Exterior 2nd Gen Most liked posts in thread: Removing headlight and taillight rings?

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  1. miniconcarne

    miniconcarne New Member

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    #2 miniconcarne, Apr 1, 2011
    I chickened-out trying to do mine. Hopefully the experienced will contribute. I'll be keeping an eye on this thread.:D
     
  2. RonsMinnie

    RonsMinnie New Member
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    #3 RonsMinnie, Apr 1, 2011
    Langston at Vinly styes says: just use Your thumbs

    Just push on the tabs towards the center of the headlight ring.
    __________________
     
  3. Justa Jim

    Justa Jim Well-Known Member
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    #4 Justa Jim, Apr 2, 2011
    On the 2009, you can get to the headlight ring clips from the underside. Just pry gently on the tail light rings until one clip pops and then you are good to go. The plasta-dip holds up best on areas that are not touched a lot. It will tend to peel from along the edges first.

    Jim
     
  4. BoCRon

    BoCRon Active Member

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    #5 BoCRon, Apr 2, 2011
    Thanks all, if I can I will post pics of my endeavors. (I have a pretty basic camera, so pic quality is iffy).

    Annette
     
  5. BoCRon

    BoCRon Active Member

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    #6 BoCRon, Apr 2, 2011
    Ok, messed around with the headlight rings for 20 minutes and finally got one tab unhooked and realized I hadn't unhooked it, but snapped it off. Scrapping this project and buying the ones from AC or VinylStyles and letting someone else install them.
    Would have been a better idea to buy a second set and plastidiped them first, then I could see how these things unsnap. Still couldn't tell by the broken tab how it was held on or where I should have been applying pressure.
    The gas cap tab just flexed like you would expect and it unscrewed no prob, oh well, I think I'll go black out the beltline instead. Hopefully that won't be too bad.
    Annette
     
  6. BoCRon

    BoCRon Active Member

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    #7 BoCRon, Apr 2, 2011
    Just made a discovery. I did not break the tab, they are made to come off! I got up my nerve again and went out to try again and pushed in toward the center of light with my thumb and they clicked off. When I got the whole ring off I went and found the "broken" tab and realized it is made to slide back into the ring. I took some pics and will post them later. The best part is that now I'm going to remove all the tabs, do the plastidip and then reinsert the tabs. This way I don't have to worry about getting plastidip on the tabs and rendering them too thick to use to reinstall. A How-to I read warned about not getting the plastidip on the tabs, so now I won't. Whew.
    Annette
     
  7. Crashton

    Crashton Club Coordinator

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    #8 Crashton, Apr 2, 2011
    Good for you! Feels great to do stuff yourself doesn't it? These modern snap together cars are a bit of a puzzle at times.
     
  8. BoCRon

    BoCRon Active Member

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    #9 BoCRon, Apr 2, 2011
    It is pretty fun, but I do tend to try to "force" things when they are annoying me. Not a good thing to try with plastic tabby things. I was lucky that I didn't break it. I'm going to just do the front today and try the tail lights tomorrow.

    Annette
     
  9. Crashton

    Crashton Club Coordinator

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    #10 Crashton, Apr 2, 2011
    That is a good plan. When something on a car starts to bother me I take a break & relax a bit. It usually helps me.
     
  10. Justa Jim

    Justa Jim Well-Known Member
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    #11 Justa Jim, Apr 2, 2011
    My dad was an engineer and told me to "never force anything", just get a larger lever. :D

    Jim
     
  11. Crashton

    Crashton Club Coordinator

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    #12 Crashton, Apr 2, 2011
    Give me a lever long enough & I can break anything. :yesnod:
     
  12. CHKMINI

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    #13 CHKMINI, Apr 2, 2011
    I'm not touching this one....it too could go downhill quickly with this group :D
     
  13. Crashton

    Crashton Club Coordinator

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    #14 Crashton, Apr 2, 2011
    Forgot about what my friend said... :D

    [​IMG]
     
  14. Justa Jim

    Justa Jim Well-Known Member
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    #15 Justa Jim, Apr 2, 2011
    That was a good show. Hope it comes back next season. :Thumbsup:

    Jim
     
  15. ScottinBend

    ScottinBend Space Cowboy
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    #16 ScottinBend, Apr 2, 2011
    I did mine and just left the rings on the car and just masked around them. Worked great.
     
  16. VYPUR

    VYPUR New Member

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    #17 VYPUR, Apr 3, 2011
    Can't wait to see how it looks Annette I want to do mine! Also nice to see you in this forum also.
     
  17. BoCRon

    BoCRon Active Member

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    #18 BoCRon, Apr 3, 2011
    Thanks, I'm enjoying this place! I finally got the tail light rings off last night so am heading down to the kennel now to start painting (it is very windy here this weekend so I'm painting indoors).
    Hope to get the parts back on Mozart by tonight or tomorrow at the latest. Sunday is our Schutzhund Club training day, so I'm covered up with dog stuff all day. I love it, but am itching to get the black outs done. Sigh...
    Annette
     
  18. BoCRon

    BoCRon Active Member

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    #19 BoCRon, Apr 4, 2011
    Here are a few quick pics of the blacked out parts. I had to take them in the garage since it is so windy here still, and the pollen is absolutely out of control!
    EPSN2067.jpg EPSN2068.jpg EPSN2070.jpg

    And while I was at it, I changed out the red "S"s to green.

    [​IMG]

    I also tinted the side reflectors and tail lights but it got too dark to get any pics, will get some tomorrow I hope.

    Annette
     
  19. Mr. Jim

    Mr. Jim Mudshark
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    #20 Mr. Jim, Apr 5, 2011
    Very nice job!
     
  20. BoCRon

    BoCRon Active Member

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    #21 BoCRon, Apr 5, 2011
    I still have to do the side scuttles and the grill surround with be replaced with a black one when I get the driving lights installed. I think I'm going to leave the MINI emblems and the Cooper S on the boot in chrome though.
    Door handles will hopefully get done at the Dragon.
    Annette
     
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