Just a quick question about the front bonnet grille on our mini 1
Basically at the front there is a chrome eyebrow i think you call it? with 3 black grilles under it, now i want to change these to chrome grilles and would like to know if these are 2 seperate parts?
I have contaced a guy on ebay selling an original front chrome grille but it only has the 3 grille bars no eyebrow? i contacted him to ask if these were indeed seperate parts but he said no!!?? which made no sense!
I can't check our car as the misses is away in it with work and didn't want to miss out as its a good price!
Yes, they're separate parts.
The three chrome grilles will be one part together.
The top trim that goes on the bonnet is another part, and you'll also need the bottom trim that goes on the front bumper underneath the three bars.
But as you already have a chrome surround, you'll should be able to reuse these two trims and just replace the middle insert. Hope that makes sense.
No worries, good luck with your project. I replaced my one grille with a black honeycombe grille and black trim surround, it's completely transformed the car.
Hmmm? you have got me thinking now! that sounds good, i was having a look at the front late last night and thought that maybe the chrome would be to much and look sort of cheap! Will have a look at this honeycombe grille before i make my mind up
Many thanks for that Mab01uk, can I ask if you bought the chrome grille in one piece? I found the 3 bar front chrome fitting for our mini but the chrome eyebrow piece I have at the top and the bottom as a black strip below the top and above the bottom if you know what I mean, so basically I would have the chrome grille, the chrome eyebrow top and bottom but a black strip between both, would I need to replace it all?
The black strip (usually on a R50 Mini One) is stuck to the lower grille 'bar' of the bumper and can be carefully levered off and unstuck, then replaced with a chrome strip (as usually fitted to R50 Cooper).
Early upper and lower grille eyebrows are chrome 'fluted' with ridges, later facelift eyebrows are smooth which look better and are interchangeable.
Tip: When removing the plastic nuts for black grille from behind the bonnet lay a blanket over the engine or you will loose some when you drop them!
The nuts also need gentle levering with a flat screwdriver as you undo them to help them off the grille plastic studs, not easy while working upside down!
I have 2 chrome surrounds from a 07 plate Cooper s . The top one fits on to the bonnet and the other one just above the bumper . They are in good nick and you are welcome to have them free of charge if they are of any use to you .
That would be superb and obviously i would pay postage, i would just need to check from the likes of mab01uk if this is compatible with my mini as i don't want to take what i can't use.
Ive got a Gen1 and am looking to swap to a black grille. Have a look at mine and let me know if thats the kind of thing you are after, we could just do a straight swap Where are you located?
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as its a 2002 , oh well back to the drawing board, still really not sure on the chrome1 
