head liner question

[02jake]

we are starting to install the head liner in my sons early 71 non sunroof 02. What is the purpose of the card board by the rear window. I have a 72tii with sunroof and I don't recall it having the cardboard. I read the article on installing, it does mention the cardboard but doesn't say why it's there. 

 

thanks Jake

[David Layton]

We took apart my 73 for painting.  We are leaving it in as taking out will destroy it.  We will mask it off for paint.  The purpose of it, I believe is to form the shape at the rear of the roof and provide some venting of the cabin air.

[Conserv]

The sunroof models do not have flow-through ventilation, which the non-sunroof cars do have.

 

Regards,

 

Steve

 

[TobyB]

Yeah, it's a stiffener to create a vent gap above the rear window.

 

In theory, it pulls air off the rear glass, to help with defrosting, too.

(I heard once, on the internet)

 

t

 

[02jake]

11 hours ago, TobyB said:

In theory, it pulls air off the rear glass, to help with defrosting, too.

(I heard once, on the internet)

well if its on the internet then it must be true.  

 

thanks for the input

[Mike Self]

13 hours ago, David Layton said:

The purpose of it, I believe is to form the shape at the rear of the roof and provide some venting of the cabin air.

David has it just right. On non-sunroof cars there's an air extraction system at the trailing edge of the headliner (why it doesn't touch the backlight rubber gasket.  The cardboard keeps this inlet open, allowing air to flow down the C-pillars and out through those ducts in the trunk opening lip.  This is blocked off on sunroof cars because the factory learned early on that driving around at speed with the sunroof open and the extraction system functioning tended to blow the headliner out.

 

So on your non-sunroof car, leave it there...it has a reason for its existence.

 

mike