Remove & Replace T-Tops headliner Pads
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,889
Likes: 23
From: Kansas
Remove & Replace T-Tops headliner Pads
Hello to you all, Has anyone removed and replaced their headliner pads, without breaking. Is there a procedure that can be used?? 1978-1982 fiberglass units. Thank you for your Help. I appreciate. Gene
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 21,953
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From: Reno Nevada
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist- Modified
It is attached by plastic ball type velcro on pedestals. They get age crusted together and it ends up tearing some of the pedestals off the fiber board backed head liners. I just glued them back on.
Former Vendor
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 766
Likes: 3
From: Charlotte North Carolina 704-394-5150
If you are replacing the T-Top liner panels, make sure that who ever you buy them from can tell you what type of "velcro" pad design they have on them. There are (or were) two designs of velcro pads. The first is like the factory with the ball ends on them. The other is a much smaller / finer tooth design. You can not install the small tooth velcro with the factory design velcro. It will not hold (unless you use glue and some weight to hold the panel down). The thing to do is order the velcro pads that match the finer tooth design if what you are buying has on it. They sell them, or at least used to sell them unless they all have changed to the factory design velcro.
As for removing the T-Top liners. Carefully pry the liner away from the top and seperate the velcro pads one at a time. Sometimes GM applied glue to them so if they are locked together and pull off of the fiberboard backing material of the panel itself, it is the way it is. If you are trying to save the panels for re-installation. You may be required to use fiberglass resin and a small piece of matt to re-attach the stand back to your liner. This is also dependant on the condition of the fiberboard. If it is powdering away at the touch and seems to not have any integrity, you may need to go further out with the resin to give it a good base to attach to for structural rigidity and strength when re-installing the liner.
I always have the T-Top installed to make sure that I align the liner in the correct position so it is centered with proper gaps and allowing the T-Top latch handle to operate without binding or restriction.
The use of glue is optional. It is all dependant on how well the velcro attaches. I use RTV silicone because it will hold, but if needed to be removed it will seperate and allow me to clean out the velcro much easier than using a contact glue. It does take longer to set-up than the glue so it is your choice.
"DUB"
As for removing the T-Top liners. Carefully pry the liner away from the top and seperate the velcro pads one at a time. Sometimes GM applied glue to them so if they are locked together and pull off of the fiberboard backing material of the panel itself, it is the way it is. If you are trying to save the panels for re-installation. You may be required to use fiberglass resin and a small piece of matt to re-attach the stand back to your liner. This is also dependant on the condition of the fiberboard. If it is powdering away at the touch and seems to not have any integrity, you may need to go further out with the resin to give it a good base to attach to for structural rigidity and strength when re-installing the liner.
I always have the T-Top installed to make sure that I align the liner in the correct position so it is centered with proper gaps and allowing the T-Top latch handle to operate without binding or restriction.
The use of glue is optional. It is all dependant on how well the velcro attaches. I use RTV silicone because it will hold, but if needed to be removed it will seperate and allow me to clean out the velcro much easier than using a contact glue. It does take longer to set-up than the glue so it is your choice.
"DUB"
