Aksan

Does anyone know what those things actually DO, if anything at all? Or do the just improve the looks

carl

I can understand painting them black on a dark-coloured car, but mine is silver. I can't work out if I should paint them black or silver.

PaulL

As to what they're supposed to do, all I can say is that behind the drivers side one I found an electrical connector which seemed to go to the indicator, just hanging there!
So they could be for protection for things like that... possibly.
However, that doesn't provide any weather protection, so I pushed the connector up behind the bumper to protect it.
Interestingly, the Autocar test car suffered an indicator system failure during its long term test... wonder if that was the problem

Colour-wise, I reckon black will look ok on any colour car... after all, the front is black (above and below the bumper)
Suck it and see... if you don't like it you can always take 'em off and try another colour!

Paul L

bobn3

Hi all

I was looking at my car the other day, and I was thinking about painting the little orange wedges in the front black, or color code them with the car!

But, how do you get them out, with out breaking them???

Cheers

PaulL

Use a screwdriver (wrapped in an old rag to avoid scratching the bumper) to *carefully* lever the middle of the top edge down, allowing the top to unclip.
The bottom then unclips easily.

You'll find on removal that they're not infact orange... but a yucky rusty brown colour.
They do look a lot better in black

Paul L

Les

Bobn3

Cheers for posting that question, my MY99 is crying out for removal of those orange wedges. Will do later.

Nice instructions PaulL

carl

OK, but what to paint it with?

PaulL

I used the cheapest Black spray Halfords sold... just in case I didn't like it
Cost about 3 or 4 quid from memory.
The only regrest is that it's quite a glossy finish and I think it would have looked better as a matt finish.

Just remember to clean the things with white spirit (or something similar) to get the oily road grime off first.

Paul L

GaryC

took mine of to paint black - actually prefer it without them in at all, a la 22b/WRC. Come out very easily.

Ian Cook

They are in fact about as useful as a chocolate teapot they let air through the bumper, but quite what they are supposed to be cooling i have no idea ???

Paul Frank

Ian,

Perhaps they are solar panels for the 'bright' button?

Ah, but what do they power on Jap models?
Hmm . . . .

Paul

Ian Cook

Perhaps its a wind generator for the bright button, the imports have climate so its probably modified to run that

On a less trivial note, be careful when you spray em, the black or whatever tends to get shot blast by stones and stuff and will probably need doing again at a later point, i know mine do

Les

Took my brown/orange wierd coloured placcie bits out last night, looks better, think I might colour code them at a later date. I
wrapped that connector that shows (both sides on my MY99) in electrical tape and pushed it up.

Will let you all know if the indicators play up!!

Nick

I have a feeling that the brown colour is supposed to match the indicator colour..... badly!

Perhaps their use is for the WRC - rather like the bonnet air vents?

Penni Whitehead

.....oh those orange wedges.....I never noticed them before...

HAPPY

i have just sprayed my little "BROWN" wedges with some engine casing spray in "SATIN" black.
it is a very nice finish and look fantastic on my dark blue mica uk99.

robski

Bernie, good call, I was thinking exactly the same!

Maybe Pete C can design us some!!?

robski