I have looked around and can't seem to find any info.

The cloth headliner in my coupe top is hanging down now - nothing is holding it up. Since I see no fasteners; even if I removed the molding around it and tighten it up, it still wouldn't be up against the top, so it must be glued on.

Anybody have any tips? Disassembly? Which glue? Etc.?

Thanks much, Bob

 

3M spray adhesive.

 

How about a little help on disassembly, etc.?

Bob

 

Do a search as there are a bunch of threads on this topic.

 

the autoparts store also sells "headliner adhesive".. same type of stuff.

Pry the headliner board out, be VERY careful not to bend it too much or you may crack it (its old remember!!). mine was only held in with 2 spots of glue? or something, one small spot on each side.

Anyway.. get that off, pull the headliner off... and now you have a choice.. clean it up and put it back on... OR goto the fabric store and find something new and fun (My vote is always for new and fun). Fabric is cheap. Get some to color match the car, get some with a cool pattern, etc. I had checkered flags on my headliner for a while

Anyway... if you reuse the original, clean the back of the fabric off really good to get all the loose headliner bits off (vaccume gently, blow it off, etc)... then spray the headliner board down really good and thick. Give it maybe 45-60 secs until its really tacky (you don't want it wet but not too dry, make sure its super sticky to the touch) then simply put the headliner back on. Roll it on of you can and stretch it out a bit. Use something to smooth it all out and mash it down into the headliner (soup can, rolled up magazine, anything smooth and hard) and just go over it all until its all tacked down. Feel free to staple it on the backside, but its not needed. Just tuck the excess fabric over the top and shove the headliner board back up there. You won't need to glue it, it stays in place without it.

 

Thanks all. You know, I had done a search and found nothing previously. Maybe I spelled headliner wrong! Anyhow I found a lot of stuff now.

Thanks, Bob

 

Bob, I just had mine done about three weeks ago. I first spent $55 trying to fix it myself, and after I finished it looked like $hit. My wife convinced me that I should have taken it to an upholsterer in the first place. Well I did and the guy did a great job and when I went to pick it up and pay for he charged me $47.........why didn't I just take to him in the first place? Take my advise, take it to someone and have it done.

 

......

 

Someone failed arts and crafts

 

......they/he/him sign their name with a fat yellow crayon!

 

By the way, I'll put my "arts and crafts ability" up against anyones, any time. I guess maybe my standards are a bit higher than other peoples.

 

If this was CFOT, I would continue this further


Were just messin' with ya

 

OK guys, back to the main topic - although i think I flunked A&C too!

Anyhow, I got the thing off in 1 piece - well two - the cloth itself came off in 1 piece and the foam backing also in 1 piece.

But the foam really looks like crap and the cloth is not far behind. It was certainly full of crap - mostly old glue, they say. I can get some headliner cloth, but are there replacements for the foam?

I looked on MidAmerica, and they sell a kit that looks like it is just headliner material and an aerosol can of glue. The description was sparse, but it looked like you glue the headliner material right on, discarding the foam.

Does anybody know if replacement foam is available, or what the MidAmerica kit is? I can get the glue locally.

One guy mentioned taking it to an upholstery place - unfortunately we don't have any here that I know of ...

Thanks, Bob

 

I fixed mine for free on my old 91.... perhaps not the best way to do it, but I removed the targa, laid if carefully on a towel on my work bench. I then carefully pulled loose material towards the front and stapled with a heavy duty staple gun right at the edge. A little fold of material covers the staples, and that seem is then covered by the sunbvisors when the top is on.

Is it prefect?, no, but it looks fine and it works. Cheap fix

 

I just did mine. I was unable to find the backing anywhere, so I went to an upholstery shop and bought some really nice foam backed cloth. I removed the old cloth and sprayed the liner except for the parts where there were gouges or holes. Laid down the new fabric and tucked the edges under the liner. Looks great, added a little more insulation and cost me $22.

 

The liner (I assume you mean the foam) seemed pretty tight. If you wrap a thicker fabric / backing around it does it still fit?

Bob

 

I had no problem with it. I used a credit card to tuck the fabric under the liner. You will be surprized as to how much you can tuck under it. Spray the glue on the liner. Starting in the center, lay the foam backed fabric down. Than trim leaving a half inch or more excess. Smooth it out and tuck the extra in. Easy job and looks great.

 

Instead of new foam, just try this (since you will never see it once it's reinstalled anyway)

put a layer of felt between the fabric and the foam board. This will keep any roughness or minor bumps, etc from showing once you glue the final layer of fabric over it all. It will give it a professional look when completed.

 

Thats the kit I used except I bought my adhesive at Auto Zone. The headliner fabric that Mid America sells has a foam backing on it. Use a putty knife to tuck it in. It looks like a factory job. Mid America's kit sells the adhesive seperate. No adhesive comes with the kit. Its not even a kit. Its just a roll of foam backed material. I didn't even get the "dome light" clips. Why they advertise the clips for a targa that has no dome light is beyond me.

 

Thanks, guys - great advice. I will be away for a couple of weeks, but will get back to it ASAP.

In the mean time, I just put the top back on without the foam, since the weather here in SC has gotten cooler again (finally!). Not having the cloth falling down is good.

Bob