Aero Grill for Stock MCS Bumper - diary, links & pics

[monkeynuts]

Just been quoted £150 from Mini Design to get the Aero Grille purchased and fitted to my stock MCS bumper!!

In the words of Roy L. Fukes from the classic Used Cars "That price is to 'kin hiiiigh!!"

So forget that il go to BMW

I have just spoke to BMW Manchester Mini Parts who didnt have a clue what i was talking about

I know this has been covered before but what I have read is still not clear (ish) - I hope to make this a bit clearer and start from scratch for people wanting a bit more detail.

So i will keep this updated - just awaiting a return call from BMW re the part

Getting the Grille
Parts are in stock - In the car 15min later parts are in my garage
Couple of photos attached of invoice and grille and other peoples grilles once fitted

Links: Click below
1) Mini2er thread with pics
2) Mini2er thread with pics
3) Mini2er thread with pics
4) Mini2er thread with pics
5) How to Guide - PDF file right click save target as

The Top (Bonnet) Grill
The "Easy" bit is not as easy as we are led to beleive - after much faffing and visiting my local Mini Bodyshop the way to remove the grill is
First and foremost - cover your engine bay with a sheet/blanket (as long as it is not hot) - any screws dropped wont then go in your engine
1) Use the 10mm drill bit and a flat head screwdriver in conjunction with each other.
2) Prise the screwdriver under the washer whilst turning the drill bit - you will feel it come very lose and off she pops. If it simply just keeps turning prise some more with your screwdriver and eventually it will come off.
3) Do this on all others
4) Once all removed you need to look for the little black clips on the far sides of the grill
5) Push them through with a bit of force and it should just pop out.
6) Dont be afraid to push quite hard - it will work

The Mid Point Dilemma
I am now looking at some of the pics of my car and thinking yea i quite like it without changing the lower grill I think this has more to do with the fact that its an absolute ball ache to change but i truly do think it looks ok. (See pics of red US MCS further down page)

Need to find Dremel or lend same - Nickb where are you?

[Kotz]

the parts Number and parts are as follows

Radiator Grille Top Part No 51 13 0 140 259 price £30
Grille Bumper Front Top Part No 51 11 0 140 255 price £21

this for Aero Grille that goes with Aero Pack (Black)

I know coz I just ordered them and am waiting to fit them to my MCS without Aero Kit.
There's a PDF somewhere on this site tells you how to fit the Grille to a MCS without Aero Kit.

Hope this helps........

[monkeynuts]

cheers Kotz

ive seen a few lurking around here somewhere so il have a ganders
im off work this week so i guess im gonna be fiddling with this all day tomoz

EDIT

Photoshopped this one as i am contemplating spraying the plastic honeycomb chrome

[Kotz]

Good Luck let me know how you get on. From the posts I have read you will need to remove front bumper cover and you will need to trim the the Aero grille bit that goes on the bottom. You will see what I mean when you get parts, it's the depth that needs trimming not the height. I have been out and bought a "Dremmel" replica from B&Q as you need to be careful how much you take off. When you get your bits you will see the lower part of the two has small lugs that must fit into the Aero bumper, as your not using an Aero kit it's around this area you trim. It's so it sits flush and doesn't stick out.

Anyways hope it all goes well. My car not here until middle of next month and I'm already planning on pulling her to bits....

[Pobsey]

its really simple to do, just takes abit of time to work out what to cut, I've now done a couple of them the last took all of 10mins to trim using Mr Dremmel, I have a few photos of the lower grille before it is fitted tot he bumper, if you want to see them I will try and find them out,



Rob

[monkeynuts]

Whats this i read about painting the lower grill?

My car is black so do i need to worry about this - in fact even if it wasnt black what needs painting?

[Pobsey]

On my car I have left it unpainted, but on my moms I'm going to get the grille surround painted black to match the body, see my gallery for picks of my car, moms car is a job in progress


rob

[monkeynuts]

hmm think it looks fine as it is

hope weather is sutable tomoz

What can be used instead of a dremel ??

just dont wana be spending £70 on something im not gona use again

we have the old black n pecker!

[Pobsey]

I reckon anything with a disc cutter, but it has to be quite fine as you only need remove about 3/4mm from around the lower and side edges

[Pobsey]

but the plastic is quite hard so a file doesn't touch it!! I left tabs on the lower edge to fit in the holes in the bumper

[wibbly]

Quote: Originally Posted by scooby212

just dont wana be spending £70 on something im not gona use again

Well if you make a good job of fitting yours, there's always mine next mate

[monkeynuts]

Some pics of todays antics
1. 10mm Drill Bit
2. The Drill
3. Worst creation ever - screw n washer
4. The plastic nob for the screw n washer once they have been removed
5. Its off at last !
6. Like a transvestite before her makeup - disgusting
7. What your footwell should look like
8. Dont do this ! Drop the screw in an impossible place in the engine
9. If you do , get a bit of wire and some sticky tape and prod at it so it err sticks to it
10. Run upstairs and take a pic of father helping out

[monkeynuts]

The so called easy part is now done

At this point im a bit knackered - nearly lunch time and my back is hurting as I have physio later

Gave the bumper a look of OH MY GOD where do i start !!

May do that tomorrow

Pics of Red MCS from GoMini (AKA Dont-Turn-Up-To-Any-Events-Mini Magazine Jun/Jul 2004

[Pobsey]

Those plastic stud thingies are a pain in the @rse, did you break any off when you removed the old grille?
The bumper is held on by quite a few fixings, do you know which ones you need to remove?



Rob

[monkeynuts]

one broke off a while back when i was messing with it

but apart from that it went ok