Question

[Bmuurr325is]

Can you take the sideskirts, venter trims off and paint them body color? Or are those after market kits that they are painting body color?

[TSR53]

Can you take the sideskirts, venter trims off and paint them body color? Or are those after market kits that they are painting body color?

I'm sure that you can paint the black plastic side skirts (and fender flares) that come stock on the Cooper and Cooper S with body color paint that has a flex agent in it. Yes, there are some aftermarket aerodynamic kits available (Ocari, Hamann-Motorsport (http://www.hamann-motorsport.com/index_start_en.php), etc.). I think that you might be referencing the factory MINI aero kit side skirts and front and rear aero kit bumper covers - all of which can be painted body color with body color fender mouldings (aka as *spats* in the UK) or painted black to match existing trim.

I choose to keep my look black, with the added front MINI factory aero kit, with factory Cooper S black side skirts (sans paint), as the roads and environment where I live is rallye rough. Thus keeping the paint chipping down to a minimum.
http://thompsonsmithdesign.com/gallery/My%20Cars/MINI%20Cooper%20S/DSCF4058.jpg

[Fantiz]

I have seen them painted, so I know it is possible. You would want a good body shop to prep them the right way and do the job.

[Koopah]

I have seen them painted, so I know it is possible. You would want a good body shop to prep them the right way and do the job.

Sage advice!

You'll want to make sure the body shop has had a lot of experience doing this. As I recall, the parts are removed and sanded until they are extremely smooth, a sealant is applied, then primer, painting and clear coat.

Here is Ian Cull's GBMINI #2 after a terrific job of trim painting at Sublime Restorations in Rowley, MA.

http://gbmini.net/images/albums/MINImeander2003/WashBeforeMeander2small.jpg

Good luck!

Theo

[Bmuurr325is]

I dont want to add any kits just want the fender trim and skirts painted body color. Isn't the fender trim and skirts plastic? How do you sand down plastic?lol

[Koopah]

That's what you see in the picture -- the standard black plastic trim painted body color.

Plastic can easily be sanded as any model-maker will know. In the case of the MINI's trim, I believe the body shop used a very fine grit paper and wet-sanded the plastic. The trick is to sand it just enough to make it a glass-smooth surface before applying the sealer, primer and paint/clearcoat. If the plastic is not sanded, the finished product has a matte-like finish due to the (relatively) rough surface of the standard trim. I have seen MINI trim painted without having been sanded and it looks like a Krylon job :stickoutt

Theo

[Bmuurr325is]

oh sweet...i now wonder how much this job would cost...but thanks for the info! I want to get it painted body color "HOT CHOCOLATE".