I live in Yonkers, New York, Is there anyone in the area that can help me with this MOD . I purchased an extra bumper from a NAM member so their will be no need to remove the bumper I just need help trimming the lower piece and installing it on the new bumper (and if possible swapping the bumpers. Thanks

John.

 

I still have not had a chance to get this mod done. I'm really discouraged and thinking of just scalping off the grills on ebay or something, cause I was really unaware and unprepared of the extensive (and ridiculous) modding necessary for this mod... It just doesn't make sense to me.

 

Don't give up yet. I know it seems daunting to do the lower grill install but it's really not as bad as it sounds once you get into it. Bumper removal is easy (it's easier to do with the bumper off the car). Trimming time consuming but rather easy and depending on how you plan to install it's just a matter of proper planning (measure twice, but once).

Like I mentioned earlier. I plan to help a club member in the next week or so. I'd be happy to take lots of pictures of anything you'd like if it would help. The trickiest part to me was trying to figure out how much to get and what to leave on.

Let me know what you need.
Todd

 

Well I guess some pictures would be great.

So tell me if I'm understanding this correctly: the bumper need to be removed because the stock grille is attached where one could not reach it w/o taking the bumper off?

 

LOL

Don't try to do anything else on your car, man... Ever.

 

The little metal nuts that held the old grille in place. They screw onto the plastic tabs that stick through the holes in your bonnet. They could have become damaged when you removed the old grille. You should be able to pick some up from your dealer. Tell them what they are for and they should be able to help you. The fasteners are a pain to work with, just be paitient. I also remember having to force the top grille to bend a little to fit the contour of the hood, and hold it in place while I was attaching the fastener, again patience is key.

That's correct, but it's not that hard. Something like 8-10 nuts to remove.

 

I hope you drive into a big wall of dumb.

Anyways... I'm hoping to get to this tomorrow. Won't be doing any painting tho.

 

Call me and I can talk you through the install WITHOUT removing the bumper and can email you some better pics and some text to help with the install....

 

I would also appreciate any text and pictures, I have a new bumper (1 old one on the car and a new one) so I am doing the Mod in my apt. I already trimmed the grill and made the new holes for the tabs, now I want to smooth everything out, apply some type of vinyl (instead of painting) and pop it in (with the apoxy applied to the grill tabs???) hold in place for a while and let the epoxy cure. let me know if I have the steps right. If anyone has detailed pictures of grill removal I would appreciate those too. Thanks. Good luck uRabbit

 

I did this mod WITHOUT removing the bumper...it was no issue. The lower grill will also click in place without glue and such if modified correctly. The pre-existing tabs will meet the bumper accordingly.

This is really not a difficult mod and just takes time...it also helps if you read these forums and do your homework before ordering things...just a tip.

 

Read this thread, didn't I? Look, I don't have a problem with you calling out a vendor who happened to sell you an OEM part, or not knowing the least bit about what you were buying, or not bothering to do the most cursory of searches on NAM when you ran into problems, or your constant hyperventilating in this thread... It's when you do all of this at the same time, that I get irritated and unhelpful. If you're running into these sorts of problems installing a grill, what will happen when you try next time?

Want some helpful advice? Just spray the lower slat before you install the lower grill, or else it will look like ***.

 

Well thank you! I'd really appreciate it! I sent you a PM with my email address. If I need further help than that, I won't hesitate to call you in the middle of the night. ;P

 

Couple of things. Rather than painting I opted to use 3M blackout tape (same stuff you used to blackout the beltline on the R53). The slats in the lower grill are small and the tape will hold up better to road grime/sand/etc. than spray paint.

Also, the reason I opted to remove the bumper to do the install is I did not like how the grill sat with the tabs inserted into the slots I had made in the bumper.

I used every tab that came on the aero grill and trimmed to make sure they were in place when I was done. I then slotted the bumper to match the tabs. When the grill sat in place it tends to bow away from the bumper because it's rather stiff (injected molded plastic). With the bumper cover removed I was able to do this.



I applied pressure on the front of the lower grill and drilled a pilot hole in the tab on the rear once the grill sat where I wanted it to. I then used a screw to set the grill to the depth I wanted.

IMO this provided a great fit/finish.

There are a bunch of ways to do this mod, this was my take on it.

uRabbit - I'd be happy to take more detailed pictures of the trimmed grill once we do the club members car.

Todd

 

Thank you all for the input. Sanderskog, I'll be looking forward to those images.

I had my father come over to take a look at it, since he has more experience in these types of things, and we're going to be going to get some fasteners today. As far as the lower grille is concerned, we read up on the tutorial I have sitting on my comp. He says he knows how to do it and also commented on how there's plenty of ways to do it.

Trouble is that once that bumper comes off, it MUST go back on within 36 hours, so we have little time for learning as we go, as the Mini's turn signals are on the lower bumper.

 

It sounds like you have the upper grill all setup and the lower is the one that is challenging?

first remove the lower trim surround:
http://picasaweb.google.com/OutMotor...00727469045842


The lower grill will first need to be trimmed (with a dremel, while leaving the actual tabs in place) nearly identical to this image (modified grill on left):

http://picasaweb.google.com/OutMotor...00847728130258


and then line up the tabs with the bumper and mark the bumper and make slots for each of the tabs using a rotozip bit and a dremel:

http://picasaweb.google.com/OutMotor...00860613032162

and completely cut OUT the two vents that the foam tape is stuck to (the plastic will need to be cut along the top edge and the short sides as the bottom is open):
http://picasaweb.google.com/OutMotor...00809073424546

of course, you will first need to remove the color coded plastic part:
http://picasaweb.google.com/OutMotor...00774713686146

from there it is fastest to use BLACK tape to cover the messy opening that was made when the vents were cut out and then carefully test fit the grill and when you are sure ever tab will fit into place tap the grill into place and you're done. It is critical to make the slots around the opening of the bumper as close to the marks as possible so the tabs fit right in and do not come out easily...

 

Hmm.... I didn't cut out any portion of the bumper other than the slots for the tabs. Is the hope to increase airflow? I don't think this is a necessary step, the increase would be minimal IMO.

Cosmetically I don't think it will make a difference. Attached is my MINI with the grill installed.

 

I have always done it that way (cutting out the two long vents) as it is easier than dealing with the sticky double stick foam tape and in some cases (depending on how deep you nest the lower grill) will keep the grill from sitting flush with the face of the bumper....

 

Okay, but that image shows the vents still in-tact. The only thing done in that image is removal of the chrome and body-coloured grille-covers and removal of the two-sided tape.

Now, I would think these things get in the way of the new grille.

Two other concerns that we've come across are:
With the tabs so long now, what will be holding them in-place from slipping out?
Also, what are the notches on the inner-side of the new grille used for and will they also have to be trimmed? (seen below)

Also shown below is how the project is currently. Tape is still on and slots have yet to be drilled. Anything else need to be done? Like those vents?

 

You could use small zip ties to hold it in. I used them on my factory grill after I took those stupid nuts off & they are working fantastically.

 

The second picture that show the double sided tape on those two long protuding pieces, are those the two pieces that Out Motoring says to cut off ? I trimmed the lower grill and cut out the holes for the tabs , I did a test fit and it went in ok (after making some adjustments to the slots), Those two protuding plastic parts were snug against the grill but the grill still snapped on with no problem. How flush is the grill supposed to be ?

uRabbit I am doing the same mod so instead of starting multiple threads I am gonna go along for the ride. Thanks.

another thing do you have to trim both top and bottom parts of the lower grill or just the top and a small section of each corner on the bottom.?

 

rewind: those dinky hex nuts and washers are supposed to be forced onto the new upper aero grill?

 

Here is a solution I found for replacing those stupid hex nuts.





The best part is once you trim off the extra the ties are dead easy to snip back off if you want to mod the grill more.

 

If you can get it to sit flush without bulging out the grill that is all you really need...I have found it easier to just cut them out instead of trying to clean the double stick tape off...

 

Cut what out? I need before and after pictures...

 

...the two horizontal slats that have the double stick tape on them as shown in this picture...if you look at them from the bottom they only molded to the bumper along the top edge and the sides...the bottom is open which makes it easier to cut them out with a dremel ..ONLY if you find that make the grill bulge out or if getting the double stick off is a pain...

http://picasaweb.google.com/OutMotor...00809073424546