I took one of the older guys I work with out for a ride last week to pick up lunch. First thing he said when he got in my car was, "Oh look at that. That's great. An old-fashioned painted METAL dash just like the old days." I had to burst his bubble and tell him it was only plastic but I thought it was cool that the car has such a "retro" look while at the same time being completely modern.

Makes me want to get the downtubes painted as well, so they look more like metal than crummy plastic. Not sure where to get it done or how much it would cost or if it would be a DIY project with the right equipment. Sigh...

 

What was the cost and who did the dash? I've long admired it.
To preserve your uniqueness I was considering doing only the trim rings on the instruments.

Nice ride

 

The dealership did my dash (though I'm certain they sent it out to the body shop they use, rather than doing it there). I think it was $600. I'm sure you could get it done for much less. Princeton MINI is nothing if not good at ripping people off.

 

OMG! I painted the dash pieces of my 99 new beetle back then and i removed the dash pieces myself, handed them to the body shop with the paint code and they painted them for $150. God i hate dealers. :evil: You should be able to have the downtubes painted for $50 max.

 

Don't get me started on how much I hate dealerships...

That's good to know about the downtubes. Now I just need to find a place that would be willing to do such a small job.

 

jerseygirl,

Your roof flag and stripes look great!
In my opinion for the interior of your MINI, you already have a very nice look that is balanced between being very different while still retaining the MINI appearance and combination of stock interior colors. Indi blue is a very strong color and too much of it esp all in one place might be a bit too much unless you really like that treatment.

The way you have it now is a very powerful accent to the interior. Adding blue to too many other parts might be overdoing a good thing. The only situation that I would consider painting the downtubes (easy to remove by access to the sides/glovebox and knee bolster, and remove cupholder trim) is if they were scratching easily.

Chrome trim might be an option for accent along with the blue. Another idea is to buy spare downtubes and paint them and have two sets and then you can install them and decide which to keep. The original spares can be sold to another MINI owner that wants to paint their tubes.

 

I have said it before, I do love that dash.

I have sent many people to the PM I still have saved to drool at the pix.

 

Thanks Minihune,

My main concern with the interior is not to overdo the blue too. I've seen some pictures where people painted every piece of the anthracite trim body color and to me it was way too much.

To me the downtubes look like they should be structural members in the car, supporting the dashboard and the radio/HVAC controls. I thought painting them blue and making people think they could be metal would complete the illusion.

There's no way I'd go with chrome. Much too flashy IMHO. Some may like it but it's not for me. Besides, there isn't really any chrome in the interior right now anyway so it would seem a bit out of place, I think.

I will keep what you said in mind. Thanks!

 

I think you're spot on with painting the downtubes to match the rest. Anything more would be too much, but the adding downtubes would be just right.

Why not ask your dealer who they sent it to for painting? Then remove the downtubes and let that paintshop match their dash job?

 

Scooterboy, you read my mind. I already know someone who had to have bodywork done on her MCS after a minor accident. I believe she has the name of the shop Princeton uses so I'll be emailing her. My b/f also knows of a shop near his house that I'm going to contact for a competitive quote.

I have to say I'm leaning toward the first shop though since they do all of Princeton's MINI work and are probably the people who originally did my dash.

 

Painted metal dash! Good idea. Mine is still bare, and looks like it was attacked by a disk sander. It's some sort of 'alloy'.

 

>>I have to say I'm leaning toward the first shop though since they do all of Princeton's MINI work and are probably the people who originally did my dash.

===>Makes sense. One final job then c'ya -- never to return

 

Wow. I guess the JerseyGirl Dash has a fan club.

Here's a picture of BusyBe at the Reservoir Dog Run yesterday. Bee has a yellow with black.

His treatment of the tubes is sweet. I grew up as a youngster with wood being the touchstone of brittish motoring. As I said in my earlier posts, Im have thought about just wood trim around dash instruments.

I have seen the chrome rings that would be added to existing trim.

Busybe took it one step farther.

You could do a blue tint on the stain and be a degree more subtle and keep the blue.

Check out the thread to Reservoir run. It wa the best. Minihume I thought of you as we motored. You would have loved it. Just when you thought the season was over in New England. Forty MINIs and 60 degrees.

 

Is that real wood?!?!? Where in the world do you get those???

 

>>===>Makes sense. One final job then c'ya -- never to return

Yeah, and I can save myself Princeton's ridiculous mark-up by going straight to that shop.

Of course all this has to wait until at least after Christmas after my credit cards have recovered from the holidays.

 

>>Is that real wood?!?!? Where in the world do you get those???


Yes that is rteal wood. Check out the handbrake and shifter as well as the little switch in the nav panel.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.com/albums/album04/gop.sized.jpg[/IMG]

 

OOPs here's the picture. Check out the thread for Reservoir Dogs Run

 

That wood treatment is tres cool!

All that is left to do is to remake the 'hockey sticks' in the door in wood (with a leather armrest pad) to match, and yer set. The steering wheel would be quite a bit more difficult.