This is one I recommend getting the experts to help with. A list of 3M approved installers is available.

This was the first sunroof CooperFlags installation. The future kits will be in at least three pieces, so some of the cutting you see in the how-to won't be necessary.

Tools required:

Alchohol/water spray bottle
Utility knife
Card (this comes with the graphic)
Heat gun

Time required:

2.5 hours

1. Remove the antenna by unscrewing it and popping off the base.

2. Make sure the roof is cleaned with an alchohol/water solution.



3. Unfurl the roof graphic. It is a good idea to line up the graphic on the roof for a "dry run" just to get an idea of how it fits.

4. Spray the roof down with the water solution.

5. Peel the backing off of the graphic.



6. Spray the back of the graphic with the water solution.



7. Lay the graphic on the roof.





8. Center the graphic. The best way to do this is to measure the stripe and center it with the antenna in the rear and the windshield "hump" in the front. The windshield has a rounded area of black edging on the top that is right in the center. Once it is centered, cut a slit for the antenna.



9. Begin to work the water out from under the flag with the card. Don't worry about the sunroof portion, as that will be cut out and replaced.





10. Once the flag appears smooth, very gingerly apply heat with the heat gun.





11. Now that the flag is laying down, trim the sunroof section out. Use the middle, as you are cutting blind and it is easier to trim the edges after you make the initial cut.



12. Now trim the excess graphic around the sides. Leave about 2mm around the edge to tuck in the grapihc under the black edging. Use the card to do this, followed by the heat gun.



13. Trim the front after using the excess material to pull it into place and rid as many "fingers" in the material as possible.



14. Once the roof edges have all been trimmed, go back and trim the sunroof edges. Again, leave about 1mm and heat it to make it wrap over the small curve in the sunroof line.



15. Lay the sunroof graphic over the sunroof and line it up with the different references on the flag. After it is lined up, make sure the glass is clean and remove the backing on the graphic. Spray the graphic and the roof with the water solution and place the graphic on the roof.



16. Work the water out of the graphic with the card.

17. Trim the sunroof cutout. Be conservative, as you are again cutting blind. Once you have the outline cut out, go back and trim the graphic to the edge of the glass.



18. Hit the graphic gingerly with the heat gun to remove any water remaining under the graphic.

You now have a really cool roof graphic!



More pictures will follow with shots from inside the car. This graphic has the perforated material for the sunroof portion of the graphic, so you can actually still see through the glass.

Special thanks to Justin at Cool Shade here in Colorado. This is the second graphic he has done on the MINI. You should count on installation costs of between $75 and $200.

The future graphics will come in three (maybe four) pieces - the front roof section, the rear roof section, and the sunroof section (which may be two pieces). This will make the installation better, as the finger issue will be much easier to deal with.

Let me know if there are any questions.

Randy
randy@mini-motorsport.com
720-841-1002

 

...mind explaining what this "finger issue" is??

R

 

Oh, and shouldn't this be in Interior/Exterior Mods? Poor Randy lives in Performance Mods. And I have to laugh that you will tear apart your engine to get to the supercharger....but this is something you reccomend having someone else do.

R

 

Ryan,

Very funny. I'd rather take apart the motor than deal with "fingers"

The fingers are areas where the material gathers. They are a little tough to smooth out, hence the reason for going to a two or three piece graphic. It's the whole putting a flat wrap on a curved surface.

The heat helps, as this material is very nice to work with, but making the graphic a couple of pieces helps even more.

Randy

 

Oh, and it's in Performance Mods 'cause I wanted to keep all of the How-tos in one place. Plus, the drag coefficient is reduced, so it increases performance.

 

Randy, did you make the graphic or did you order it from some one? And if you did who did you get it from?

 

I think it is a CooperFlags (sponsor of MCO).

 

minimotorin:

From this image it appears to have a http://www.cooperflags.com symbol in the lower right corner.



R

 

Nice eye, didn't notice that. I was wondering because I thought they were already making the sunroof type.

 

Hey randy you should cut the center red/white line from the left over sunroof panel and put the stripe on the Spioler....lol

 

It is a CooperFlags kit.

CooperFlags hasn't done the sunroof kit until now, as there were a few production issues to work out.

You can get the kit from MINI-Motorsport or CooperFlags .

Let me know if there are any other questions.

Randy

 

So did you combine 2 flags to make this. Looks like the normal roof flag ($239) for the outside, and then the sunroof flag ($299) for he rest. That is a lot of money for the roof flag!

Has anyone seen a MINI with just the flag on the sunroof, leaving the white bits?

 

Hey Randy,

Where are all the pics of you guys stomping your feett and throwing things in frustration?

Great job on the How To...as usual.


See ya,
JS

 

A serious question...

How much working time do you have before the graphic starts getting sticky, and did you have to apply more wetting agent part-way into the process in order to get everything in place?

Also, did you have much trouble with the overhang sticking to the side of the car where you didn't want it?

Thanks,
JS

 

HI Randy,

How about adding a pics with the sunroof opened (exterior shot), sunroof closed and opened (interior). Thanks.

Also, I've been copying all the various addresses of these great mods and other threads of interest to a master word.doc for future reference. Hope we don't relocate to new addresses.

SMKKVK

 

Arnster,

The application is the sunroof kit - which is the perforated panel for the sunroof and a solid graphic. It is $349 now due to some increased costs from the production side.

jstines,

The 3M material is very straightforward and easy to work with. The first roof spray to get things wet was the only time we sprayed it. You don't get stuck where you don't want to at all. Working out the fingers was the toughest part, and due to the new format the application will come in, that shouldn't be near as hard for anyone that gets a production version.

SMKKVK,

I plan to get a few of those shots once the temp gets up a bit - brrrr

Randy

 

$350 bucks! I think that price will push this option out of my plans. Seems a bit steep for what it is.

 

It does seem a bit steep, but when you look at the alternative - CarVogue - it is relatively cheap. Anybody have prices on what they paid for the CarVogue sunroof UJ? And was it a full roof? Thanks.

 

I checked one of their UK suppliers and with conversion it came to about $412. Way to much either way, also when the dealer only charges $189 for one as an option (I know it's not a sunroof one but still). I might have talked myself into it at $299 but too much when it went over $300 and then when you add install costs. Sheeesh, no way.

_________________

Member #47 2002 Dark Silver Mini S white roof and mirrors with Premium and Sport pkgs. He has come and his name is MINI ME

 

A big thanks goes out to Randy for helping us out with this project as he was a great 3rd party to get feedback from. We are very pleased with the way this turned out and the response we have gotten so far.

matt@cooperflags.com

 

Looks great, but one best left to the pro's, I suspect.undefined

 

The way the graphic was sent to Randy it is best left to someone who has experince installing the 3M product. It's like a swaybar or spring installation. Without the right tools and know how you might mess something up. We are working on a second version of the design right now which makes the installtion process much simplier. The new versions will be out within the month. For now Randy's instructions should are some of the best out there for our product.

Matt@cooperflags.com

 

I would have a professional do it if I were you. I did.

 

wow that was a dead thread, lol

 

man, you beat me to the comment