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Removing the black lower pieces to paint

2K views 4 replies 2 participants last post by  fenderless 33 
#1 ·
I am trying to remove the wheel arces, the lower front black piece below the front bumper, lower rocker panels, and around the back of the car on my Clubman. I can not get the front lower piece off. I removed the two torx head screws on the bottom side and the three plastic clips but it is still attached to the upper bumper. I want to paint these to match the car. Painting them is no problem as I have painted before. But getting them off is making me pull what hair I have left out.
 
#2 ·
I have no experience of these parts on later Mk2 MINI's but on the Mk1 MINI which is probably similar the lower black plastic is clipped to the main front and rear painted bumper sections with an interlocking 'toothed' moulding profile which takes some brute force to clip and unclip. It is a lot easier to see and do without damage when the complete bumper assembly is removed from the car.
 
#3 ·
I would think that is very true. I was trying to just take the parts off that I wanted to paint and not take the whole car apart. I called the dealer and the tech admitted that it is a PITA to take apart but goes together really easy. I am thinking maybe let them take the pieces off, paint them myself and reassemble myself. Might have some hair left that way but they want $200.00 just to remove pieces. I might just paint on the car. I would really like to take off but budget is tight and 200.00 is a lot of money and then add the new clips I will need and the price of the paint. Just a little disturbed about the whole thing right now. Funny I just am finishing a 1933 coupe that will run in the low 11's in quarter and has more amenities than the MINI and I built it. This should not be that hard.
 
#4 ·
Once you have unclipped the first part of the plastic moulding the rest follows much easier (at least on the Mk1 Mini's) but as you say doing it on the car with no previous experience you could end up breaking something and needing some expensive replacement parts.......might be best to paint them in situ.
 
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