Chrome Line Retrofit & How Too
 

So I really want the chrome line interior on my MINI S. So insted of paing $300 for parts I went out and bought some Duplicolor CHROME paint along with Adhesion promoter. I said to myself DUH I didnt know they made chrome paint, perfect, i'll give it a try :)

I'm going to paint the rear cupholder trim ring now to see how it'll look and if I want to venture and paint all the other trim rings I'll post pics and let you know how everything comes out. :thumbsup: I broke a tap off the rear cupholder it was a PITA to get off :grin:

Total spent so far $9.00 for Duplicolor Chrome Paint and Adhesion promoter.

EDIT: Please see below posts for additional Info. Above painting did not work :eek2:

Good luck!

can't wait to see the results

I'd be interested in hearing how hard it is to reach the other rings and get them uninstalled. It'd be nice to be able to do different colors and save some money :thumbsup:

The rings in the doors looked to be plasti-welded in when I had my doors off changing out my loudspeakers. Unless they've changed them, you'll be in for some masking. Better stock up on that awesome blue painters tape!

Good luck!

So crazy some of us are trying to take off all the chrome and there you go putting it right back on:lol:. *joking* Lets see it once its all back together. Lots of pics please. Who knows you might inspire to Re-chrome my MSC.

I'd love to see it~I am so into chrome ANYTHING.....and I definitely want to add some more to my exterior at some point. I was thinking of getting the chrome-look bonnet stripes, but was warned that the sun can do quite a dance on them....right up into my eyes. I'm thinking of adding something interesting across my doors/sides, but am still looking.

That duplicolor chrome paint...doesn't really look like chrome, just a different shade of silver. Hard to describe but may look cool. I plan on painting all my interior trim rings BRG once I get my car. Either that or a nice dark graphite color. Depends on how easy they are to remove I guess lol. Sherwin Williams makes a paint that you need a gun to spray that looks VERY similar to chrome, but only works on small trim pieces like this, not big areas. Plus it has to be clear coated. I might give that a shot too...not sure.

agreed, it will come out looking like silver paint with very little metallic flake. it gives a almost flat silver look.
you should consider Alsa's mirrachrome...
http://www.alsacorp.com/products/mir...irrachrome.htm

It's what 50cent used to paint his Murci with...and comes in a rattle can version too.
It doesn't look exactly like chrome either, but it's polished aluminum look is closer than Duplicolor's chrome...

BLACK CHROME WOULD LOOK INSANE!

YUCK, It came out horrible. I only did the rear cupholder and I thought it would look like the cap on the can, its more a shiney silver like you stated above. Well atleast I tried and I am just going to order the parts.

Out Motoring has retrofit kits for your car as well, Kevin.

THANKS! :thumbsup: But I got a good deal somewhere else, I only wanted a couple parts anyhow on the dash.

You can't throw that out there without sharing! :)
Who is the vendor and how much did you have to cough up?

I paid just a little less than this guy did.... He paid like an extra $5 per part more than I did. (he got them wholesale)

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ht=chrome+line

He did the same thing, I just don't like all the silver plastic look to it.
I paid $50.00 for the center speedo and $25 bucks each for the L/R Vents from our good friends at Morristown MINI. That is with our discount on NAM.

I actually was quoted $82.00 for the center speedo and $41 each for the L/R Vents at another dealer :eek: :eek: YEAH I said, NO Thank's.:razz:

I'll post some pics if you want and a how too, He has one above too but allways good info. Then It'll be time to get my silver dash painted Piano Black, bringing it to a body shop, EDIT: (got that done too)

I'd love to see a how to! Especially for removal of those trim rings and stuff...since I plan on painting mine...now that I have my car i'm not sure what color though. BRG might be too...idk weird lol.

Well I got the parts in the mail yesterday. Go Morristown Mini, Very Fast Shipping:thumbsup: I will be putting them in today, I hope I have time! Here are a couple pics of the chrome trim before install, and as you can see, this is why you cant just replace the rings as on the other MINI Models as its attached to the entire vent piece etc.

:thumbsup: Ok I have to go to work soon. And YES I get to watch the game, I work in News and were a FOX affiliate TV station so I'tll be a late night!

It took about 1 hour and 15 minutes I had a problem but resolved it quickly. I will post a How too with photos prob tomorrow as soon as I get it typed up. So here are some photos of it complete. I think its a big change from what I had, no chrome, no color line, and silver checkered dash. When I got my car it was not an order so thats why I did these mods.

Last photo was a Before.


Next up Multifunction Switches.

It's looking double+ awesomer now. Nice! :thumbsup:

Looks great, kevin!
my rings will be here hopefully on tuesday. Did you get the colorline from morristown too?
Like you, I didn't spec my mini. otherwise I wouldn't have had to add these details to my interior either.

I just added the redline boots and armrests in charcoal suede, CF shifter and handbrake. I'm thinking about doing my colorline in charcoal suede too...

Looks really nice! For the others on this thread... I have an '04 and bought a chrome interior kit from the dealer (thanks NAM for the discount). I changed everything but the speedo... I didn't want to dismantle the dash.

Nope. I painted the Colorline myself, and got the dash painted Black at a Body Shop.

How-To Writeup on Chrome Line Interior.
 

OK
I finished the How-To Writeup. Please enjoy :thumbsup:

you're the man, kevin!

Excellent how-to in the PDF Kevin. Good info in general for dash trim removal.

Thanks Kevin.

Question: Does the factory chrome line include the tach? It seems odd that the tach would still get the same dull plastic silver.