I re-glued mine and it did the same thing two weeks later! 
Sagging Headliner
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 177
Likes: 0
From: Grand Island NY
Sagging Headliner
Greetings,
Hoping you can give me some guidance. Today in Western NY we had 60F weather and after work I decided to crank up the '66 Coupe. When I got into the car I feel something strange above my head and quickly realized it was my headliner. The green vinyl was hanging above my head like a loose pillow case. When I put the car away late fall there was no indication that the liner was beginning to have issues. Since I just purcahsed the car in September I am a bit bummed.
Question:
1) Is this something that can be repaired with an adhesive if removed ?
2) Is is best to buy new ?
3) Who has best quality for reasonable price ?
4) If the liner comes in one piece with fabric bonded to some rigid backing how do you get something that large into the car bypassing the doors
5) Does the liner unit come with predrilled holes so that the screws to the sunvisors and so on can be remounted easily.
6) Does new liner essentially just sit in place or is it anchored somehow.
I will be checking back this weekend to review all comments in order to contact someone to purchase something from someone.
Cheers,
John
Hoping you can give me some guidance. Today in Western NY we had 60F weather and after work I decided to crank up the '66 Coupe. When I got into the car I feel something strange above my head and quickly realized it was my headliner. The green vinyl was hanging above my head like a loose pillow case. When I put the car away late fall there was no indication that the liner was beginning to have issues. Since I just purcahsed the car in September I am a bit bummed.
Question:
1) Is this something that can be repaired with an adhesive if removed ?
2) Is is best to buy new ?
3) Who has best quality for reasonable price ?
4) If the liner comes in one piece with fabric bonded to some rigid backing how do you get something that large into the car bypassing the doors
5) Does the liner unit come with predrilled holes so that the screws to the sunvisors and so on can be remounted easily.
6) Does new liner essentially just sit in place or is it anchored somehow.
I will be checking back this weekend to review all comments in order to contact someone to purchase something from someone.
Cheers,
John
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2000
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From: St. Louis MO
2020 Corvette of the Year (appearance mods)
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While you are replacing you may want to add insulation and/or sound deadener 
George
George
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,224
Likes: 49
From: Ventura Calif
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 3,345
Likes: 87
From: Northern MN
St. Jude Donor '13-'14-'15-'16-'17
Greetings,
Hoping you can give me some guidance. Today in Western NY we had 60F weather and after work I decided to crank up the '66 Coupe. When I got into the car I feel something strange above my head and quickly realized it was my headliner. The green vinyl was hanging above my head like a loose pillow case. When I put the car away late fall there was no indication that the liner was beginning to have issues. Since I just purcahsed the car in September I am a bit bummed.
Question:
1) Is this something that can be repaired with an adhesive if removed ?
2) Is is best to buy new ?
3) Who has best quality for reasonable price ?
4) If the liner comes in one piece with fabric bonded to some rigid backing how do you get something that large into the car bypassing the doors
5) Does the liner unit come with predrilled holes so that the screws to the sunvisors and so on can be remounted easily.
6) Does new liner essentially just sit in place or is it anchored somehow.
I will be checking back this weekend to review all comments in order to contact someone to purchase something from someone.
Cheers,
John
Hoping you can give me some guidance. Today in Western NY we had 60F weather and after work I decided to crank up the '66 Coupe. When I got into the car I feel something strange above my head and quickly realized it was my headliner. The green vinyl was hanging above my head like a loose pillow case. When I put the car away late fall there was no indication that the liner was beginning to have issues. Since I just purcahsed the car in September I am a bit bummed.
Question:
1) Is this something that can be repaired with an adhesive if removed ?
2) Is is best to buy new ?
3) Who has best quality for reasonable price ?
4) If the liner comes in one piece with fabric bonded to some rigid backing how do you get something that large into the car bypassing the doors
5) Does the liner unit come with predrilled holes so that the screws to the sunvisors and so on can be remounted easily.
6) Does new liner essentially just sit in place or is it anchored somehow.
I will be checking back this weekend to review all comments in order to contact someone to purchase something from someone.
Cheers,
John
Go with JohnZ's advice. I purchased an Al Knock headliner for my car. Only problem I had is where the side trim clips into the body. You have to take your time and trim real slow to get it to fit exactly. The plastic that the liner is adhered to is thick. I pulled the new headliner 3 times before I got it correct.
The liner will fit in through the door with no problem. It is not attached in any way to the ceiling area. It is preformed to fit into the original space. The front is held in by the W/S moulding. The sides are held in by the moulding above the door and the rear is held in by the halo panel (holds the dome light).
Be careful with the side mouldings. They are held in with a clip on both ends. You have to pull down slightly on the moulding end and move it in to allow the moulding to unclip from the body.
Here's a photo of mine after installation.
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 1,640
Likes: 0
From: DeBary Fl. Amateur Radio Operator K3CQR
Why could'nt you make a small puncture in the hardliner where it sags the most and squirt adhesive in using a straw and smooth out? Might hold for a little or long while. Yeah might get a ripple if the sag is large, but who looks at the headliner. Bill.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,111
Likes: 32
From: Columbia, SC
The insulation under (above?) the headliner will probably crumble so you'll have a thin layer of batting bits stuck to the headliner, which will sag again. I JUST went through this. Fortunately I have a vert so the solution was to remove the hardtop. 
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 200
Likes: 24
From: Lakeside California
It might make the NCRS guys recoil in horror, but I had the same problem and solved it by installing a '67 molded headliner in my '66 coupe. Looks great, probably won't sag again, and ALMOST nobody will ever notice (my neighbor, who owns a "bought it brand new" '66 coupe spotted it right away).
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Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 177
Likes: 0
From: Grand Island NY
Thank you so much for your response. I will order new this weekend. Those clips mentioned. If I purchased those new I suspect I will need a total of 4 for my installation. Also, when old headliner is lowered was there insulation or padding above that needed replaced also ?
Thanks
John
Thanks
John
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 177
Likes: 0
From: Grand Island NY
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 6,183
Likes: 1,196
From: Oklahoma City Oklahoma
One of the problems that I had with my black-interiored 38,000 miles '67 coupe that I had about 25 years ago was that the headliner sagged like yours. That always bothered me. I did not have that problem with my saddle-interiored '66. Until this week ! Seriously, I was getting ready to post this same concern the same day that you posted yours. Looks like I'll be ordering a new headliner, probably from Willcox Corvette. This will be the last saddle-coloured interior soft part that I will need as I have everything else new, ready to install. Some things never change !
Tech Contributor
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 15,576
Likes: 118
From: Conroe Texas
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 3,345
Likes: 87
From: Northern MN
St. Jude Donor '13-'14-'15-'16-'17
Thank you so much for your response. I will order new this weekend. Those clips mentioned. If I purchased those new I suspect I will need a total of 4 for my installation. Also, when old headliner is lowered was there insulation or padding above that needed replaced also ?
Thanks
John
Thanks
John
No you don't need four of them. There is only 2 and they are push in type. It is difficult to explain but when you take the side trim loose over the door opening, you have to pull down a little and out on one end. You'll feel the moulding release and then the front one will release if you tip the released end of the moulding up to the ceiling. The tension clip is right in the center of the moulding and once you get the two ends off the moulding can be pried (carefully) straight out. Hope I didn't confuse you. Everything after that should be self explanatory.
There is no padding from the factory between the headliner and the roof. If you want some, you have to add it in as indicated in a previous reply.
Steve
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 5,408
Likes: 2,203
Replaced mine also....Al Knoch. Not too hard....toughest part for me was lining up all the holes and trim with the mount spots when replacing. Just take your time....no glue or adhesive....comes as a solid unit that keeps its shape.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 2,660
Likes: 7
From: DFW
I was able to fix my headliner and have it last (30 years now!). I used new vinyl, cleaned the substrate well, and I used contact cement on both surfaces (I remember this because I'm regularly reminded that I brushed it on. You can still feel a few lumps where the coverage was uneven.).
Harry
Harry
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 177
Likes: 0
From: Grand Island NY
I have a bit of a silly question.
Since most of us store our Vettes in unheated garages over the winter months do the new headliners have any history of not lasting as long. For example, does the lining detach from the plastic backing under cold temperatures because the plastic is contracting or expanding more so than any of the other materials in the car.
Thanks
John
Since most of us store our Vettes in unheated garages over the winter months do the new headliners have any history of not lasting as long. For example, does the lining detach from the plastic backing under cold temperatures because the plastic is contracting or expanding more so than any of the other materials in the car.
Thanks
John
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 3,345
Likes: 87
From: Northern MN
St. Jude Donor '13-'14-'15-'16-'17
I have a bit of a silly question.
Since most of us store our Vettes in unheated garages over the winter months do the new headliners have any history of not lasting as long. For example, does the lining detach from the plastic backing under cold temperatures because the plastic is contracting or expanding more so than any of the other materials in the car.
Thanks
John
Since most of us store our Vettes in unheated garages over the winter months do the new headliners have any history of not lasting as long. For example, does the lining detach from the plastic backing under cold temperatures because the plastic is contracting or expanding more so than any of the other materials in the car.
Thanks
John
To early for me to tell. I just installed mine last year. I don't know that the coldness of tempature would affect it. Gotta believe that heat would do more than cold. JMO
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 2,828
Likes: 489
From: Florida
Mine caved in a few weeks ago too. I guess it's the original, cardboard and fiberglass (insulation type) black foam padding. The new ones sound like they have a plastic backboard. This was one mess pulling it out. I spread a sheet over the interior to catch the sticky foam particles.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 177
Likes: 0
From: Grand Island NY
Guys,
What a wealth of information. I appreciate your time in responding. I will need to revisit when I begin pulling out the old one. I will likely order from Wilcox this weekend as I found their site the easiest for me to navigate.
Thanks Again
John
What a wealth of information. I appreciate your time in responding. I will need to revisit when I begin pulling out the old one. I will likely order from Wilcox this weekend as I found their site the easiest for me to navigate.
Thanks Again
John