy on my head bone!"

But really, I'm not literally combing the two colors and considering their proximity to each other I doubt a tertiary color illusion would result (barring, of course the product of one inspecting the car throughout the cycle of daylight from 6500K+ to 4000K+/- while squinting and under the influence of an hallucinogen--unpredictable, I admit). Feel me?

 

All colors can be made to work together. Nature combines them all with no ill result. But sometimes when people try to do the same thing it doesn't work as well. The reason is not that some colors don't look good with others, but that their tertiary characteristics clash. For example, a warm gray would be more likely to work well with a warm red. This combination can be seen on a handful of concours 1950s Ferraris.

In this case you are probably correct in dismissing the suggestion.

 

I'm not dismissing it. I do thank you for your suggestion and considered the possible unfortunate outcomes. This is why I went with the Nimbus Gray, as it is a warm gray.

 

Is CR a warm red? Just kidding. I love red and gray (a favorite of 1920s coachbuilders). Good luck with it.

 

Just saw this thread. I can do what your looking for. Printed all one piece. It looked to me youwere planing an getting it painted on. Or did I miss read that?


Anyway PM or E-mail me and we can work out details.

 

Any pics yet?????????

 

no pics yet, won't be done until next week. but I will surely post them when I have them.

 

Hey DVLMINI, I was thinking about painting my roof Black. How much did the roof painting cost you? Would black be cheaper?

 

Because this is part of an insurance claim it's not costing me anything but my deductible. I have had quotes from $600 to $1200 though. I don't think black is any more or less expensive. If you have a sunroof it will be cheaper although you will have to add labor to remove.install the roofs and rain gutters, etc. so it could work out close to the same with or without a sunroof. Find a body shop that does dealer work for higher end cars like BMW, Volvo, etc. and start there. Don't use any paint shop that does not have a meticulous paint area and a real paint booth. Because a black roof will bake in the sun for years you don't want to be cheap here. It's an expensive mod and I would not have done it if I didn't have to paint the roof anyway. For $1200 I/you could get a lot of horsepower instead.

Hope that helps.

 

Well, I don't have it yet but I've seen it. Beauty! One unexpected plus, I think: The Nimbus Gray came in pastel and pearl. They painted the pearl and it's really purty. Looks black until it gets out in the light. I think I like the pearl. I was not expecting it but it'll grow on me.

the delays:

• took FOREVER to get a new headliner from MINI
• Interior driver door panel came without a speaker grille and the old one is butchered. This is weird because they are so hard to remove(plastic welded in), but you can order a new one by itself.
• Having to to replace 1 window's worth of Huper Optik tint took time. There's only one place in L.A. and they don't do house calls.
• MINI sent a whole steering wheel to replace just the gouged center cap on the 2-spoke when all you need to do is replace the airbag cover. Of course the dealer has to do this and it's UNIVERSAL, so they're dragging their feet.
• They forgot to paint the mirror caps.

Body shop time is weird time. It's like a black hole when your car goes in there . Should have it by Thursday, but I'm not counting on it.

 

Well, is it home yet? Any photos? I'm dyin' to see the red/gray combo. . .