Topic: Headliner Hell....Need suggestions....

[meltdown]

Hi again All,

Well after a week of having to wrestle with repop sail panels that didnt fit right, to having to re-buy a new carpet because the new Trim Parts carpet I purchased fit like garbage, it seems fitting that I end my week having to look for a new headliner to replace the brand new PUI headliner I purchased that does not fit AT ALL. It is too wide & too long for the roof of the car. I even broke down & peeled the vinyl back, trimmed the board, & re-glued everything to make it "fit". Even after that, when I try to mount the dome light, the headliner buckles at around the door window area on both sides.....I give up on the thing.....

(I swear, I am going to start a thread about all the bad repops & horrible parts I have bumped into with this restoration...The amount has been staggering! It STUNS me that companies sell some of this crap!)

So....I ask you....My Fellow Bird Owners....What company out there makes a good MOLDED headliner for a 1980 Firebird?

Preferably white perforated vinyl....but I am open for suggestions!

Thanks!

[Wallington]

Maybe you need to change your name!
I haven't heard of any repro boards that fit, which is why I spent time patching up my original, and because there's no other option over here anyway.

[meltdown]

LOL! Aus, perhaps you're right!...LOL!

My Bird is nuclear themed, but it seems that MY mental state may be more of the Meltdown following all of the garbage I have purchased that doesn't fit!

[Angelo]

D o you have a hard top or t top?

I got hardboard from Home Depot, it's the kind that is white and smooth on one side. I then used my old headliner as a template and then cut out the pattern with a jigsaw. I got headliner spray glue and headliner material from Ames and put it together myself. I followed directions and only made one mistake of pushing down once I had the headliner fabric in the board. I should have simply laid it down and walked away, but even with that mistake my headliner looks great. After hearing stories like yours I think my cheap route may have been a better way to go.

I think a hard top will be harder to get the contour right but I know it is possible to warp the hardboard but with t tops there was no need to do that.

[DD78TA]

I did exactly what Angelo did. I worked and reworked the board until it fit good with the sun visors and dome light and all holes and cutouts were exact and then I put the material on it, which I just got locally. I used 3M spray glue and rolled about an inch over the back side. Mine is about 3/16 foam backed and think it helps keep down the noise a little. I used the little black paper clip/spring things that you find in an office to hold it up around the t-top while I positioned it and worked on it. I also got it wet and got a good bend in it which was required around the back glass area. Not quick by any means, but it was enjoyable.

[ta78w72]

As long as the visor holes line up you're OK.  You have to pull the material away from the edges and trim the board back where it's not fitting.  Then re glue the material back to the board with 3m adhesive.  I had to do this with my Y88.  It took a couple of times before I got it trimmed just right.

[meltdown]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the suggestions!

Being that I wanted to use perforated vinyl for the headliner, I found it was pretty much the same price to just buy an ACME headliner than to buy the fabric separately & build my own board.

The Acme fit fine.

HOWEVER, if I EVER have to re-do the headliner again, I will be re-wrapping the board I now have!

Thanks again!