Head Liner Install
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 283
Likes: 5
Head Liner Install
Hey everyone. My 1996's headliner is off. I mean that the cardboard? is not attached to the top of the car. I plan to do it myself but I hate doing interior body work because either I have extra pieces or it doesn't fit the same. Anyways, can someone walk me thru it? I went to the hardware store and bought 2 types of adhesive. I bought an extra strength spray and also a can of strong contact cement. On both directions, I'm supposed to apply the glue on both parts. Which would be easier, the spray or the contact cement that needs to be brushed on? Is there any other way? Thanks in advance, Ed
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 9,272
Likes: 17
turn the roof upside down, clean off old foam, mask, spray both, put together, tuck edges, let dry, turn over, install, enjoy. easier is to get one of the blackout panels, for a tinted roof, clean all the headliner stuff off, clip it in , havent donr that way.....yet, think you get a little more headroom that way also, hope this helps
Last edited by oldalaskaman; Jul 1, 2011 at 10:31 PM.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 283
Likes: 5
Thanks alot. I'm going to do it this holiday weekend.
turn the roof upside down, clean off old foam, mask, spray both, put together, tuck edges, let dry, turn over, install, enjoy. easier is to get one of the blackout panels, for a tinted roof, clean all the headliner stuff off, clip it in , havent donr that way.....yet, think you get a little more headroom that way also, hope this helps
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 4,328
Likes: 15
From: Jacksonville FL
Its not a hard process. The search function is your friend and you seem to ask a lot of the basic questions we all asked when we first got our C4's. Most of your questions have been done ad nauseum so there is a ton of info if you look. The archives go back ten or more years so you can imagine how many times in the past folks have asked about their headliner. There will be a whole lot more info there than you will get by just asking in a new thread. Read the old posts then if you still have a question start a new thread.
Anyway I think the most used trim adhesive is the 3M stuff specific to automotive apps. Its pretty much available at any auto parts. I ended up with some Permatex stuff that didnt hold very well in my high humidity area. In the future I plan to use some type of sheet insulation like the Dynamat stuff to steal back a little of the head room I lost when I changed from acrylic to a solid fiberglass top. The OE insulating pad is pretty thick but I dont want to eliminate it because the Florida sun is brutal and dont wanna burn my bald head. When I do change the insulation I will hunt down the 3m adhesive and follow the directions.
Good Luck!
Anyway I think the most used trim adhesive is the 3M stuff specific to automotive apps. Its pretty much available at any auto parts. I ended up with some Permatex stuff that didnt hold very well in my high humidity area. In the future I plan to use some type of sheet insulation like the Dynamat stuff to steal back a little of the head room I lost when I changed from acrylic to a solid fiberglass top. The OE insulating pad is pretty thick but I dont want to eliminate it because the Florida sun is brutal and dont wanna burn my bald head. When I do change the insulation I will hunt down the 3m adhesive and follow the directions.
Good Luck!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 2,772
Likes: 64
From: Mystic CT
I bought a yard of black headliner material from the local car upolstery shop. He let me watch for a bit while he was doing one to get an idea and gave me some pointers specific to mine. I took the roof off put it upside down on some towels and pulled off everything until down to plastic and wire brushed lightly on that so no carboard or foam left. I then masked all the side trim and left the masking about 6 inches beyond that. Measured and marked centerlines for the front and back of the roof. Cut the material rough about 1 inch too big and marked the centerline on that as well with masking tape. Spray the roof with 3m adheasive as well as a 6 inch wide section in the center of the material and let it set up. I put the center of the material in and rolled it with a wall paper roller sprayed a 6 inch section on each and kept working it left and right in sections rollong and tucking it in tight on the edges with a plastic putty knife. When it was all rolled out in about 3 different sections going 6 inches at a time I used a very sharp razor knife to trim the excess at the seam between the side molding and roof. Let it sit to finish dry for the day and out gas the glue smell back on the car and enjoy! About 2 hours prep 1 hour to install and trim difficulty rating under 1 six pack..LOL..
Dave
Dave
