12 replies to this topic

[Seefacts]

My 86 Mini has that really horrible grey trim and wheel arches that make the car look rubbish. Some of the trim is missing anyway, so I want to take it all off and get some chrome trim, nice and simple.

I was thinking this stuff:

Trim

Is it easy to fit, and more importantly will it go on my 86 City E? Is it just a case of taking off all the old pastic stuff, and fitting this stuff on - sounds a bit too simple I guess.

Has anyone else done it who can maybe point me in the direction of other, more suitable trim if the case may be. I obviously need roof trim too, but they don't seem to have that!

Argh! All these decisions!

[Elfie]

It is the hardest thing in the world to fit. The non fluted stuff is easier apparently, but that stuff has to be heated either with boiling water or a very hot hairdryer and takes absolutley ages.
It does make it look much better though

[lorry]

I should be correct in saying that you should have the wider arches because of the disc brakes, therefore you need arches that cover you wheels. These fit right on top of you existing arches.

http://www.minispare....aspx?kid=36602

[Bungle]

there are a few topics on tmf about this

but i always use the vertical seam trim as its a little bit thinner

put the coil in a bucket of hot as you can handle water and pull straight

then place it on the mini as best as you can (remembering as it cools it goes hard) for the stubborn bits pour on some more hot water

i have done 2 minis with this method and find it only takes a hour or two

[Seefacts]

I should be correct in saying that you should have the wider arches because of the disc brakes, therefore you need arches that cover you wheels. These fit right on top of you existing arches.

http://www.minispare....aspx?kid=36602

Are they hard to fit? And do they look good - in my head, if they fit over the top, they look rubbish. But that's in my unskilled head!

[Bungle]

if you want the silver trim you could always fit works type arches and fit the chrome trim to these

[lorry]

I should be correct in saying that you should have the wider arches because of the disc brakes, therefore you need arches that cover you wheels. These fit right on top of you existing arches.

http://www.minispare....aspx?kid=36602

Are they hard to fit? And do they look good - in my head, if they fit over the top, they look rubbish. But that's in my unskilled head!

The arches can just be screwed onto the existing arches, which I found easy. But the sills where a pain in the bottom because I found out that my sills werent straight, so I left those off. They look ok, ive had them on for a while now and are bit bored of them now.

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[Seefacts]

Are they those stainless steel arches then?

[M44K TS]

The ones Lorry posted a pic of look like the stainless covers which go over the standard factory wheel arches. The just slot ove rthen you have to drill into the plastic arch and screw them on.

Not a hard job at all, just the side sills can be a bit of a pain as you have to drill though the seam to get them to fit.

I had a set on my car for about 4 years and they were fine, never rusted or pitted.

[Seefacts]

The ones Lorry posted a pic of look like the stainless covers which go over the standard factory wheel arches. The just slot ove rthen you have to drill into the plastic arch and screw them on.

Not a hard job at all, just the side sills can be a bit of a pain as you have to drill though the seam to get them to fit.

I had a set on my car for about 4 years and they were fine, never rusted or pitted.

Thanks guys!

[blakestar]

The ones Lorry posted a pic of look like the stainless covers which go over the standard factory wheel arches. The just slot ove rthen you have to drill into the plastic arch and screw them on.

Not a hard job at all, just the side sills can be a bit of a pain as you have to drill though the seam to get them to fit.

I had a set on my car for about 4 years and they were fine, never rusted or pitted.

hey i have the chrome arches on my car, but cant get the sills on do i need to take the plastic one off first? also the strip is about half an inch too long do i cut it or try and tuck it under the whell arches??? help am so stuck!!

[blakestar]

The ones Lorry posted a pic of look like the stainless covers which go over the standard factory wheel arches. The just slot ove rthen you have to drill into the plastic arch and screw them on.

Not a hard job at all, just the side sills can be a bit of a pain as you have to drill though the seam to get them to fit.

I had a set on my car for about 4 years and they were fine, never rusted or pitted.

Thanks guys!

hey with the chrome side stripes did you havev to take the plastic ones off first?!!?

[Ozymandias]

The ones Lorry posted a pic of look like the stainless covers which go over the standard factory wheel arches. The just slot ove rthen you have to drill into the plastic arch and screw them on.

Not a hard job at all, just the side sills can be a bit of a pain as you have to drill though the seam to get them to fit.

I had a set on my car for about 4 years and they were fine, never rusted or pitted.

Thanks guys!

hey with the chrome side stripes did you havev to take the plastic ones off first?!!?

I'm having the same problems fitting stainless steel sills - the current rubber/plastic sills are too big for the new ones to fit over - taking the plastic ones off and attaching steel ones to the naked metal of the seams seems like an invitation for rust (and do I really have to drill into the seams? Gulp!)