86monster

Hey, I have an 86 sport coupe Camaro with a T-Top headliner that has began to fall! Would it be easier to buy a new or just use spray glues to keep it up, Its in good shape. What are some glue types??

JustCruzin

The glue will not keep it up. Been there done that.

camaronewbie

If you use the right stuff and do it correctly it will! Recover your headliner yourself.

Remove it CAREFULLY. Peel off the old fabric - you'll have foam left - you need to get all that foam off. I just rubbed it with my fingers, old stuff just turned to dust and came right off. You need all that old dusty dead foam off of it. Then get any kind of fabric you like to replace. Lay the fabric over the entire headliner, lift one small corner, spray the glue in one small spot, lay the fabric back down on it, and let it dry. Then work from there, lifting, spraying, laying, repeat all the way across, working in small sections.

If you use HEADLINER glue, it will hold for many years. And, I think you spray the fabric and the headliner, wait a few seconds so it gets tacky, then lay fabric down so the glue is sticking to itself (on some brands anyway - read directions).

I just used a fabric I picked out from fabric store - got enough of same material to do headliner, sail panels, and visors. Been 4 years, still holding great!

1987_sportcoupe

Same thing happened to mine. I just pulled it all out and am now going to buy and install a molded headliner

IROC#1

I bought a ABS headliner last year and have been very happy with it.

From the beginning a T-Tops car should have had a ABS headliner! Cardboard? What was GM thinking??

1987_sportcoupe

I've heard that there is problems with these abs headliners though. Like they don't fit right.

camaronewbie

I agree! GM wasn't thinking! ALL cars should have anything but cardboard (or whatever that junk is). But then again, I doubt they ever thought any of us would still be interested in these cars 25 years later.

If you are careful, and have extra set of careful hands, you can get it out and get it recovered nicely on your own.

Likie I said, mine is stil holding up great after 4 years. I do plan on taking it back out and redoing it again maybe this year - this time I'll do some reinforcing with fiberglass.

86monster

Well the fabric itself is perfect i/n condition its that its removed itself from the roof, will the glue hold that together too

scottmoyer

Against what camaronewbie said, glue will not hold your headliner together as JustCruzin said. The fabric is separated from the foam and cannot be put back together.

Caveman305

iTrader: (8)

check my thread on my ABS headliner, it fits really good considering its an aftermarket piece and our cars are 20+ years old(they all have differences in them)

yes the sunvisor holes will probably not line up properly but it only takes a little skill to make everything look good



I also tried the 3m headliner spray glue, it worked until i took my tops off again, then it just made the headliner rip more than it was

jingles89

I re-did my headliner last summer. I fiberglassed the back side of the original one for more support and used headliner material with loc-tite spray glue. The guy I talked to at the fabric shop said to use head liner fabric instead of ragular fabric so it doesn't streach funny. He also said that the loc-tite spray was the same as headliner glue, just for half the price. Also make sure you remove all the old glue before you start. The other thing to consider is that your original head liner fits right, you never know what you will get with an aqftermarket repalacement. I think I had a total of $40-$50 in re-doing mine.

1Aauto

We carry the ABS ones.Here's a link to them on our site if you would like to check them out. If you buy one you have to follow the instructions and take your time.

Camaro ABS T-top headliner

Caveman305

iTrader: (8)

And I wish I would have told my wife to order from 1aauto!

They had a deal for the set of headliner sail panels and sun visors I believe for about what it cost of just the headliner+shipping from ecklers

camaronewbie

Oh, no - you can't reglue the old fabric back on - all the dust from the dead foam is what is seperating. That foam backed fabric sucks - never underrstood why it was ever used at all. I recovered mine with standard fabric from fabric shop, the headliner glue holds it up fine. But that was after I scraped all that old foam and foam dust off the actual headliner cardboard or whatever that junk is.

87Selene

What if the foam is what's falling and not the material?

It looks like the previous owner tried to duct tape it to the roof... I decided to take the t-tops off for the first time, and the light fixture fell off and the headliner started falling... While driving.

Isn't the light fixture and the visors supposed to keep the foam to the body? Mine has a lot of sag.

I seem to have the opposite problem of most people with headliner issues lol

racerx520

iTrader: (1)

tried to glue mine when it started to fall apart. just a disaster. espcially when i thought it was ok and went on a highway and got up to 40 and it was a dust storm in my car from the headliner blowing apart again.

problem is that theres layers and layers of foam (mine had no cardboard, just foam layered together) and over age the glue must deteriorate or something, cuz it just goes and stays gone. unless you soak your headliner in a pool of glue, it aint gonna be fixed. just buy an abs one, looks fresh and new and you dont need to worry about it falling apart again

camarosrock1989

iTrader: (1)

Did my Head liner a few weeks back. I took it out scraped off the old foam stuff and cleaned it. be very careful, the age of liner and material is kind of fragile. I went to a fab store and bought some black nice vinyl like leather. And two cans of costly spary 3m 90 glue. Wow was not as easy as the video looked. Check out video's first. Don't get the 90 spary get the 70. And do in a non windy area..lol
It looks ok but when you go to lay it down after sparying, do very careful because where it lays is where it stays! I Have not put it back in car yet but I think it will look good!

Be_A_Nascarfan

I just re-did the headliner in my 86' Z28 with a sunroof and i just took the headliner out rubbed and vacuumed all the foam off went to jo-ann fabrics bought some headliner material, i got 4 yards for $25 after i asked them if they had any coupons and they gave me 50% off. Then i went to walmart bought some 3M headliner glue a big bottle was $10. So for about $35 and a little over 2 hours i had a awesome looking headliner.

camarosrock1989

iTrader: (1)

nascarfan, could you post picture so we can see how it looks? I want to see if you got better results than I did! Thanks

rob2000gt

iTrader: (1)

I have a hard top, mine fell down. I took my plastic trim pieces out on both sides rubbed the foam off the and vaccumed it out. I used 3m spray glue started in the middle sprayed both sides and slowly worked my way out. I never removed my headliner the fabric is original. Over 1 year later Its been through wisconsin winter and hot and humid North Florida summer its still holding up I spent less than $10 and 20 mins of my day

camarosrock1989

iTrader: (1)

I would like to see some picture's of the linners done!

(Sin)ical

I second the motion for pictures. Especially for comparisons between after market and those who saved the originals. Please, please, please... post those pretty headliners. Mine is beginning to fall on the drivers side, and I will be working on this sometime later this summer. I'm especially interested in rob2000gt's method.

rob2000gt

iTrader: (1)

ok I got pics of it but I dont know how to get it on this site anyone willing to help me out

rob2000gt

iTrader: (1)

I went to upload the pics but it said upload failed

camarosrock1989

iTrader: (1)

Some on please help these people post picture's..
I would but I am one of the people that does not know how!

mantaguy

iTrader: (5)

rob2000gt

iTrader: (1)

Ok the best pic I can get are the ones from Cardomain sorry to direct away from this site http://www.cardomain.com/search?term=r_friemoth78 page 7 has the pics I just took today

camarosrock1989

iTrader: (1)

Wow looks good! mine did not turn out that good.

rob2000gt

iTrader: (1)

I wanted to take mine down but I didnt want to mess with the dome light or take all the plastic trim out. I know my way works with sunroofs and hard tops but not sure it will be able to be done on t-tops due to not knowing if you can access between the tops

rob2000gt

iTrader: (1)

Thanks. try doing yours again it took me 20 min you will be very happy with the outcome

DJP87Z28

Forget the expensive ABS ones and the DIY with the original backing and the work it takes without breaking something plus the other materials. So if your not used to working with this headliner, do like I did ....Take your car to a local Auto Reupholstrey shop and let them do the work and get a perfect Factory orginal look. The price may surprise you comapared to DIY options.

rob2000gt

iTrader: (1)

Idealy that would be the way to do it but some of us cant afford to have someone do it for us. I have $10 into getting mine put back up. What did it cost you to have someone do it for you?

DJP87Z28

$167 and it was worth it. All you have to do is shop around.

rob2000gt

iTrader: (1)

Not a bad price if they pulled the old liner out and installed the new one in the car along with the visors