Headliner estimate $$$$$$$$$$$$$

[Guest HessLakeGuy]

Hello:

Put the 1991 polo green coupe into storage Tuesday evening, but on the way to the garage I stopped at a headliner/trim/custom work shop to get a quote for a new headliner. (I can get by without a new one, but just thought I would get a price).

Ummmmmm, seems the lower price quote (generic fabric) was about $480.00, OR the better (actual fabric) for the 1991 was $650.00.

I think he said the labor would be 4 hours and took 4 yards of fabric.

Anybody else had this done? Cost? Car has a sunroof, which would require more work.

Tom

[DAVES89]

For $595.00 plus tax I got a headliner and a sunroof installed...

[Guest Richard D]

$650.00 is about $450 more than I paid for a new headliner in my 94 T-Bird. That was for an identical material job.

[Barney Eaton]

It takes about 1.5 yards of material to do a reatta without a sunroof, 2 yards should do one with a sunroof. Material at fabric centers (around here) runs $10 to $15 a yard.

I had one done locally.... I pulled it out and replaced it and they charged me $60.

I just talked to a fellow in California that is paying $300 and I thoudht that was robbery, but when you consider the time to remove and install and the shop probably adds some insurance $$ in case you feel they damaged something or they are forced to do it over, maybe $300 is a good price.

You can pull it out yourself and have all winter to do the headliner.

[Guest HessLakeGuy]

...........notice I DID NOT set up an appointment to have the work done!

Tom

[Guest Kingsley]

Several years ago, I had a full headliner -no sunroof - done here in Los Angeles for $225 on the basis of me pulling the old board and the trim shop doing the re-install. Probably around $250 or so now. First class job all the way.

[Enoytsur]

Here in Southwest Florida I had the headliner done on my previous Reatta 2 1/2 years ago for $125.00. Looked terrific.

[Guest NEMO]

I did it by my self, J C Whitney kit,spray glue , I think around $90.00 .

[Vincent Vega]

Sounds like somebody has his eye on a new boat. Get the factory correct material. The other material will not match your visors. 2 yards will do it. Time consuming but easy/rewarding job. Take the time to fix any cracks. Where the visors attach is very common. Use 3m Headliner adhesive.

[Guest WEB 38]

Done my 94 corvette myself material 15.00 spray adhesive6.00 total $21.00 Two years and holding fine. Also done my 85 Fiero about same price.Very easy to do. Bill WEB 38

[manikmekanik]

I have a couple shells at the farm, gray, black burgandy, and 1-2 bare.

As aforementioned, it's a little time comsuming, but extremely low-tech.

The dome lamp is the most challenging part to remove. After removing the shell, lie it upside-down and use a stiff brush, or broom to remove the remaining foam backing and adhesive material. Spray a liberal amount of 3M interior (dries clear/white) adhesive, (for heavier covering material 3M super exterior adhesive (dries yellow-for vinyl tops)), and do the same to your replacement material, allow both parts to dry completely.

With the aid of a helper, (or two!), spray a fresh coat of adhesive on the shell, and holding the material in a "U" shape, (parallel to the sides), allowing the center to barely touch the highest points of the shell. Now with clean hands, gently, slowly, smooth the centeral area, stroking it flat onto the shell. While helper(s) hold the remaining material just above the shell, while you fit the material from the center outward in each direction, to attach it to each feature/plane of the shell-paying close attention to the grain of the material, and slightly stretching it to match the detail of the shell's shape. This is the most time-consuming part of the process - and the most rewarding - when done properly, take your time - it'll only be about 10-15 min. to complete.

Once the material is fully attached to the inside of the shell, make slits or cuts where needed to facilitate the installation of the visors, dome lamp, etc. later.

Place the covered shell right side up on a clean surface, and add fresh adhesive to the edges where the excess material needs to be attached-before cutting excess from edges. Then, carefully smooth the edges onto the shell, taking care not to cover needed relief slits/holes for mounting of visors, dome lamp, etc.

Once the shell is done, you can cut off all material from topside which has not been adhered, and with your helper(S), lift the shell into the cieling to re-mount it.

Sounds more complicated than it is, think of it as smoothing sheets onto a bed-with glue on it-only one chance to get it right.

If you find the material you like, I'll gladly do the work as barter for a new(er) 16" wheel for "Black Beauty", as her RR wheel has been bent since I acquired her. Preferrably in my shop, over here-accross the pond, in lower Cheezeland.

[hinspect]

As a note, I had an old body shop guy who has now gone out of business from retirement offer to replace the headliner in my Reatta for free (I already had the material) he warned against using the spray. He insisted instead of using the same adhesive that he installed vinyl tops, he called it "Bull Snot". Has anyone on this forum ever heard of using it instead of the spray even though the spray I have is labeled "high temp"? I have been driving around without a headliner for the past couple of years, reluctant to try to install the fabric. I have put vinyl headliners in both my 1980 Blazer and S-15 truck but the 3-M did not hold very long. I am very interested in whether anyone has used the vinyl top adhesive for this purpose. He claimed it gave him working time to smooth everything out before the glue dried and did not decompose. Terry

[Vincent Vega]

I used 3m headliner adhesive last year. My car is black. No issues.

[Guest daveagain909]

Headliners in florida are about $125 (high end price) I do not understand these prices, I had a headliner replaced in a lumina APV for $110 3 years ago and there is a heck of a lot more material and time involved in that headliner, then in a reatta....

[Guest HessLakeGuy]

Wife took me to a fabric store on Saturday. Headliner fabric in Grand Rapids sells for $8.00 a yard, but colors were not even close.

There is even a section of HEADLINER SUPPLIES in both vinyl and fabric.

Oh well, car is parked for the year but I continue to look for the correct color. The guy at the shop even had a 1991 fabric book..............

Tom

[manikmekanik]

Bull snot, or 3M super spray adhesive is the same formulation as Yellow death, AKA Gorilla snot, 3M's super weatherstrip adhesive, in a tube. When used properly it works great for any interior material adhesion. If it's too wet & thick when material is applied, it may soak-in, or thru and cause staiing, or material deflection/hardening. Extremeky sticky stuff.

As for fabric, if NOS material is'nt readily available, one can choose a close facimile, I've had great experiences with Faux Suede fabric. Though alittle more costly than other fabric-store offerings, the range of tan colors makes it easy to match to most GM interior colors. Medium Felt also works well, with no need for backing, (like Faux Suede), and with indescriminate grain lends well to intricate shapes. Vinyl is yet another option, generally used in conversion shops, and marinas-for Regatta, not usually for Reatta.

Maybe it was oldbuickman who told me he knew a fabric supplier who had access to NOS headliner material.

[Guest mhuffy]

When I lived in Miami, I had a headliner replaced in a sedan and I was shocked it was costing 65.00. I guess with age comes a failure to understand inflation - I someone would have said 300, let alone 650, I would have reached for heart medicine.

[Barney Eaton]

Attached are a couple of pictures that were with an article I wrote for the Reatta newsletter on replacing the headliner.

The first picture shows the headliner is various stages. On the right is is still attached, the gray area is where the foam is still attached to the headliner. The upper left corner is clean ready to install the new headliner, you must get 99% of the foam off. I started with a standard wire brush, then also used an old tooth brush on corners where the larger brush missed.

The second picture shows the insulation I added to the bottom side of the top in an attempt to help keep the Texas heat out of the car.

[Guest HessLakeGuy]

Did you know that they may have made two different types of headliner material between 1988 and 1989?

My white 1989 has a burgandy interior and the fabric started drooping-----then, on Ebay, a local fellow had a burgandy headliner listed. He had totaled an early 1988 white coupe with a burgandy interior.

I won the item, picked it up, and to my surprise it was a different outside material.

It has the same material as the front pillars have on them and matches perfectly. I actually like it better than the original that came on the 1989 and, as far as I know, they were both original.

Tom

[padgett]

My late 88 triple Blue also matches the A-pillar.

[Vincent Vega]

Early '88 A-pillar trim is not the same as the headliner material.

[Guest 88reattacoupe]

We discoverd a helpful trick for installing my headliner. We covered the velcro with paper in order to allow movement of the headliner without immediately having the velcro grab hold. We taped the paper to the inside of the roof and ran a string to the side allowing the ability to pull the paper away when the headliner was lined up. Of course the velcro on the sides does not need string, the paper can be taped over the roof . if this is common knowledge ,please excuse the waste of our time.

[Guest Richard D]

Barney, Did the insulation make a difference?

[Guest dwr]

HOW DOES ONE REMOVE THE HEADLINER?

[Ronnie]

Headliner Removal Instructions*-*ReattaOwner.com