Headliner alternatives?

jrblackbox · 07-28-2021, 01:23 PM

I have a 76 912e, a coupe no sunroof. The headliner is completely missing. I want to do something other than a stock headliner. Was thinking a gray perlon. Anybody have any creative ideas or suggestions? TIA

Jeff Higgins · 07-28-2021, 03:54 PM

Sure, I have a suggestion - how about gray perlon?

I ran around for a number of years in what I call my '72 "R" with no interior at all. I finally wanted to quiet it down a bit (without changing its personna all that much), so I installed an Ap Biz RS carpet kit and a gray perlon headliner. I bought the material at a local fabric store. They had a number of weights, so I chose the heaviest. This is kind of what the original R's all had, except I believe they used red. I think later RSR's did this as well.

I made a cardboard template before cutting any felt. I made it big enough to go well into the channels on the front and sides, above the doors and windshield, so I could tuck the edges behind all of that. I used 3M aerosol headliner adhesive for the headliner rather than the the DAP tonneau cover contact cement used on the carpeting. I found the spray on adhesive easier to use for this, and it seems to hold plenty well enough to hold the felt up there.

Two sets of hands are essential. Mark a centerline front and rear on both the headliner itself and on the windshield and rear window. Work from the center out so you don't trap any air. Use a really stiff plastic squeegee to "sweep" it down (up?) into place. This is a "compound" contour, so as you work out from center it will want to "pooch" out or fold over on itself. The material I found was stretchy enough to work those out and, since I was tucking the edges out of sight on three sides anyway, it didn't really matter if they wound up a bit misshapen as I stretched and worked it down.

I left the rear roof vent rain tray uncovered. I noticed it is just a crudely folded up three sided piece of flat sheet stock. As such, the vertical seams between the front edge and the two sides will leak. I'm not sure how the factory sealed these seams, probably with headliner glue, but I just used silicon RTV. Otherwise your nifty new headliner will get wet in the rain.

That's about it. It's pretty straight forward.

Rodney Nelson · Rodney Nelson's Garage

I have been thinking about this as well.

I was thinking a quilted black leather or vinyl.

jrblackbox · 07-29-2021, 02:11 AM

Thanks for the writeup, I do appreciate it! I am leaning towards the perlon material. Interested in seeing more pics of the interior of your car looks fantastic from what you posted!

thsupernge · thsupernge's Garage

I've been thinking of using black Alcantara. I have seen it before and it looks amazing

Prestallion · Prestallion's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by thsupernge

I've been thinking of using black Alcantara. I have seen it before and it looks amazing

That sounds like a fantastic idea, I would love to see that

dustim04 · 07-29-2021, 11:47 PM

I like the look of Alcantara although it is a bit difficult to clean.

computertom · 07-30-2021, 01:37 AM

How dirty does your ceiling of your car get? Other than kids put their hands up their to feel it, it’s fine. My 2017 has it (now a very expensive option for the 992’s, because Porsche), and it looks like new 60k miles later and I *drive* my car and have kids. Note, that’s 60k miles in five years…

.

Alcantara is a great headliner and actually cleans up really well with Sonax cleaner if it does get nasty, but I’ve never touched mine. Now my steering wheel in the 911 is an entirely different story….

Quote:

Originally Posted by dustim04

I like the look of Alcantara although it is a bit difficult to clean.

Coblue · 07-31-2021, 04:56 PM

I know from experience that the heavier the material you use, the more prone to sag and droop your headliner will be.

al lkosmal · 08-01-2021, 08:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff Higgins

Sure, I have a suggestion - how about gray perlon?

I ran around for a number of years in what I call my '72 "R" with no interior at all. I finally wanted to quiet it down a bit (without changing its personna all that much), so I installed an Ap Biz RS carpet kit and a gray perlon headliner. I bought the material at a local fabric store. They had a number of weights, so I chose the heaviest. This is kind of what the original R's all had, except I believe they used red. I think later RSR's did this as well...........

I like it...looks great