Saving my original coupe headliner.................

[Ara G.]

Hey guys,
I know that this topic has been discussed before, but I am the kind of guy who does not take the easy way out. I have a virtually all original 67 Silver L79 SMOG, red line, tinted glass, am/fm, M21, 370 posi, pipes,leather, etc car. The car had one repaint 23 years ago. Completely all original interior - carpet, dash pads, headliner, seatbelts, etc....
I bought the car about 6 years ago, and when I bought it it was wonderful. The bubba I bought it from thought it would be a good idea to wipe it down the night after I bought it (I went back the next morning and paid him and got the car). He wiped the headliner and other items down with Armor All (no doubt). The headliner has sagged. I'm not happy.....
So, I have read tons of archive posts about it NOT being able to be saved. I have read that the foam is shot, that the silicone in Armor All or other like brands has loosened the glue backing and the foam has disintegrated, etc...
The headliner material is perfect - glossy as heck - but perfect. I do not want to just go ahead and get an Al Knoch replacement. I am determined to fix my original.
Also, this comes at a perfect time - as I am judging at a tech session in March for the NCRS and bringing my silver car to assist with the judging and it is going to look great that I show up with a great car with a sagging headliner - but having a 9 month stunning little daughter is tying up a bunch of my spare time so I will not be able to play with the headliner before the event...
So, I am thinking (and I have not done the job before) that I will remove the trim pieces, remove the visors, and drop the headliner down. I will use a soft sponge with Dawn and hot water and wash the heck out of the headliner. Then wash it again, then wash it again. Then source some thin foam padding (I think it's 1/8 inch???) and re-adhere it to the backing board. The trick is getting the original headliner to re-adhere to the new foam and original backing. Contact cement? Gorilla glue? Has to be something that won't bleed through the original vinyl and I have read that 3M super adhesive will not do the trick.
Any suggestions? Any insight? Anyone done the impossible and been successful with this "job". ???
Any help would be so greatly appreciated. I will not stop until the original headliner is hanging, and not sagging, in my car. I am very proud of the car, and that it's survived all these years unmolested. I plan to keep it that way.
Thanks guys.....
By the way, my daughter Ashley was born - on all days - April 27 (4-27) and was a member of the NCRS on 4-28, making her the youngest member of the organization I am sure....We are SO in love with her it's not funny.
Cheers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ARA

[Bill W.]

Re: Saving my original coupe headliner.................

Ara .We had a upholstery guy at work that put in new headliners all the time . His came with the foam already glued to the headliner material and he glued it to the cardboard. It will not be easy to reuse your headliner but if I were doing it I would put the new foam on a flat surface then glue the vinyl to it then install it . Use the best foam you can buy .(the heat destroys it not the armor all) Our guy used a contact cement in a spray gun . I dont know the brand . The worst part is removing all the old foam without stretching the vinyl .I would try to find a good upholstery shop to get your foam ,glue and advise . Avoid the guys in the trucks at the car dealers . You might call Al Knock and try to buy your foam from him . Good Luck .

[Gary B.]

Re: Saving my original coupe headliner.................

I use a 3M Neoprene Contact Adhesive 5. It's only available in a 5-gallon can and they won't ship it. I had to drive to Madison, WI to pick it up. It is the strongest adhesive 3M sells for automotive use. I use a brush to apply it, but it can be sprayed. It also works great for weatherstrips. I did a Firebird headliner several years ago and last I knew, it was still sticking. But.... it gets cold up here!
This is all I would try.
Gary B

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[Ara G.]

Re: Saving my original coupe headliner.................

Thanks guys. How much of a bear is it to replace the headliner with a repop one until I have time to play with the original ? I have never done a headliner in a vette before? I will contact Knoch to see about buying just the foam. Thanks. Too bad I can't just adhere the original headliner to the new repop liner. Ara

[Bill W.]

Re: Saving my original coupe headliner.................

Replacing a headliner is very easy . Take the sun visors and the moldings off it almost falls out .there could be some glue holding the cardboard up .

[Leif A.]

Re: Saving my original coupe headliner.................

Thanks guys. How much of a bear is it to replace the headliner with a repop one until I have time to play with the original ? I have never done a headliner in a vette before? I will contact Knoch to see about buying just the foam. Thanks. Too bad I can't just adhere the original headliner to the new repop liner. Ara

Ara,

Maybe you can...sounds like a good idea, actually. Best of luck with this little adventure. I knew you owned that beautiful Marlboro Maroon BB but wasn't aware you, also, owned a '67 L79 Coupe. I knew you had great taste from the moment i met you

[Ara G.]

Re: Saving my original coupe headliner.................

Thanks Leif, I owned the car within 5 minutes of seeing it. Honest car. All there. I drive it a lot too. 62K original miles. The silver car is a like a broken-in pair of jeans. The L79 with the 370 rear it has makes it fly. I am sure you know how much fun driving an L79 car is...

[Leif A.]

Re: Saving my original coupe headliner.................

Thanks Leif, I owned the car within 5 minutes of seeing it. Honest car. All there. I drive it a lot too. 62K original miles. The silver car is a like a broken-in pair of jeans. The L79 with the 370 rear it has makes it fly. I am sure you know how much fun driving an L79 car is...

Yes sir, buddy.

[Ara G.]

Re: Saving my original coupe headliner.................

Well guys, I bought an Al Knoch headliner today and had him throw in an extra foam padding. I will install the repop fir the time being and start work thereafter on the original. Will keep updating post on my progress. I will use the extra foam when attempting to reapply my original headliner. I am diligent and will make it work . Anyone know where to get any 3M neoprene contact adhesive 5 per Gary's recommendation in Florida ?

[Jimmy G.]

Re: Saving my original coupe headliner.................

I would put some heat barrier materiar in ther first. I did in my 67 427 car and it actually made a difference

[Domenic T.]

Re: Saving my original coupe headliner.................

I bought the wrong headliner for my 67 dark green interior coupe. I got the hard top in my shipment, don't know who's mistake as it was, it was over a year ago and the invoice says hard top. Most likely my mistake.
Well the headliner is in great shape BUT the plastic backing is in a GAZILLION (sorry Duke) pieces. It only needs a real backing glued to it.
What to he?? Is wrongbwith these repo's.
If any one has a dark green hard top give me a call, all it needs is a good backing, it's new.

DOM

[Ara G.]

Re: Saving my original coupe headliner.................

Well guys,
I put the Al Knock headliner in and it looks great (only had to trim about 1/4 of an inch at the rear to make fit). Now the task of removing the original foam from my original headliner and preparing the surface for the extra foam that Al was nice enough to send me (at a cost, but worth it). Other than the 3M product that Gary mentioned above, any other suggestions on what to use to adhere the original headliner to the replaced foam? Thanks. I will keep you all posted on my progress, or lack thereof...Regards....ARA

[Frank D.]

Re: Saving my original coupe headliner.................

I don't know why 3M Super Trim Adhesive (spray) wouldn't work.
I've never even heard of the neoprene spray and wondered how big a mess that would be to remove some day...

[Ara G.]

Re: Saving my original coupe headliner.................

OK guys,
Called Al Knock and spoke with their headliner assembler. Very nice guy. I asked him what they use when assembling their headliners and he told me they use DAP Yellow Spray Glue. In fact, they sell it - so I obviously bought a can. It needs to be sprayed on (lightly and evenly) to both mating surfaces. Sounds very similar to the application of 3M Super Adhesive. Let it get quite tacky, and then mate the surfaces. Obviously you only get ONE shot at this, so make sure all is lined up, no wrinkles, etc. I will tackle this one weekend soon and keep all of you apprised of my progress, or lack thereof. Come heck or high water, I am saving my original headliner. Will keep you updated. Crossing my fingers. I will experiment on scrap piece of vinyl first to gauge the drying time, tackiness, etc. We shall see.....maybe more original headliners can saved? ARA

[Bruce M.]

Re: Saving my original coupe headliner.................

Any success Ara? I'm trying to save my original headliner too. After removing all the old foam dust, cleaning the vinyl very well, and wiping down the cardboard liner panel, I tried gluing the vinyl directly to the cardboard using 3M-80, which is supposed to work for vinyl liners. Didn't work! Came down overnight. This was on a 66 hardtop, applied upside down with an hour to dry then turned right side up. I hate to try something more potent that may damage the vinyl.