I started a thread a while back asking about the compatibility of an 05 headliner in an 04 model..found here https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ght=headliners ....Didn't really find any definitive answers. I called MINI, and no one there could tell me for certain either. My goal was to get rid of the mismatched light gray that made up the roof and pillars. Turns out, as I was trying to order an anthracite headliner from the dealer, I was told that the color was not an option in early 2004 and they couldn't guarantee fitment. I took a risk, i spent a lot of money to order all the parts.

It turns out, everything is EXACTLY the same...minus the clock pod, that was replaced with led/airbag pod in 05...the good news is the items have the same shape. HOWEVER, the biggest difference when the headliner came...there are two holes on each side beside the front seats. 05's started the lateral driver side visor, and the front passenger grab handle.

I was pretty bummed, but not wanting to admit defeat, and despite several posts on here sayng it cant be done in a 2004 because of airbags...i decided to order the parts and all the hardware. To my knowledge no one else has been able to retro these parts(or dumb enough to try). I have the visor installed...tomorrow i will do the grab handle...and there is no doubt that I will be successful with it as i was the visor. (same as the visor, just opposite side.) so here you go....some pictures of a 2004 MINI with a 2005 headliner and a lateral visor...securely installed and fully functional.

BEFORE






AFTERS




my front visors are out at the moment, theyre currently having the Warning stickers removed





this is a pictre of my new dash...figured id install it while i had the car apart.



I will post pictures of the handle tomorrow. I have an 05 handle and an 08 handle...since the GF rides on that side, i let her pick which handle she wanted installed...she picked the 08...it saves on room, plus its more streamlined..

the moral of the story, dont believe everything you hear when people say something cant be done, or wont work...with a little ingenuity, and determination, anything is possible I will try to take some pictures of how i was able to accomplish this as im working on the passenger grab handle tomorrow so that my fellow MINI friends that are daring enough to try this, have a good idea how to tackle it. and maybe even come up with an improved method.

to be continued!

 

Sounds like alot of effort, but I'm sure it was well worth it. Do you have any pics of underneath the headliner where you mounted the visor and grab handle? I plan on doing the same thing on my '02, but have no idea what it looks like behind the headliner.

 

I don't have pictures of that. but will definitely take some tomorrow while im working on the grab handle. I took normal visor brackets, and "modified" them to fit.

and yes, it was a lot of $$, headaches, and worrying..but im thrilled with the results. just trying to blackout the inside so it matches the exterior, lol. BTW, this can be down without purchasing a new headliner, if your willing to cut the holes out yourself.

 

here you go...


this is how it looks under the headliner. you can see the side curtain airbag.


this is how it looks with the airbag dropped down. you can see the two square holes that matches perfectly with the square holes in the headliner.


these are the brackets as they come. they need to be "modified" to fit around the airbags.


brackets mounted.


airbags replaced.



retro fitted grab handle mounted.


and functional


and the lateral visor on the other side, doing its job.

 

Thanks for the pics. That's exactly what I wanted to see. Nice job!

By the way, do you have part numbers for the visor brackets and visor? Where did you purchase your parts?

 

Great job looks amazing...

 

This is very promising....

Did you happen to have a look at the rear brackets? I can't tell from the bentley manual if a similar setup as your modded brackets had to be used. I just ask, because there could be a possibility of using the rear brackets on the front of the car as well?

I take it you had to drill to be able to mount the brackets?

I am definately tempted to undertake a project like this, especially if it means getting rid of my damned grey headliner...

-Chase

 

lateral visor - p# 51167135966
the bracket they sent me was not the right one, it looks to be the one for the front visors as the predrilled holes did not line up. I still used it because i simply drilled my own. the lateral visor uses two brackets, as does the grab handle. if you wish, you can use two lateral visors instead of the handle. they mount the same way.

the back handles dont use brackets, they simply screw into the roof of the car. and yes, I had to drill the holes to mount the front brackets. the hardest part is bending the brackets to a certain point to where they clear the headliner, and the airbags, and still line up with the opening in the headliner. it was an easy project, as i am not very mechanically inclined. just takes some time, and some simple trial and error ingenuity.

 

Can you go into a little more detail on how the brackets were modified? Is there a separate part number for the brackets?

 

WOW! I'd like to see how the airbags in the later cars were done with the brackets there. Definitely don't want to decrease safetly installing the visor.

And please post a more step-by-step how-to guide. I want to see how you modified the brackets just like duvinclunk does

 

OK, I just realized this thread is from 2008. So, how are your handles and visors long-term?

 

Yeah I figured we wouldn't get much feedback on this but I'm thinking about doing the swap. I just don't know if I want to go with an OEM headliner or wrap this one is suede like I've done before, which looks excellent...