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Headliner installation advice
http://classiccamaroclub.mfatw.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=1532		 Page 1 of 2
Author:  78 Camaro [Tue Feb 15, 2011 12:09 am ]
Post subject:  Headliner installation advice
Hi all,

I bought an ABS plastic headliner from NPD and in a nutshell can't install the bloody thing. 3 hours, a backache, a cut finger and much swearing later i'm not impressed. Has anyone done one and has any tips advice? the problem i'm having is that where the sunvisors screw in and hold it in place, just don't line up. i can install the driver side but then the pass side is too close to the inside of the car and after much leveraging etc i can't get the pass side visor to match up. it also throws the tabs that run along the door out of alignment. as there is nothing in the car, i built a mini cardboard box fortress so the headliner could rest an inch or so from the roof to make it easy to make adjustments but it's being a stubborn SOB. Cheers in advance!

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Author:  chevy-stu [Tue Feb 15, 2011 11:36 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Headliner installation advice
I nearly bough the ABS one when I did my headliner, but my original board looked OK so I re-used it with a new material cover.. Still didn't fit great though..

Is it possible that it's not seated in the middle so the edges are bowing (if that makes sense) as mine seemed quite sensitive to how it was fixed in the centre (under the light)
Author:  78 Camaro [Tue Feb 15, 2011 1:39 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Headliner installation advice
Cheers Stu,

It has the middle cut out actually as it's got a sunroof and the main part of the middle section is held up by cardbaord boxes so it's practically touching the roof. i will try and check for any bowing tonight. The ABS headliner doesn't really match up with the original card headliner, unfortunately that headliner is way outa shape so i can't reuse it. have given NPD a shout now, will let you know wha they say, but still welcome to ideas :)

Thanks,

Ray
Author:  78 Camaro [Tue Feb 15, 2011 8:04 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Headliner installation advice
Halfway through the evening and same ole crap. i got some advice from NPD who said to start from the back and move forwards, not using the visor holes as a guide, but annoyingly they're the only things that give you a clue if it's right or not. they said you may need to redrill the holes so fair enough did that, even cut away a bit of the sides around the tabs to make sure they were sat comfortably. i then put in the sunroof as it has an inside trim which holds up the area around the cut out part. so its definately sat high up on the roof but the warping is still there. at the front its warped downwards by at least 3 inches and there's the warp on the passenger side above the door which is about the same. somethings not right!!
Author:  78 Camaro [Tue Feb 15, 2011 8:04 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Headliner installation advice
Halfway through the evening and same ole crap. i got some advice from NPD who said to start from the back and move forwards, not using the visor holes as a guide, but annoyingly they're the only things that give you a clue if it's right or not. they said you may need to redrill the holes so fair enough did that, even cut away a bit of the sides around the tabs to make sure they were sat comfortably. i then put in the sunroof as it has an inside trim which holds up the area around the cut out part. so its definately sat high up on the roof but the warping is still there. at the front its warped downwards by at least 3 inches and there's the warp on the passenger side above the door which is about the same. somethings not right!!
Author:  chevy-stu [Tue Feb 15, 2011 10:33 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Headliner installation advice
So basically it's the wrong shape/size and the holes are cut in the wrong place..

I know it's not unusual on these old cars for a few things to move over the years, but only a few millimetres and not the roof .. !!!
Author:  78 Camaro [Wed Feb 16, 2011 2:12 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Headliner installation advice
Quote:
but only a few millimetres and not the roof .. !!!
Right?! lol i guess it's something you have to expect with the aftermarket nature of things. It's far worse when it comes to replacement sheet metal i hear, often needing much modifying. I remember Nige on his build had steel that was way out of proportion on the arches.

Think i've sussed the headliner now, it doesnt go all the way up to roof, its about 2-3 inches away, so when i was installing the sunroof trim, it was lifting it too high up and causing a pinch effect, hence the waves appearing. What i'm in the process of doing now is creating a 90 degree bend in the sunroof cut out area, as otherwise there is a 3 inch gap between the roof and the headliner which will look odd even with vinyl covering it. looking at the original headliner, it has an S bend around the sunroof area to create a flush finish. easy to do with carboard, but not so much with plastic, so i've been (don't own a heat gun) using a blowtorch on low setting to heat the plastic just enough to create a 2 inch flange. It's made the whole thing a lot stronger and it doesnt wobble which is kind of a bonus. didn't get a chance to trial refit it as its way too late, so will try tomorrow eve will see if it works.

Cheers for now!
Author:  evilzee28 [Wed Feb 16, 2011 12:15 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Headliner installation advice
You're using a blow torch!!!??!! :lol: use a hairdryer it's far safer & will do just as good a job on full power, other wise you might find a load of dripping plastic in your car :lol: . Glad to see you've got it sussed now though. I hate repro shit.........

cheers...Nige
Author:  78 Camaro [Wed Feb 16, 2011 5:30 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Headliner installation advice
Quote:
I hate repro shit.........
haha!! To be fair to them it did fit as it was supposed to after the first couple of mods and as there are so few of these out there with sunroofs i can kind of see how they missed this. Funnily enough the blow torch worked well, the plastic is a reasonable thickness to i didnt think a hair dryer would work. it's out of the car too so it's easier to work with. i keep moving the flame so it gets that plastic soft enough to bend, so far so good! gonna try and fit last nights work in about half an hour from now, and ill probably need a couple of more adjustments so i'll post up some pics tonight.

kind if wish i welded up the roof now!
Author:  78 Camaro [Thu Feb 17, 2011 4:22 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Headliner installation advice
ok was too cold last night. tonight for sure!
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