This installation guide is designed as a guide for fitting an Optimise Automotive MK3 onwards (1969 and 2000) headlining kit.

Installing a headliner is very different to installing “nut & bolt” items. There is movement in the materials and as a result, a headliner needs to be manipulated, pulled and installed through the fitters touch & feel.

We recommend taking your time, do not rush the process and double check alignment before cutting or glueing anything.

Your Kit - What’s Included:

• 1x headliner

• 1x driver side A pillar trim

• 1x passenger side A pillar trim

• 1x driver side B pillar trim

• 1x passenger side B pillar trim

• 1x driver side C pillar trim

• 1x passenger side C pillar trim

• 1x under rear screen trim

• 1x driver side sun visor (optional extra)

• 1x passenger side sun visor (optional extra)

Tools Needed (Recommended):

• Clean lint free cloth

• Grease removal cleaning agent

• Masking Tape

• Bulldog clips 25mm (x32)

• Contact spray adhesive (high temperature resistant)

• Sharp knife

Preparation:

Before installing your new headlining kit you will need to remove your front seats, rear parcel shelf board, the front windscreen, the rear windscreen, the rear quarter windows, window/door rubber edge trim, rear view mirror, sun visors, interior light, seat belt fixings (on the B & C pillars) and the original headlining.

Although it will not be essential to remove your rear seat, we would recommend it. Plus if possible, if you are installing A pillar trims, we would recommend removing your top padded dash rail.

Pre-Installation:

Using a clean lint free cloth and a grease removal cleaning agent clean a ring around the edge of the roof (interior of the Mini) and on the lips of the windows. Or in other words clean where the headlining will be stuck to the Mini. Allow the cleaning agent to dry and/or evaporate naturally.

Installation:

1. Mask up around your window and door openings (exterior of the Mini), to prevent over-spray from the adhesive.

2. Insert the headliner rods into the loops on the back of the headliner. The correct order from front to back is red, white, white, black, blue and yellow. The front of the headlining is the end that has the equal sized sections, the back of the headlining is the end that has the smaller section after the first loop.

3. Using a contact spray adhesive spray a ring of glue around the edge of the roof (interior of the Mini) and on the lips of the windows and door opening (exterior of the Mini). Or in other words, spray the glue where the headlining will be stuck to the Mini.

4. Place the headlining in the Mini, making sure it’s the right way round. The Red rod should be at the front and the yellow rod at the back.

5. Fix the rod ends into the holes in the roof rail.

6. Once the rods are fitted into the correct holes turn the rods 180 degrees, so they are facing upwards and following the shape of the roof.

7. It’s now time to start pulling and clipping the headliner into place, start in the middle of the back window, pull it tight, wrap the headliner around the edge of the window opening and attach a bulldog clip in the middle. Move to the front window and do the same. At this stage adjust the tension front to back (by resetting the bulldog clips).

8. When you are happy with the central front-to-back tension proceed and clip the rest of the front and back windows. Pulling and wrapping the headliner around the edge of the window openings and continually checking that the headlining is tight.

9. Once the front and back of the headlining is clipped you can start to clip the sides. As with the front and back, pull the headlining tight (side to side) and clip it around the edge of the window and door openings, work your way from the back to the front. Use a hair dryer to warm the vinyl, this will soften the material and make it easier to manipulate. Please be careful not to over heat.

10. We recommend leaving the headliner to hang overnight and once it has settled make any necessary adjustments to the tension the following day.

11. When you are happy with the tension, one window at a time (we recommend starting at the rear window and working your way forward, finishing with the front window), remove the bulldog clips. Using the same spray adhesive as before, spray glue on the edge of the headliner. Or in other words, once again spray the glue where the headlining will be stuck to the Mini.
    Please Note It is vitally important that you wait for the spray glue to go touch dry before attempting to stick the headliner in place. If you do not wait for the glue to be touch dry the covers will not stick correctly.

12. Once the adhesive has gone touch dry stick the headlining to the Mini, pulling it tight and wrapping it around the edge of the window and/or door openings. Repeat with all openings (as mentioned above we recommend starting at the rear window and working your way forward, finishing with the front window) until your headliner is fitted.

13. Using a sharp knife, trim off the excess material from all the window and door openings (exterior of the Mini). Ensuring that the headliner will all be hidden under the window and door rubber trims.

14. Also cut off any excess material from the top of the A, B and C pillars (interior of the Mini). Ensuring it is cut straight and neatly on the A & B pillars, even if you are installing the A & B pillar trims the edge of the headliner will (the line you cut) will be seen under the A & B pillar trims. The C pillar trims will hide the edge of the headliner under the C pillar cards, so it is less essential on the C pillars to trim the headliner straight and neatly.

15. Using spray adhesive spray glue on the A pillars, B pillars and under the rear windscreen (interior of the Mini). Or in other words spray the glue where the A pillar trims, B pillar trims and under screen trim will be stuck to the Mini.

16. Using the same spray adhesive spray glue on the A pillar trims, B pillar trims and under rear windscreen trim.

17. Also using the same spray adhesive, spray glue on the tabs on the C pillar trims (down each side and on MK1 to MK6 trims, along the bottom).

18. If you haven’t already, using a contact spray adhesive spray the lips of the windows and door opening (exterior of the Mini) down to the waste line on the A pillars (both sides), B pillars (both sides), C pillars (both sides) and also along the bottom of the rear windscreen. Or in other words spray the glue where the A pillar trims, B pillar trims, C pillar trims and under screen trim, will wrap around the window and door openings.
    Please Note It is vitally important that you wait for the spray glue to go touch dry before attempting to stick the covers in place. If you do not wait for the glue to be touch dry the covers will not stick correctly.

19. Stick the A pillar trim to the A pillars, they line up from the top and follow the angle of the pillar. For reference, the A pillar trims are the "L" shaped trims (the "L" shape goes at the bottom, points towards the centre of the Mini and wraps in & around the top dash rail/front windscreen area). Wrap the trims around the edge of the front windscreen and front door openings.

20. Stick the B pillar trim to the B pillars, they line up from the top. For reference, the B pillar trims are the rectangular shaped trims. Wrap the trims around the edge of the front door and rear quarter window openings.

21. Stick the under rear windscreen trim under the rear windscreen. For reference, the under screen trim is the long thin rectangular shaped trim. Wrap the trims around the edge of the rear windscreen opening.

22. Place the C pillar trims in place, aligning them in the centre of the C pillar, use the seat belt mounting point as your reference. Remember (if applicable) at this stage to feed the heated rear screen wires through the C pillar trims (holes are cut on the board but will need to be cut in the trimming using a sharp knife). Wrap the trims around the edge of the rear quarter window and rear windscreen openings.

23. Using a sharp knife, trim off the excess material from all the window and door openings (exterior of the Mini). Ensuring that the A pillar trims, B pillar trims, C pillar trims and under rear screen trim will all be hidden under the window and door rubber trims.

24. Remove the masking tape from the window and door openings.

Post-Installation:

With your new headliner now installed, you can reinstall the (we recommend in this order) window/door rubber edge trim, the top dash rail, rear parcel shelf board, interior light, rear view mirror, sun visors, seat belt fixings (on the B & C pillars), rear quarter windows, the front windscreen, the rear windscreen, the rear seat and the front seats.