1987 coupe headliner woes

[Synchromesh]

So I ran into a pretty stupid issue with my '87 sunroof coupe. The car is Granite Green with matching interior and headliner. There's some sort of a click going on somewhere around above right B-pillar on the roof. It seems like a metal-to-metal click and it happens either on bumps or during acceleration sometimes. We tried to get there by removing the quarter window and poking into the big hole in the rear of headliner (for sunroof) but nothing seemed to jump out. Now, in order to properly identify it and fix it the bodyshop I brought it to says I need to remove the headliner. Which brings me into the dilemma because not only is headliner expensive Porsche doesn't make it in that color anymore meaning I'd have to install just plain black one instead which won't match red of the interior. On the other hand, the sound is annoying when driving and plus I'm afraid that something serious could break if I don't fix it soon enough. Anybody has any ideas? What are my options here? Any advice appreciated. Thank you.

[Cairo94507]

If you think the headliner is concealing the issue, take the car to an upholstery shop and have them remove the headliner and then take it back to your maintenance shop to deal with the issue and then return to the upholstery to have the headliner properly installed.

[walt]

You could always buy a new headliner and dye it. Several companies around that will match the color perfectly if you send them a swatch. I just wouldn't reinstall a 35 year old leather headliner, mine is starting to dry rot at 40.

Does opening or closing the sunroof eliminate the sound.

[pkabush]

Can’t you just carefully remove a corner of the headliner to gain access?
If the headliner is in good shape I would want to keep it original. Especially given the rare color

[Superman]

I'd take the sunroof out to see if the problem can be accessed there. Perhaps remove the sunroof and go for a drive. There just are not a lot of loose things in the roof area other than the sunroof parts. Everything else is welded.

I got a cream-colored headliner and used SEM vinyl spray to make it burgundy. If anyone wants to do this, then please contact me about the procedure to use. All the glass has to come out (except the door glass of course). Wiring for the rear glass defroster is a PITA. And then....the rear glass is almost impossible to re-set. I will never again try to set the rear glass into one of these cars.

[agfours]

+1 on removing sunroof if you have one. Very easy to do. Common for the long plastic pencil looking guide to fall out, which could potentially rattle around in that same general area (in the space between the roof sheet metal and the interior, that the sunroof slides back into).

[DaytonaCoupe66]

The sunroof headliner frame is spot welded. The rib welds can let go, and if one has, jarring from bumps could be the source of your noise.

[Synchromesh]

Originally Posted by walt

You could always buy a new headliner and dye it. Several companies around that will match the color perfectly if you send them a swatch. I just wouldn't reinstall a 35 year old leather headliner, mine is starting to dry rot at 40.

That's an interesting idea. Might use that as a backup.

Does opening or closing the sunroof eliminate the sound.

No, that doesn't change anything.

[Synchromesh]

Originally Posted by agfours

+1 on removing sunroof if you have one. Very easy to do. Common for the long plastic pencil looking guide to fall out, which could potentially rattle around in that same general area (in the space between the roof sheet metal and the interior, that the sunroof slides back into).

It doesn't sound like a rattling sound. It sounds like metal on metal click. I looked up the sunroof guide, doesn't sound too easy but not too bad. Let's see if I can get the shop to do that instead.

[agfours]

One additional thought here - and I only add this as without a video or direct knowledge of the depth, timber or tone of the sound, we're guessing to a certain degree... but, there could be an outside possibility that the upper shock mounting point could be loose (which is in the engine bay under the B pillar, and traveling through that supporting frame to sonically appear as though it's coming from that vicinity. I had a similar issue, but it was more of a 'knock' than a 'click' as you describe it. Either way, a super easy, quick check in your process of elimination. Just grab the tip of the shock and see if you have movement.

[Superman]

Removing, even partially, the headliner would be a last resort for me. As I mentioned, I replaced the headliner in my '78 sunroof SC and it was not fun. Most of it was pretty doable but ALL the glass has to come out and the rear glass is NOT FUN to reinstall. It took me something like eight tries, even using helpers. And it still isn't really right. Heck...lots of guys struggle with front glass installation and I find it quite easy. I plan to NEVER ever install rear glass again in a 911.

I'd remove the sunroof. It's pretty easy. Then I'd drive it around and see if the noise stopped, or if the noise changes.

The roof is a curved piece of metal which is welded at the edges to the quarter panels. The A-pillar and B-pillars are also welded on. I don't believe those welds failed on your car and if they did, chances are the paint would have cracked enough to see. Didn't happen.

The sunroof is a mechanism whose frame is welded to the roof. Those welds probably did not fail either. But inside that sunroof frame there are a BUNCH of parts which are not welded. Some of them are attached with screws. Others are not even attached because they have to move. If your roof is rattling, it almost has to be something in the sunroof mechanism.

If I had my 'druthers the sunroof would be gone. I rarely use it. It is located in the worst possible place for additional weight and it is heavy.

[pkabush]

I totally agree with the sunroof idea. I don’t have one so it didn’t occur to me. I was perplexed at what could be making any noise up there.