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How difficult is installing a new headliner


caseywarren

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I picked up a NOS headliner (sunroof model) at that epic sale awhile back that was in Seattle. I have been looking at it every time I go into the garage, it stares back at me, wondering when I will install it... 

 

Wondering from those who have done it before how tedious, time consuming, or difficult it is to instal a new headliner? I am up for the challenge but just wanted to hear some thoughts from those much wiser than I 

 

1. What critical or helpful tools are needed to do a proper job?

 

2. How long does it typically take?

 

3. Should I go ahead and just do the carpets too if I am going to be ripping the interior apart anyway... or is that a whole nother' beast. 

 

 

1971 Nevada 
Casey Warren
Web //  www.mindcastle.co
 

 

 

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Regarding the headliner especially a sunroof car, find a good experienced upholster to do the job. IMHO it's worth every penny to have it professionally installed. To do the job right ,  the front and rear glass should be removed. An experienced upholsterer will do a much better job than us mortals will do

Carpets  ---  well that's another story  Carpet kits are relatively easy.  If you get an Esty carpet kit you will get instructions  She may even have them on her website so take a look. With a little patience you can do a nice job on carpets independent of the headliner.

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I did mine (non-sunroof car) by following Clay’s directions posted above. It was straightforward forward but watch out for the C pillar pieces not quite fitting right. I think a few different sources for headliners have had problems here (mine was a factory liner). This may not be an issue for a NOS item. 

 

Buy the bulldog clips too. I found lots of minor clamping jobs when I did the rest of my trim (trunk boards, trunk seal, door cards etc). 

rtheriaque wrote:

Carbs: They're necessary and barely controlled fuel leaks that sometimes match the air passing through them.

My build blog:http://www.bmw2002faq.com/blog/163-simeons-blog/

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Hopefully that NOS headliner you bought hasn't shrunk with age and become brittle. Were it mine, I'd leave it to a professional...

 

mike

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'69 Nevada sunroof-Wolfgang-bought new
'73 Sahara sunroof-Ludwig-since '78
'91 Brillantrot 318is sunroof-Georg Friederich 
Fiat Topolini (Benito & Luigi), Renault 4CVs (Anatole, Lucky Pierre, Brigette) & Kermit, the Bugeye Sprite

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I replaced the headliner on my flared 02 (with sunroof). As a DIY job:

It's easy to do.

It's hard to do well.

It's very hard to do perfect.

Don't laugh, but one difficulty is trying to not get blood on the new, white fabric.

Mine went in, but there was one spot at the windshield gasket and one at the sunroof corner that never sat right. 

The sunroof insert was very fiddly.

 

This was all when I was younger- less knowledge but more flexible to work upside down.

Steve J

72 tii / 83 320is / 88 M3 / 08 MCS R55 / 12 MC R56

& too many bikes

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What Steve said.  Plus, I had to resew mine to get the c- pillars to work.

 

1 300 binder clips and an electric heater and really good glue

 

2 give the headliner 3 days or so- you'll restretch it a couple of times a day,

   and then get the heat back on it.  So up to 5 days, if you go carefully on glass r & r.

 

3 nope, I would say that the carpets are one of the few things you WON'T have to tear up

to get the headliner done.  However, you'll have the seats out, so that might just be the motivation

you need to do the carpet.  The carpet is an easy day, compared to the headliner

 

4 there aren't all that many places left that can do as good a job as you can on these things... 

 

t

 

"I learn best through painful, expensive experience, so I feel like I've gotten my money's worth." MattL

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Get two or three quotes. I had two wildly disparate prices given to me. With the glass out already and the liner supplied, I had it done for $450. He gave me a deal because he was doing my seats as well.

1974 2002 Tii-SOLD

1978 911SC Coupe

1988 Landcruiser

2020 M2 CS

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This is a good inspiration video. I did my sunroof car and the real trouble spot is the rear C-pillar and getting them not to be wrinkled. Otherwise fairly straight forward. Take your time work the material from the front and rear and then stretch the sides. ALL glass out is best and don't trim until you have it all glued and clamped in place with binder clips. 

 

That's all I know. 

 

 

https://youtu.be/vCw-8RgkYW0    Starting around 33mins in is the headliner bit.

 

 

 

 

Edited by conkitchen

But what do I know

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