Well, as many of you who have deteriorating headliners, this is a quick tip guide to fix it up without spending the $100 price tag for a new and shipped headliner. First you'll have to remove your current headliner. This can be achieved by first removing the screws holding the molding towards the rear of the driver/passenger window. Then you'll slide the molding on top towards the rear of the windowl. After that is done, remove the sun visors by taking out the three screws that hold it in place. NOW, the plastic brackets that hold the roof in place are a little tricky to remove, but if you are careful and take your time you should be able to get them out with breaking them. On to the console light. Start by taking off the light cover, once you get in the actual fixture it becomes pretty self explanitory. The final step is to remove the speaker coverings. Remove the hanger rack screw, and the cover should lift up out of the fixtures. You'll also have to remove the plastic coverings the cover the seatbelt harness, this can be acheived by simply un-snapping it. Towards the rear of the roof you will see 4 screws, I did not remove them to get the headliner down, but if you feel the need to than you can. I did however remove one or two upon re-installation of the headliner. Ok great, your headliner is down, isn't that nice not having fabric fall on your head? Now off to the fabric store, I don't know what type of fabric stores are in your areas, I used JOAnne fabrics which is a large chain. They usually will have a selection of headlining materail, black, maroon, grey, etc. Next, in the same general area of the store is high heat, headlining adhesive, usually in a spray can. I used about a yard and half of material giving myself some extra to make mistakes. Back to home you go. You'll have to CAREFULLY peel the existing fabric off of the headliner, if you pull to fast or carelessly you could easily destroy the frame of the headliner. Now, with the palm of your hand start to rub off the old adhesive until most of the dirt and other crap is off. Now take your spray adhesive and spray the frame of the headliner, and the back of the headliner itself. Carefull lay the fabric on the headliner frame and smooth it out onto the frame making sure that ALL parts are sticking. Once the adhesive is dry and everything looks good, flip the headliner over and cut away the excess materail making sure you cut evenly along the frame of the headliner. Cut the necessary slots for the light fixture and seat belt fixtures and vwa-la. Beautiful new headliner. Now just repeat the removal steps backwards and everything should look great. Thats pretty much it in a nut shell, if I forgot any steps, and/or gave an incorrect direction on removal please correct it! Good luck, and one word of warning, if your headliner is destroyed to the point that it can no longer hold its shape, this project is NOT for you. Find a grave yard, and pull off a headliner in better shape. Remember its not the fabric you're looking at, its the frame itself. I've picked these up for 3-10 dollars and it was worth the effort. I'll post pics of my project later this week, as I have no access to a digital camera at the time.

 

Im kinda interested in seeing how yours turns out. I tried to do mine about a year ago (when the car had a motor), and it turned out crappy. Then again, I didnt think to get actual headliner material that already had the foam backing. I just got some thick fabris and tried to make it work.

Also, is yours T-Tops? I seem to remember having trouble hiding the edges of the fabric when your looking down through the T-Tops. Then again, I dont think those plastic clips were holding it up high enough.

 

I have redone my T-Tops twice and you can get it absolutly perfect and yet still there will be a gap around the edges you can see when the T-Tops are off. I think if you want it perfect you gotta go for the ABS backing. But for a temp. fix or a hard top doing it yourself is pretty easy. Don't let people make you think its hard. Just some patients and time and you will do fine.

 

Its already done. I'll be sure to post pictures as soon as I get a hold of a digital camera. I dont have t-tops however, so I bet its a lot more difficult to do with them. Pictures to come!

 

interesting project but it also sounds like alot of time and work just to save 100.00 if you are doing a stock style headliner to be honest.

i would consider trying it myself if i decide to go w/ a suede headliner does the fabric store you mentioned sell suede by any chance and where is philly is it located?.. thanks..

 

it took me two hours to do. and i was a complete novice at interior removal before this. its well worth it, my car looks completely stock again. I just wish I had a d*mn digital camera to show it.

 

I can take some pictures of mine tommorow if you guys want.

 

Philadelhpia is right up I-95 north from south jersey.

 

Did mine last year. Only thing I'd add is to be sure and roll the front edge of the material up and over the backing panel. Glue it good. This edge is not covered and if you don't glue or you cut it too short you'll see it.

 

i did the same and turned out crappy and the headliner ddint stick and it looked like crap aroudn the edges.. so im thinking of making a fiberglass one and painting it grey.. just to see what it would turn out to be like

 

dude, thats not a bad idea. Let me (us) know how that turns out. Would a how-to with pictures be out of the question?

 

i want to get an abs one badly, so i don't have to worry about it coming apart ever... but i'd like to cover it with fabric causei'm afraid the abs will add alot more squeaks to the car. since it's plastic along the t-top bar, which is the main flex point of the car.

i have lexan tops and they suck cause they're so loud, i couldn't believe the difference when i switched one out for glass, i didn't think it'd make much of a difference but it did.

 

ok i would keep you updated go to fabrication forum.. you should see my post on there.. i wish i had a camera.. =( so for now i wont have pics.. and im going to try making a template soon.. would anyone be interested if i made other ones.. all depending on how it looks and all that stuff .. oh and another thing.. my car is t-top.. so its going to be a t-top healiner .. not hard top