Need a headliner? - Possible project

[Guest Mark Wishneusky]

Hi all!

My headliner is starting to fall apart and the epoxy holding the Velcro isn't sticking anymore because the fibers from the headliner are just coming right up. I remember reading in other posts that there are fewer and fewer headliners left. After talking to my upholstery guy he said it is possible to make a mold and then make new ones off of it. He also said because it's a smaller size it should be easier to do than others. I wanted to take a poll and see if anyone would be interested in going into this with me. If not I'll just have him reinforce the one I have now.

Thoughts?

Mark

[Barney Eaton]

It is not uncommon for the fiber headliner base to come apart. They get damaged around the sunvisor mounting points and tend to crack and tear in the corners.

I have repaired several with fiberglass..... the unit is made from a fiberglass mat material but little or no resin was used.

Around the sunvisor mounts, I often lay a mat of fiberglass material and then soak it with resin. After it has hardned, you will need to reshape the hole and make the three holes for the screws.

Unless you have big chunks missing, you should be able to repair it with a fiberglass kit from the auto parts store.

[Guest Mark Wishneusky]

Alrighty. I didn't know if we should get a mold made to make a lot of them. I'll just get mine fixed up, then.

Thanks Barney!

Mark

[Chuck Ryan]

Here' a quick lesson in stuped. I was fixing my passenger side door lock and noticed that the inner door panel was weak in a few spots. Easy fix just mix up some resen and a little bit of cloth, good as new. after mixing up the poly resen i mentioned to my son that I had some epoxy but I was saving it for something important. Well the Poly will slowly over a few days eat the resen that the door is put together with what a screw up, I now have one thick fuffly door liner. I should have known better. Lesson is always use least harmful stuff you have and test in a small spot. Hope this saves someone else some grief

[D-a-n-i-e-l]

I recently used fiberglass resen on the headliner and have had no issues. The headliner is soilid and stiff nothing eaten away. I also chose not to at any glass matt or cloth. Like I said the headliner is almost solid and no issues.

I have never tried it on the door panels but now I will look for some other solution to an ever weekening door panels. Thanks Chuck.

[Guest TommyH]

I wish I had the original headliner in my car. Anybody have one forsale, other than Jim Finn?

[ESTAVER]

When I replaced my headliner, the molded backer panel was in fair to poor shape in a number of places.

I had really good results in renewing it's stiffness and surface texture by simply brush applying two coats of clear polyurathane wood finish to front and back. Allow a day or two for it to dry completely...and you're ready to apply the fabric. I suggest you precut the material and test fit the edge fold overs. Now roll up the material 1/2 way across the panel, keeping it in aligned so later it rolls out right where it started from. Apply your adhesive to the exposed 1/2 of the panel. Follow adhesive wait time instruction, and then slowly roll back out smoothing down as you go. Wait a bit and secure the edge fold overs.

[Roadster90]

Interesting thread for sure...

ESTAVER....thanks for the input - I have it saved for future use .

HAS ANYONE repaired the door panels sucessfully please? THe post above by Chuck Ryan put fear in my heart:

"Well the Poly will slowly over a few days eat the resen that the door is put together with what a screw up, I now have one thick fuffly door liner".

Does anyone know of a good re inforcement for the door panels please?

thanks,

Nic

[Barney Eaton]

I have used fiberglass (mat and resin) on both the headliner and door panels.

The headliner starts to fall apart around the sunvisor mount openings and need some strength there. On the door panels, if the pins or studs that hold the panel in place break at the door panel, you can reinforce them.

The down side of fiberglass, is even a small kit is now about $10

[Vincent Vega]

What is a good source for the tan fabric? I purchased some at Joann Fabrics a few years ago. It is not the correct color.

[Roadster90]

Fiberglass and resin.......

"On the door panels, if the pins or studs that hold the panel in place break at the door panel, you can reinforce them."

Exactly what I was looking for....Thanks Mr. Eaton

[Guest MauiWowee]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Vincent Vega</div><div class="ubbcode-body">What is a good source for the tan fabric? I purchased some at Joann Fabrics a few years ago. It is not the correct color. </div></div>

For the headliner, I went to the local auto upholstery shop. Small, old place. They had three blues to choose from, one of which was close enough and matched the trim as well as the original.

[Vincent Vega]

how about visors? Has anyone attempted recovering the visors?

[Guest Guyver280Z]

Well.. yesterday I reupholstered my roof liner, I got this Gray Butter Suede ($20/yard) and it looks awesome... the only problem is that I used the 3M spray glue and it actually came across the suede so it left some dark spots

And this morning I found out that half of the suede was already hanging I guess the existing foam on the roof liner didn't hold anymore....

Anyways, I think I'm going to try this again during the weekend, but now that I read this I think I'm going to give the whole liner a coat of fiberglass resin and maybe a couple mat patches on the mirrors. Thanks for the idea

I think I'm also reupholstering the A pillar covers with the same Suede, it looks so nice inside the Reatta.

[Barney Eaton]

I wrote a tech article in a recent Reatta Newsletter.

One critical point is to wire brush the old foam off the rigid headliner. If you fail to do that, the replacement material will not hold.

Also, I think there is a technique to installing the new cloth.

* You can started in the middle and worked toward the front and then toward the back or

* Start in the middle and work to one side then the other.

I believe working to the sides formes into the curves better and there is less tendency to pull away in the corners.

DO NOT skimp on the adhesive...use a good brand and spray both the rigid top and the foam on the back of the cloth.