I'm trying to install a Classic Industries replacment plastic headliner backing board in my '84 T/A and I'm running into some issues..... specifically the clearance for the dome light.


The headliner has a slight ridge molded into it along the center of the board thru the dome light- because of this I have to push up on the headliner board to get enough clearance to get the mounting studs through the dome light so I can slip on the press-on nuts. My concern though is that because of the stress I'll eventually have a broken dome light or mounting stud...

Has anyone installed one of these headliners before?

As usual- thanks...

 

I recently installed an ABS headliner board and I had no problems anywhere. It was easy as pie. Dome light came off, headliner went on, dome light went back on. Wish you were having the same luck.

 

Wish I was too. I'm beginning to wish I just paid someone to do this I tried to install it again earlier tonite- it'd fit fine if I decided not to install the dome light. Where did you get your board from?

 

I actually paid someone to do it the first time - just to recover it and such and they totally ruined everything. Then I paid someone to do it again and they were no better. Got my money back for both times. Finally wised up and said *Gee, why don't I just do it myself*.

I purchased mine from FBodymotorsports.com. It's probably the same board though - I'm not sure if there's more than one company that makes the ABS repro.

Can you get pictures of where you're having the problem? Is the cut large enough for the dome light? You did take the entire dome light unit off, didn't you? The white plastic piece and the black housing so you can get to the metal? I can't imagine why the board would have a ridge in it...

 

A ridge like this?

 

I installed mine and yes i had to push up to get the dome light back on it holds fine tho. Everything else helps hold it up also

 

I recently replaced mine with an ABS board also. I didn't have any problems with my dome light either. Mine is a T top though.

 

Whoops, didn't realise this was for a hardtop. The t-top ones don't have the ridge.

 

Fast83camaro- yes it looks just like that.

kerryismygirl89 - actually the dome light cutout centers just fine on the dome light base mounted on the roof - it's just that there's about a 1 1/2" vertical gap between the base and where the board is.

However, I've noticed one thing- when I covered the plastic backing board I had wrapped the headliner material around the edges of the board and onto the back (top) of the board. I'm wondering now if that might be offsetting the board from the roof and causing the spacing problem. Tomorrow I'm going to remove this excess material off the back to see if that'll move the board up and reduce this gap. Will keep you all posted....

Thanks everyone for the feedback, btw!

 

Well I managed to strip off the excess material from the plastic backing, and tried to reinstall it. While it did get rid of some of the clearance problems around the dome light area it still had at least a good inch or so gap....

I'm considering trying to trim it down- but from what I can tell on what should probably be removed I would have to wind up shortening the dimensions of the board to get it to fit, not just a simple 'half-inch here, quarter-inch there' sort of thing. That or come up with some sort of extension for the dome light mount. Do thirdgen T-tops have some sort of adapter/extension used on their dome lights that maybe I need in order to use this board? Classic doesn't know anything about needing one but I can't see how this board could be mounted any other way...

 

Just push it up and use the dome light to hold it up i had to do that didnt know how strong the little pins for the light would be but they held good been in over a yr. Then after that the rest of the things r up they will help hold it up.

 

Guess I'll have to. You have more faith in those pins than I do I can't see them lasting more than 6 months before the pin snaps or the dome light housing splits from all that stress....

 

Why not remove the dome light mounting pins & install the domelight with screws instead? Should last indefinately.