Headliner application

[EB4X]

Thought I'd pass this along....my headliner in drivers area was totally thrashed from P.O.. ...this is a weekend only trail rig so I don't want spend a lot of time/money making mint with complete new liner front to back....just presentable.
Was pondering how I could improve front thrashed section / do a two-tone repair and decided on using ABS flat textured sheets. I have to wait for clips to arrive so no "completion pics" as of yet but to give you guy's an idea I posted these two of EARLY stage. So I tucked edges under side molding of course and other fixed pieces - sun visor fixture / grab handle....and then will place a few matching black textured clips in two even rows to fully secure. Maybe some of you are in same situation and might want to give this a whirl.
Can shape these sheets with heat gun / blow dryer too.
*Sheets I had were not big enough to make a single large one-piece application to cover middle front section.....might re-do with one piece latter. Area's where visors go were fine...and wont be seen with visors anyway so.....
Black ABS Plastic Sheet 24" x 48" inches .040 or 1/25" thick - New | eBay

 

[XLTrunner]

Looks like as good a fix as any.

I know first-hand that pulling a good headliner out of a donor at the JY is not an easy option. They are too rigid and the backing too fragile to just loosely roll it up or fold it and transport it home in one piece. But, if you have a long bed truck to haul it in and a helper, it can be done.

 

[EB4X]

UPDATED PICS

 

[Gary Crist]

When I did my 92 Mustang, I went to Jo-Anns Fabric and picked up
head liner material to do the job.

 

[rasouth]

My '96 had the same torn and ripped headliner too. Looked like a cat got in there and ripped it to shreds. My idea was similar to yours. I took some thick poster board and measured and cut it to fit between windshield to interior light and from side to side, leaving a little extra to fit under the side moulding above the glass. My mother, who is a seamstress, had a lot of fabric that match the color of the original headliner. I used spray adhesive to attach fabric to poster board and wedged the poster board into position and attached the sun visors and interior light to hold it up.

 

[EB4X]

That works..
Was thinking this sheeted ABS might work out well for stained up carpet replacement as well.... especially for 4x rigs ....easy to clean off dirt / mud etc...

 

[Gary Crist]

If you do your own headliner and you use the headliner material (has foam backing),
use the 3M Orange can spray adhesive. To push it down use a small paint roller
that has plenty of fuzz. DON'T USE FINGERS! They will leave divots.

It is an easy job....

 

[EB4X]

I'd like to add those panel clips I had pictured did not work out, I speculated the top of liner "frame" had a little more substance to it which did not so I had to do a MacGuyver -epoxied some bases to metal roof for clips to attach to. Just cut out three small spots to insert bases.

 

[Lazerskull]

Thought I'd pass this along....my headliner in drivers area was totally thrashed from P.O.. ...this is a weekend only trail rig so I don't want spend a lot of time/money making mint with complete new liner front to back....just presentable.
Was pondering how I could improve front thrashed section / do a two-tone repair and decided on using ABS flat textured sheets. I have to wait for clips to arrive so no "completion pics" as of yet but to give you guy's an idea I posted these two of EARLY stage. So I tucked edges under side molding of course and other fixed pieces - sun visor fixture / grab handle....and then will place a few matching black textured clips in two even rows to fully secure. Maybe some of you are in same situation and might want to give this a whirl.
Can shape these sheets with heat gun / blow dryer too.
*Sheets I had were not big enough to make a single large one-piece application to cover middle front section.....might re-do with one piece latter. Area's where visors go were fine...and wont be seen with visors anyway so.....
Black ABS Plastic Sheet 24" x 48" inches .040 or 1/25" thick - New | eBay

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I am curious how did this job wind up turning out? I am beginning to think to h with it... and do the whole thing...

 

[BKennedy]

It would take as long to do these alternative methods, and probably cost about the same, as DIY-ing a new head liner. There are numerous videos on line about replacing them. I did it on mine and I had to cut the cage out to get the headliner out.

The headliner was fairly simple, but its big so you will need help laying down the new foam backed fabric. Be careful when removing it, its a cellulose product, basically layers of paper bonded together and they get fragile with age. The grab handles have metal brackets that dig into the headliner preventing it from being moved front to back, is has to drop straight down. Use some big cardboard boxes or something else to support it as it drops, or it can break. That part was easy for me, because my dropped cage supported it nicely, and I had the entire interior removed. On mine, the fabric was separating from the foam, which left the foam still attached to the headliner. I used a big brass wire brush I got from Harbor Freight to gently brush all the foam off. Then, I used aluminum tape to repair the damaged portions, and I had a lot. Most of the damage was from me trying to remove it with the cage installed.

After that, I glued the new head liner material on in 3' sections, starting in the center, working back, then center, working forward. I sprayed the headliner and new material with adhesive, gave it a few seconds to tack up, then gently laid it down, spreading it out with my hands while two people held the material off the headliner. I don't remember which spray adhesive I used, but it was what the fabric store recommended. If they have different head liner material, they will know what it takes to glue it down.

 

[Lazerskull]

It would take as long to do these alternative methods, and probably cost about the same, as DIY-ing a new head liner. There are numerous videos on line about replacing them. I did it on mine and I had to cut the cage out to get the headliner out.

The headliner was fairly simple, but its big so you will need help laying down the new foam backed fabric. Be careful when removing it, its a cellulose product, basically layers of paper bonded together and they get fragile with age. The grab handles have metal brackets that dig into the headliner preventing it from being moved front to back, is has to drop straight down. Use some big cardboard boxes or something else to support it as it drops, or it can break. That part was easy for me, because my dropped cage supported it nicely, and I had the entire interior removed. On mine, the fabric was separating from the foam, which left the foam still attached to the headliner. I used a big brass wire brush I got from Harbor Freight to gently brush all the foam off. Then, I used aluminum tape to repair the damaged portions, and I had a lot. Most of the damage was from me trying to remove it with the cage installed.

After that, I glued the new head liner material on in 3' sections, starting in the center, working back, then center, working forward. I sprayed the headliner and new material with adhesive, gave it a few seconds to tack up, then gently laid it down, spreading it out with my hands while two people held the material off the headliner. I don't remember which spray adhesive I used, but it was what the fabric store recommended. If they have different head liner material, they will know what it takes to glue it down.

this video seems to cover all the bases... i can also practice removing it gracefully at a junkyard pick and pull has tons of ford explorers. i am considering doing my own version of reflectix insulation on the rear half of the headliner as this will be a camper vehicle.