Anyone done their own headliners?

[N8Miller]

ok, without lying, 1/2 of my headliner is hangin down and is rigged to stay up. i KNOW that i need one soon. so i called a local guy about doing it and he said that it was $150 and that is with me buying the headliner kit from 5.0 resto. now, i really dont have the $150 and if i did, i would rather put it toward something a bit more useful.

is it really that hard? Rick91gt says that its not, but hes a genius. who has done their own and what is really entailed to do it?

 

[CBZGT50]

I am doing a headliner in an exploder next weekend. There is tons of info if you do a google search. You can get the material from a local material store like jo-ann or handcock fabrics. Get the foambacked material and a few cans of trim adhesive. the adhesive you can get at the body supply store or maybe even auto zone, Oreilies. You have to remove all the old headliner once you get the headliner off the board once it is out of the car. That sux.


Also, take the battery terminal off or the dome light may short out. Any other questions, PM me or just google on headliner repair.

 

[mirage86]

I got the headliner material from JCWhitney for my grandmothers pickup. Some was left over so I did the headliner in my 86. I bought the 3M spray adhesive from Wal-Mart (8.?? a can). Mine went on with no problem. The headliner material (foam backed) was $52 with shipping. That was for an extended cab pickup. I don't remember how much the car kit cost but it was a little cheaper.

Later

 

[ram360]

I did my own, bought the material and some spray adhesive at pep boys and only cost me $40 and came out really good. Maybe I'll take some pics if I have time.

 

[N8Miller]

thanks guys, i appreciatd the encouragement.

any time info on how long to change a fox headliner?

 

[pisgahhiker]

Mine took me a couple hours and I let it dry overnight b4 installing.

I have a friend who owns a trim shop so that helped.
He also hooked me up on a tip if you can use a sewing machine.
He did mine for me.
We bought supplys from a local shop "Foam and fabric"

Cost me 40.00 total.
And prob 5 hours total.

I am getting ready to do the other mustang but it's a sun roof car so I expect it to be a bigger pain.

 

[blk87notch]

not to steal your thread but the interior trim that surrounds the headliner does that just pop out..or do u need a special tool to do so..

 

[pisgahhiker]

pops off be very careful not to bend it though.
A wide putty knife works well or those multi tools they sell for removing trip and installing the clip on window cranks.

The metal sections can and will bend if your not gentle.

 

[camarokiller5.0]

had the same problem, let it go for a couple years, finaly took it down, about 30min., took it to a upholstery shop, the guy charged me 35 bucks for a black vinyl that matched my leather seats, picked it up the next day , it took me about another hour and a half to get it glued and installed, the glue goes on the sunroof lip. total spent about 40 bucks and two hours!

 

[92trunk]

When I changed from Gray to Black I had mine redone in cloth by a local upholstry shop for $45.00. They said it would have been an extra $100 if they had ro remove and replace them but I carried just the headliner to them.

 

[Rick 91GT]

Genius..lol

Nate it really isn't that hard, the kit from 5.0 resto come complete with everything you need.

 

[Paul Perreca]

just buy the material, the hardest part is gettin the liner in and out of the vehicle, but i fu you have a hatch its not so bad - my friend is an upholstry guy -
Step 1) Take all trim off and pull out the headliner as is.
Step 2) peel off old headliner and make sure to get almost ALL of that foamy **** that stayed on there off- or else the new one wont last long -
Step 3) Take a can or two of stick it, or any glue tack for upholstry (about 6 dolars acan) and spray it on the back of your NEW headliner material, and spray it on the freshly stripped headliner board -
Step 3) let the tack dry for a bout 2 minutes and than lay it fully over the board, and press it down everywhere and let it dry for a little while -
Step 4) Cut out any holes (visors, dome light etc...) by poking through from the back of the board to find it right, leave over hang, but not so much that it will not fit)
Step 5) wrap around and spray tack the back of the overhang and the back of the board, leaveingthe same 2 minutes for drying, let it dry for a little while - if you have staples short enough, its best you staple the back also - but not neccessary -
Step 6) re install the board w/ new liner -


My friend put a GT in raised lettering on his liner -

PS: If you have that GT map light that swivels, that sucks they are kinda hard to get out - ive been told - GOOD LUCK!!!!!
Paul Perreca

 

[Paul Perreca]

it is neccessary that the peice that you cut out for your headlineaner be at least 6 inches longer than the headliner at all sides - that way you can wrap it tight and it will definatly stay put- dont be afraid of the glue - use plenty, try to spray it evenly, and agian, do not be afraid of it -
Paul Perreca

The info i just posted is pretty clear i beleive, and there is no way you can't do it urself- u dont even need 5.0 resto's liner material, just go to wall mart or whereever to get it, (fabric stor) and cut it out urself, when it comes to the corners of the board they are like bent just act like they are not, headliner is stretchable (limited) but you can stretch it nicely over that -

Another helpful hint is to not do the WHOLE board covering at once, kind of spray 1/3 of the board and 1/3 of the material, and smooth it down slowly, 2 ppl helps to keep the material straight, but ive done it alone before on my dads caddy- (88 barritz) small one-
again, GOOD LUCK!!!!!
Paul Perreca

 

[UMDSmith]

A few addendums.

Get a wire brush, it helps take the old foam material off.

Use 3m 90 strength spray glue (green can). Its like 2x as expensive at Joanne's as it is at Home Depot, so go to HD for it.