71E resto...slight update...headliner install

al lkosmal · 05-22-2009, 07:14 PM

Even after reading about others installing their headliner, I decided to give it a try. A few before and after pix....The first few pix are from two weekends ago. You can easily see the remaining wrinkles from being folded up. Since then, at least twice a week, I've taken the hair drier out to the garage, heated and pulled, until now.....I'm almost ready to start gluing. The last few pix show the progress. It's not perfect yet, but hopefully, it will be by the end of the weekend.

regards,

al

Avery · 05-22-2009, 08:23 PM

Looking good Al!

Brother · 05-22-2009, 08:34 PM

Well, we know who has been stealing from the office supply cabinet.

Can you explain in a little more detail how you got the wrinkles out? Also, how do you glue now that it is all smooth?

Hoppertn · 05-22-2009, 08:45 PM

Somewhere there is a very angry office manager missing all of her medium sized binder clips out of the supply cabinet....

SP2 · 05-22-2009, 09:54 PM

Wow, that looks really tight Al! Nice job!

al lkosmal · 10:03 PM

Felmir,
Thanks....It was really the pix of your diy headliner that impressed me the most. You do need to really want it to turn out right. It, as you know, requires a lot of patience. Get it right, then get it right again.

Paul,
To get the wrinkles out, I would stretch and clip...wait a day....heat the wrinkles with a hair dryer, stretch and clip....repeat until complete. Tomorrow I will start with the glue....I'll post pix.

Hoppertn,
I was no where near the supply cabinet at the time they went missing...

James...thanks...tomorrow I will finish it.

regards,

Al

dtw · 05-22-2009, 10:26 PM

That scene looks familiar

Hey Al, one or two last tips before you break out the glue (whatcha using?)

Before you glue, take a close look all around - are there any 'waves' in the rows of perforations? If so, you are either unevenly clipped, or perhaps over-stretched in a few spots.

As you glue, keep checking to see that the perforations are in nice straight rows and not wavy.

Rookie mistake: sticking the headliner before the glue has tacked up. Make sure you have ventilation, you're going to be standing around doing nothing a lot of the time, waiting for the glue to get tacky. Follow the instructions to the letter, especially when using spray-on adhesive. It has more solvents that need to flash off before gluing surfaces together.

What does it look/feel/flow like and is it ready YET?!?!
1. Watery: Not even close, keep waiting, it has only been a minute.
2. Gravy: Not quite, still only 2 minutes.
3. Viscous snot: You held out 3 minutes, you can get away with it on some of the simple areas, but try to keep waiting.
4. Hot chewing gum: Yes, you waited 5 minutes, your patience will now be rewarded, now you may apply the headliner to the roof. Try to get it right with minimum re-application, it will tack up nice and hard the first time. It will also make a bit of a mess when you pull it apart.

al lkosmal · 08:40 AM

Dave,
Thanks for the tips. I will post again with the final results. Here is the link to Dave's original post that shows his install and others tips and pix. A great "must read" prior to tackling this yourself.

Restoration Porn: Headliner Install

regards,

al

Carrerax · 06-19-2009, 12:35 PM

Al, any more pictures? Also quick question on the 6th and 7th pic down. At the base of the C pillar the headliner actually comes down and curves around the rear side windows towards the front a little. It looks like yours are cut straight down? Is that true or is it just folded behind? Im curious because I am doing my headliner and I cut one side similar and Im thinking I need to get another one. Thanks!

signature65 · 06-19-2009, 05:47 PM

I am right there with you guys on the headliner install. As soon as I get mine in I can start driving my car again.

Exactly which glue are you using?

al lkosmal · 06-22-2009, 07:59 PM

Carrerax...the headliner does wrap around the rear windows a bit...see pix below.

Sig65..I've been using a 3M weatherstrip adhesive. it comes in a tube and i've been applying it with cutips and a small paint brush, etc. It's like contact adhesive, where you apply it to both surface. let it set up a bit and then stick them together. It's yellow and is often referred to as "Elephant Snot".

I've also started to install my carpet set and I've reupholstered the center posts, refurbed the door pockets, etc. In the pix below you can see some of this stuff..in work. Also, I picked up my newly media blasted Fuchs, ready for refinishing.

The pix are not very good, but you get the idea.

onward

regards,

al

Carrerax · 06-25-2009, 05:41 PM

Al, did you keep the sound deadening stuff on the roof?

al lkosmal · 06-25-2009, 08:02 PM

Carrerax,
I replaced the three 6" (approx) wide strips of sound deadener with three 6" strips of Dynamat like material. Those strips appeared, to me, to be there to keep the top from "drumming"...I.E. a vibration/noise dampener, so i'm thinking that the stuff I installed will do a decent job. I replaced the foam with a sheet of 1/4" thick, adhesive backed, sound deadening, closed cell foam that I purchased from Aircraft Spruce. The combo should work well. .....I think.

Regards,

al

PS: I don't have any good photos of the sound deadener application, etc, but here's a before and after of one of my map pockets. I steam ironed it flat and applied new "mouse fur". I've since recovered it , as well as doing the same to the hinged pocket. (which can be seen in one of the pix above)

Carrerax · 06-26-2009, 04:11 AM

Thanks for the info Al. Looks great! I think I will take my headliner back down before I glue it and remove the foam and do the same. The foam is old and I think it is keeping the headliner from hanging correct.

Carrerax · 07-05-2009, 07:06 AM

Al, I bought the self adhesive stuff from Aircraft Spruce. It works great! Thanks for the tip. I also bought ANOTHER new headliner and will hopefully by gluing today or tomorrow. I spent about 2 hours so far and it is 95% wrinkle free. Im curious where you started and die you jump around or work your way around without skipping places? Last, how long of strips did you do at one time and did you do several at a time? Thanks!

al lkosmal · 08:33 AM

Carrerax,
Yes..I like the way the Aircraft Spruce sound deadening foam applied. Pretty easy to install. I used it on the back deck, as well. As far as the headliner goes, I started by clipping the front with a dozen or so clips, then the back, stretching tight and clipping about a dozen places. Then I repeated on the sides. I then repeated the process adding more and more clips, as required. Then, when I had all sides just about completely covered with clips, i went inside and had a frosty beverage. I let it stretch out overnight and repeated the process again the next day. I must have done this ten times, before I was satisfied that it was tight.

I've almost completed installing my carpet and quite a bit of my interior. Here's a pic or two of the interior. Most of it is not permanently installed at this point, but sitting in place to see how it fits. Starting to look like a car again.

Post some pix of your progress...your car looks great.

Al

Carrerax · 07-05-2009, 09:04 AM

THanks Al, I was wondering how much you actually glued at a time? I just got back from going to 3 auto stores looking for the yellow 3M adhesive. I finally found it at Auto Zone. The other places only had permatex brand and Im sure it is good but I wanted to stick with a known entity. Here are some pix I just took this morning. Hopefully the headliner will be ready to be glued in a few days. I have a few wrinkles still in it but all in all, it looks pretty good. I havent used a hair dryer yet. I may go that route after I get it a bit better. I was thinking that I may be better waiting on the hairdryer until after it is glued since there may only be one time for shrinkage! Anyway, it is coming along nicely!

al lkosmal · 07-05-2009, 09:26 AM

Yes,
That is looking very nice. I'd let it sit overnight and then take the hair dryer to those few wrinkles you have left.... prior to gluing. I misunderstood your previous question and answered regarding the stretching....now....As far as how much I glued down, at a time. I started on the windshield and did half, then the other half, worked down the sides, 1/2 the side window, 2nd half and so on.... so about 12" to 18" at a time, still stretching and repositioning , as required.

I'm really liking your paint...the shocks and front disk/brake assembly just pop against that color and th undercoat.. Very sweet!.

Carrerax · 07-05-2009, 09:33 AM

Thanks! So you only did one spot at a time right or were you able to do 18" in the front and 18" in the back at the same time? Im really liking the gray. It will look much better when Im able to get the rear 1/4 windows and the side glass in. Im am getting sick of the "primer looks great, what color are ya painting it?" comments though

I will be at a standstill as soon as all the glass and suspension is in though. Still need cash for the carpet, sport seats, engine and trans build so it will still be awhile before it is on the road.

Jim Chambers · 07-29-2013, 02:25 PM

Dave and Al, are you still there?
I have started stretching/clipping my headliner. Did you do any trimming at front and forward of the B pillar prior to gluing. I have an inch or two of extra fabric. Seems like it would be easier to glue with some of it removed. Or is it best to glue, allow drying time, and then trim? Thanks