Well since getting my first MINI, a 2003 R50, I've always been interested in doing what most would call "blacking out", de-chroming, ect. Finally after upgrading to my 2007 R56S, I'm ready to follow through! Now I'm thinking for starters, head and tail light rings, chrome around grill, schuttles, and door handles. Does any one have any insight on how to accomplish this? A certain company that does the parts up? I'm located in central Pa, so not a whole lot of options shops wise. Appreciate any information! Thanks guys!

 

Lyle's vinyl styles. Methinks he's on here but google for what he does. Sadly, he's not local to you.

 

Black out is overrated. You should try white if you have a white roof or body color or better yet a random color.

 

+1 for body color.

 

http://www.aestheticreations.net/ makes some molded parts for blacking out.

You can also buy a product called plastidip and paint them yourself. It goes on like spray paint but as far as I can tell you can peel it right back off - It's like a rubber coating. http://www.plastidip.com/industrial_...ons/Plasti_Dip

Or you can have them covered in vinyl or painted.

 

White out would be cool, but I have a black roof..

 

You can get plasti-dip for abput $7 a can at Home depot. I used about a can and a third to do the headlight and tail light rings, the grill surround, and the gas cap. The hardest part was figuring out how to get the headlight rings off. The procedure is, wipe the parts with alcohol or toulene or paint thinner, spray with 4 or 5 coats of plasti dip with about 15 minutes between coats. It goes on ugly and looks perfect when dry. If you don't like it, it peels off like a stretchy rubber band-aid in one piece and does no damage to the chrome. You could pull all the pieces in less than 2 minutes. For the belt line order a belt line kit from Outmotoring for $12.95 plus shipping, mine arrived in 2 days. Wipe belt line chrome with alcohol, cut a piece of belt line tape about an inch longer than the piece of belt line you are about to cover. peel the backing as you apply. Start with the little short pieces by the rear view mirror so if you goof up you won't waste much tape, when done with each section trim the ends with a razor blade or exacto. If you have an opti-visor magnifier that helps. By the time you've done 3 sections of chrome you will be an expert and the remaiming pieces will only take a couple minutes each. The piece under the windshield is the easiest. Like plasti-dip, the beltline tape peels right off and does no damage to the chrome. Be sure and plasti-dip the gas cap, it looks fantastic, I would do that piece even if I wasn't going to do the rest of the chrome.

 

I missed a step, after applying 4 or 5 coats of plasti-dip, let it cure for a couple of hours.

 

I REALLY appreciate all that information Pez D. Spencer! I'm buying the Plasti Dip tonight! Gonna grab two cans. Then order some of the beltline black out tap too! My only other question is, how would I go about removing all the pieces? (Headlight rings, tail light rings, gas cap, grill surroundings.) Really appreciate all the help guys!

 

Nice thread. Now i'm just waiting on the response on how to take out the headlight rings and some finished pictures!

 

Headlight rings were quite easy to remove. Just use a microfiber cloth, and a flathead screw driver. Then place the screw driver in the cloth, place between the ring and the hood, press up gently (it'll click, or pop.) Just keep doing it to pull the clips out.

And here's a few finished product. It turned out great! :]








Just need to do the beltline trim yet, probably this weekend if the weather gets nicer. Also, gotta figure out how I'm gonna paint the rims I just purchased off here from another user. Got myself some S-Lite rims, planing to paint them black also for some summer rims and tires. :D

 

I'm actually going to powder coat mine satin black. That's an option.

How's the Plasti Dip dip look like up close? Any grain on the surface or is it smooth?

Keep it up! Black out is mean.

 

It's actually pretty smooth. It looks crazy good too. I'll snap a few more pictures tomorrow. Even a close up one for ya'. As far as powder coating them, what price range would we be talking?

 

Cool! I'd like to see that.

I'm in Miami and i found a place that specifically does powder coating and they charge $105 to $115 each wheel. Price depends on the wheel. I'm still asking around and waiting for quotes from different places.

You could always Plasti Dip the wheels.... j/k!