Retrofit Ski Hatch

[HPsauce]

This is the tale of how I retrofitted a Ski Hatch to my Facelift D2 S8. Not sure if it's in the right section, but it didn't quite fit anywhere else.
The main steps only took about 30 mins including taking photos; it will no doubt take a bit longer to tidy up all the trim and I'll add that here later.

I did not take the rear seats out and the key to my success was one of these "bad boys", actually a sander (mains-powered) with an oscillating saw attachment, the sort of blade they use in hospitals to cut off plaster casts. I borrowed it from a neighbour.
To be clear, this is NOT a rotating blade, it just oscillates a fraction of a millimetre at high speed and is very tidy in use.

I did remove the "elephant condom" from the unit before fitting, though in retrospect I don't think it would be much more difficult with it fitted.

[HPsauce]

First raise the centre headrest and unclip the blind below it at its bottom edge, it just pulls off a couple of "poppers".
Then remove the fabric panel in the boot, just 6 clips though it was rather tight behind the offside bass speaker; I'll have to take the cover off that when refitting.
With the panel dropped down behind the armrest and the boot panel removed I checked for the relevant holes and poked an awl through to check alignment was good. This is the view from either side, you can see some holes are already clear. I'm guessing that the really big holes you can see through are for securing the fridge option.

The third picture, for those not familiar with them, shows the 2-component structure of the trim clips. To remove them you lift up the "top layer" of the head (fingernails are usually good enough) and just pull it out. The split lower section then comes out easily as the "stalk" is now thinner with the central blade removed.
My experience is that getting these back in again can be a hell of a job - any tricks that work please let me know and I'll add them here.

[HPsauce]

There are 7 short sections of aluminium to cut - 2 each side, 2 at the bottom at 1 at the top. I attacked this one first - took about 10 seconds working carefully, it was like a knife through butter!

[HPsauce]

Then I quickly cut the others, just a couple of noisy minutes!
And out came the panel, it needed a bit of a pull as it's partly stuck to the black sound-deadening patch on the cabin side.

[HPsauce]

With a bit of pushing from the boot side and peeling from the cabin side that material came free except on the top edge, which I cut through with a Stanley knife.
At this point the hole is all ready to accept the hatch frame (I will probably go back later and smooth off the cut edges and maybe even paint them).
The pictures show the sticky fabric released but not cut and then the view through from the boot once the fabric has been cut away.

[HPsauce]

The next step is to clip in the 2 brackets at the top of the frame (without the screws!) then engage the plastic lugs at the bottom over the metal edge of the hole. You can do this quite easily from inside the car as the frame will go through the hole and has a handy handle on its "lid".
Note: You might want to fit the metal strip in the roof of the boot before doing this (I didn't) as I think it might be easier to do reaching through the hole than crawling into the boot!

[HPsauce]

Then, from inside the boot, push the top of the frame firmly into place so that the two plastic latches engage on the metal edge of the hole and the screw holes in the brackets align with the holes in the seat back panel.
Then go back into the cabin and fit the two screws to secure the frame. They go either side of the big bolts that retain the seat back.

[HPsauce]

Then check that the covers do up properly and the cabin-side release catch (at the bottom) works OK.
Pull down the small fabric blind under the centre headrest and reconnect it to its correct position just in front of the top of the frame.
Inside the cabin is now finished.

[HPsauce]

Finally dive into the boot (I lay on my back!) and fit the metal strip in the roof - it runs front to back and requires a bit of bending to get into place.
I "think" I fixed mine with the "simpler" end to the rear and the "more bent" end forwards. Then check the cover sticks to it OK.
All that is missing now is the fabric trim in the boot; I left it for another day.

[HPsauce]

To cut the hole in the boot trim, lay it out boot side facing you and identify the bottom-centre clip hole and how it aligns with the clip head (may be slightly offset).
Lay the metal panel on top (either face up, it's L-R symmetrical) and check the alignment of the clip/hole; make sure it's square and mark round it.
IMPORTANT NOTE (see later post by Notorious). The basic "factory" dimensions for this hole are 240mm wide and 280mm tall, which is slightly larger (3-4mm all round) than the metal cutout.
I cut closely to the metal and it fitted fine (eventually) - see comment below about enlarging the hole by 30mm along its top edge - but you might want to try a "first fit" before doing that, or just cut outlines for the screws/brackets/bolts.
Cut out the hole carefully; I started from the clip hole using robust scissors.

I removed the hatch (2 screws and it pops off), fitted the fabric panel, then put the frame back over it on the basis of it being tighter and quieter that way.
All now done , though refitting the panel in the boot involves a lot of uncomfortable lying on your back inside the boot.
Some of the clips have to go through 2 layers of trim, so aligning them is rather tricky. And the offside speaker cover, which has 6 screws up into the underside of the parcel shelf, does have to come off to make a tidy job

Does anyone have pictures of an FL OEM install to confirm my method is correct, or whether the trim goes on last over the mounting brackets etc.?

Tips:
At the bottom edge of the hole I put small bits of tape where the lugs of the frame clip over, to keep the metal and fabric together as it's a tight fit!
At the top of the hole I eventually cut off a strip of fabric 30mm wide, so that it was clear of the top edge, securing screws and bolts holding the seat in place.
This was to avoid the "sausage shaped" metal bulge above the hatch, shown in the 4th picture attached. All these obstructions stop it going flat and prevent the top edge of the frame latching into place and fitting tight. I may stick the offcut back later after shaping it around the frame, screws and bolts, though probably not as it's totally out of the way.....
Note that if you don't remove that section of material (or at least trim it round the bolts/screws) it will either stop you fitting the frame properly or block the hatch from opening fully, or maybe both. It does not fit well over the sausage-shaped bulge, especially with the seat bolts protruding, and interferes around the hinge area.

Taking the frame out again was very quick and easy, putting it back needed more ingenuity (and pressure) as it is now on top of the (fairly thick) fabric.

The only thing left is the "elephant condom" but I don't need it at present.
Putting it back on is easy enough; but to then remove it requires you to take the frame off the car, so I'll just store it for now.