Headliner installation

Headliner Installation Tips

OK, I KNOW I have read a posting somewhere that gave really good directions on how to do this properly. I have this task to do myself, and I could have sworn I even printed it out, but now I can't find it. I have about the same problem with disassembling most of my GT over the past 15 years; how does it all go back together, and where ARE all the pieces?

I think it said to take all the windows out first if possible, which describes my car. All the painting should probably be done first, and then the headliner glued to the painted surface.

Attach the window "A" and "B" pillar vinyl covering first, and attach the vinyl with contact cement and lots of those little spring paper clips.Then it said to start at the front of the headliner and glue the front edge over the lip of the window "frame", with more glue and clips. Work backwards, smoothing it out by stretching it over the edges. Finish at the back window, and then the bottom of the "C" pillars. Buy a couple of boxes of those spring clips, because you will need them all.

When the glue dries, remove the clips, trim any excess vinyl, and it's time to reinstall the windows.

Any other suggestions, or does anyone know where the "proper" instructions are?

By the way, if you just found this forum, have you been looking in on the classicopel board, at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/classicopels ?

Headliner Insulation

I noticed on your Nova that you applied some kind of foil-back insulation to the roof panel before you installed the headliner. Is it that bubble-back stuff, or the fiberglass-back foil? How did you apply it (glue, double sided carpet tape, foil tape around the edges?)

On the GT, there was a thin sheet of foam glued to the roof at the factory, but it doesn't seem very "sound absorbing". Nor of a very high insulating factor, for the extreme temperatures we get up here. There was a thread a while ago about various acoustic sound deadening materials (asphalt sheeting and sprays, non-asphalt sheeting, rubberized undercoating sprays, etc.) but it all seemed to be a bit of overkill, and most of the ideas were messy, expensive, or both. The foil-back sheet seems like a tidy solution, but how does it work for sound absorption? Did I notice that you used it in other places other than the roof?

Welcome to the group, and thanks in advance for any advice that you can provide, regarding Opels or just any general tips on car restoration and maintenance.

>Is it that bubble-back stuff, or the fiberglass-back foil? How did you apply it (glue, double sided carpet tape, foil tape around the edges?)

It's got a layer of tin foil like material on both sides with foam in the middle. Has some thing like a fiberglass threads on both sides every inch or so in a grid pattern. I used 3m spray adhesive and foil tape on all the seams. Since that car is built for some serious drag strip work, I didn't want to put the asphalt stuff in there - too heavy. This stuff is very light weight.

>The foil-back sheet seems like a tidy solution, but how does it work for sound absorption?

Not real sure yet, it's still got open headers on it won't have the mufflers on it till later this week. With the doors shut it's a lot quieter inside than outside LOL.

>Did I notice that you used it in other places other than the roof?

Yes, the floorboard, rear firewall and rear deck are covered with it.

I'll see what I can do to at least take a few pictures of the headliner install. At this point I'm not certain if the body shop is going to put it in or if I will have to. I hope that they can do it because I just don't have the time this week to work on it.

BTW: Color is going to be Porsche India Red, Base / Clear

Glue suggestions

I'm going to give the headliner install a go on my GT next week while I'm on vacation. The car is totally stripped of windows and interior. I plan on using picture hanging wire to tie together and stabilize the suspension rods to keep them from flipping down. I don't have the clips to hold the rods in the holes, but I've got lots of alternatives I can use for that. I'll have to go out and buy a hundred or so of those blueish/black sheet metal paper clip thingies.

My headliner is from the PO, who bought it 17 years ago, and I don't know if it's an OGTS product. The material seems like velour on the side you see. I have the main overhead piece and 4 straight strips: 2 about two feet long and 8" wide, 1 about five feet long and 16" wide, and 1 about five feet long and 8" wide.

Which areas do the straight pieces go?

As I understand it, I'm to do the door pillars first, then start attaching the overhead piece at the front windshield area. What next? Draw it tight and fasten the back window next, then door openings, and then the side rear windows?

I've read through about 3 of these threads and I see that having extra people around to help draw it tight at the doors is helpfull.

My main question is the glue choice. I've read here that upholsterers use a kick azz industrial glue that's not commonly available. I have some experience with this sort of thing: I used to deliver and install pool tables and my crew and I would have to stretch and glue the felt onto the slate tops, often using maximum pulling force to draw it tight and then holding it in place for several minutes while the glue set. We used general purpose 3M fabric adhesive. In recent years I've used a slightly better 3M product called Super 77 to glue firewall fiberglass/foil to my car and for cloth around speaker enclosures. But I'm leary about using a spray for this application. It seems that there's a high risk of getting it on the paint or sticky fingers getting it on the side of the liner that you see.

Has anyone used a brush on type of glue and what kind?

I suppose I could line all the danger areas with painter's tape to avoid getting glue on the paint. Any suggestions for avoiding glue on the paint?

Are these headliners cut generously so that there's lots of overhang and extra material to yank on. About how much pulling force would be typical to draw them tight?

It's getting chilly 'round these parts, so setting the cloth out in the sun to get it a bit more stretchy seems unlikely. Should I pop it in the microwave? :lmao: Boil it in a pot? Steam it with an iron and ironing board? Drape it over my oil-filled space heater for a while? Let it tumble in my dryer for 10 minutes?

Do you recommend just getting the front and rear attached and then waiting overnight to make sure the glue has set and then doing the doors and side windows the next day?

thescifiguy said:

I'm going to give the headliner install a go on my GT next week while I'm on vacation. I'll have to go out and buy a hundred or so of those blueish/black sheet metal paper clip thingies.

My main question is the glue choice. I've read here that upholsterers use a kick azz industrial glue that's not commonly available. I have some experience with this sort of thing: I used to deliver and install pool tables and my crew and I would have to stretch and glue the felt onto the slate tops, often using maximum pulling force to draw it tight and then holding it in place for several minutes while the glue set. We used general purpose 3M fabric adhesive. In recent years I've used a slightly better 3M product called Super 77 to glue firewall fiberglass/foil to my car and for cloth around speaker enclosures. But I'm leary about using a spray for this application. It seems that there's a high risk of getting it on the paint or sticky fingers getting it on the side of the liner that you see.

Has anyone used a brush on type of glue and what kind?

It's getting chilly 'round these parts, so setting the cloth out in the sun to get it a bit more stretchy seems unlikely. Should I pop it in the microwave? :lmao: Boil it in a pot? Steam it with an iron and ironing board? Drape it over my oil-filled space heater for a while? Let it tumble in my dryer for 10 minutes?

Do you recommend just getting the front and rear attached and then waiting overnight to make sure the glue has set and then doing the doors and side windows the next day?

Click to expand...

Gordon, I really like the spring steel clips for this purpose as well as for holding leather or vinyl upholstery pieces when sewing them together.

As far as glue, I always have just used 3M spray or liquid contact cement for attaching fabric,vinyl or leather to wood or metal and have always had a good result. Cold weather may hamper its effectiveness. I use a spray can for small or uneven surfaces and for larger, flat areas, I use a quart can of liquid, applied with a 4" long, small diameter, closed foam paint roller to get a thin, uniform coat on both surfaces. You could even brush this cement on; it is just a little harder to get a uniform coating with a brush.

Before installing, I would iron the headliner flat from the backside, using a thin cup towel between the vinyl backing and the iron to keep from damaging anything. I would also have a heat gun available to smooth out any wrinkles during installation and stretching.

I would wait a few hours or even overnight for the glue to dry if you can. It ought to hold almost immediately, but I have had some wood veneer applications "creep" slightly when stressed sideways right after gluing.

As to the specifics of installing the headliner in a GT, I haven't done that, so others are better qualified to answer those questions.
Good Luck!

I used about 20 metal clips similar to what Markandson used. And although I've generally had great luck with most 3M products, my personal experience has been that several of their adhesive products have worked great for me initially, but seem to harden up over time and lose adhesion. Specifically, I had a lot of trouble getting carpet to adhere to my GT's setback. The 3M products such as Super 77 held well initially, but eventually let loose during the heat of the summer. I also tried 3m weatherstrip adhesive (essentially contact cement) with similar less than satisfactory results.

But then one day at Pep Boys I stumbled across a product called Amazing Automotive Goop. Although I was quite skeptical at first (it sounded too much like one of those "as seen on TV" products) it has turned out to be the best fabric & trim adhesives I've ever used.

It's held up on my seatbacks years longer than the 3M products ever did, and I couldn't be happier with how it worked on my headliner. Another thing I like about it is that it's clear, whereas the 3m products are very yellowish.

Oh! And heed Markandson's excellent advice: patience is absolutely key! The longer you take the better the finished product will be.