BBcallaway
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Has anybody changed a headliner for a solid top? What type ( ABS ) of material was it? Did you have to remove the windshield?
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Headliner change
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you dont need to remove the windshield
the original board is a high density foam , the fabric comes with the soft foam backing , clean your old board and with spray glue you can redo yourself and save $$ , the headliner material should be around 40bucks online or local craft/frabric store
or you can get a fully prepared headliner on abs backer from gbodyparts , or pull yours and take it to an upholsterer and let them recover your original board ,
removal isnt that hard
take out the visors (six philips screws and unplug passenger visor lamp wire)
remove rearveiw mirror so you dont break it off (small torx)
remove A-pillar trim (phillips screw)
remove the metal trim over doors (they pop off by pushing in and unclipping ) and then remove the three platic retainer clips on each side
remove front and rear window trim . they are held with clips and the clips will most likely break on the front and rear trim, replacements are available from gbodyparts.com and others)
remove coat hooks and drop down the dome lamp ( disconnect battery)
i usually only remove plastic trim from passenger side and leave the rear window trim in place (take out screws at ends )
remove the passenger seat belt hook bolt (T47 torx) and remove the jamb trim plastic (loosen the floor sill plate screws) , remove the pass side upper plastic quarter trim
the headliner is ready to be be pulled down , lay the seats back and drop the board and then spin it 180 and bring the driverside visor corner to the passengerside foot well and it comes right out the passenger door
ive even done them with roll bar in place
the original board is a high density foam , the fabric comes with the soft foam backing , clean your old board and with spray glue you can redo yourself and save $$ , the headliner material should be around 40bucks online or local craft/frabric store
or you can get a fully prepared headliner on abs backer from gbodyparts , or pull yours and take it to an upholsterer and let them recover your original board ,
removal isnt that hard
take out the visors (six philips screws and unplug passenger visor lamp wire)
remove rearveiw mirror so you dont break it off (small torx)
remove A-pillar trim (phillips screw)
remove the metal trim over doors (they pop off by pushing in and unclipping ) and then remove the three platic retainer clips on each side
remove front and rear window trim . they are held with clips and the clips will most likely break on the front and rear trim, replacements are available from gbodyparts.com and others)
remove coat hooks and drop down the dome lamp ( disconnect battery)
i usually only remove plastic trim from passenger side and leave the rear window trim in place (take out screws at ends )
remove the passenger seat belt hook bolt (T47 torx) and remove the jamb trim plastic (loosen the floor sill plate screws) , remove the pass side upper plastic quarter trim
the headliner is ready to be be pulled down , lay the seats back and drop the board and then spin it 180 and bring the driverside visor corner to the passengerside foot well and it comes right out the passenger door
ive even done them with roll bar in place
challengermike
Member
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And buy some good 3m spray glue if you recover it yourself or you will be doing it again after it sits out in the sun.I learned the hard way by buying headliner glue from pepboys.Didnt last 1 week.
BBcallaway
Member
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- Jun 21, 2007
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Are the new ABS ones flexible or are they rigid?
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flexible , you could roll them up
696
Active Member
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This got me going on changing mine out. Its out but what a freakin MESS!!
vacuum 6
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- Jan 6, 2006
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Just finished mine, took about 3 hours.
Tools needed:
T50 Torx bit and ratchet
Philips screw driver
Needle nose pliers
X-acto knife
(3) Rear headliner clips )
1. Pull all trim loose from around the headliner. Start on the passenger side working your way around. The A-pillar will have to come first.
2. To remove the metal trim above the doors, you have to stand outside of the car. The metal trim is held on by three clips per side. The clips have an inside tab and an outside tab. To remove the metal trim from these clips, grasp the trim with palms up and pull it toward your body at a downward angle. The metal piece will pop off the outside tabs and it will hang down a bit. Then, push the piece toward the inside of the car to pop the metal trim off the inside tabs. Don't break the clips because they are not easy to find anywhere. Remove the three clips on each side with a philips screwdriver.
3.*** Remove the seatbelt mount by popping off the cover and using a T50 Torx bit.
4.*** Remove the B-pillar window trim and door trim.
5.*** To remove the metal trim from above the rear window, you will need two flat blade screwdrivers. You can try pliers, but two screwdrivers are easiest. Remove the two Philips screws, one on either end of the molding. Pry the metal trim down a bit until you can see the three plastic clips. They have a triangular plastic piece that inserts into a slot in the roof. Use two flat blade screwdrivers and squeeze the bottoms of the triangle together while having a partner pull down on the trim. It should either pop out or the clip will break.
6.*** Unbolt the sunvisors.
7.*** Pop the cover on the interior light in the center of the headliner. Use needle nose pliers to remove the two fasteners on the studs and drop the dome light down. Let the light hang by the wires for now.
8.*** The board needs to be removed. I didn't care much because mine was going in the trash, but you can easily ruin your factory board by not being careful.
9.*** Leave the front metal trim along the windshield IN the car. This one is a bear to get out and you are better off not messing with it in my opinion. You can slide the headliner back and down to get if out of this trim piece.
10.* Now, it is time to remove the headliner from the car.
11.* Slide your seats all the way back, and recline them as far as you can.
12.* Tilt your wheel all the way up.
13.* Have both doors open and see if you can get a friend to help you maneuver the board out of the car. You must take it out the passenger side, it won't clear the wheel on the driver side.
14.* Drop the front of the board down a little and rotate the front so it comes out first. You will want the passenger side up against the roof and the driver side against the floor.
15.* Make sure the board goes over the shifter not under it or it will bind.
16.* Play with it a little and it should come right out.
17.* Now that the headliner is out, the interior is pretty bare up top.
18.* When this is all done you can reverse your process and reinstall the headliner. You may have to cut holes for your dome light and sun visors. I cut my dome light hole with an Exacto knife while it was out of the car. Don't try to cut the sun visor holes out of the car. Just wait until you have the headliner installed and this will be your last step.
19.* Roll your headliner a bit to get it into the passenger side of the car. It is fine to roll an ABS liner since it is tough and will return to shape. Do NOT attempt if you are re-using your styrofoam one. Use masking tape to tape the wire to the dome light so you can easily locate it to pull it back through.
20.* Slide the headliner into the metal trim above the windshield. It is helpful to have a friend, but I used my head to hold it up.
21.* Attach the three plastic tabs to the passenger side and driver side to hold the headliner up. Remember, these were the tabs that were above the metal trim in step 2.
22.* Pull the dome light through and let it hang.
23.* Install the A-pillar moldings and the B-pillar window trim.
24.* Snap the metal trim in place above the doors ... you know, the ones you swore at in step 2.
25.* Install the metal trim above the rear window. Position the triangular clips in the metal molding first and then position it in place so the clips line up with the slots in the roof. Pop them in place with a few pounds of the fist. Insert the two screws, one in either end of the trim.
26.* Push the headliner up by the dome light hole to reveal the mounting studs. Mount the dome light and secure it with the little metal rings you removed in step 7.
27.* You are almost there. It is now time to mount your standard sun visors. Use your finger to locate the hole in the roof. It will be easy to find. Trim the hole out with an Exacto knife.
28.* Use your finger to find the three screw holes in the metal roof. Use a sharp punch to poke a hole through the headliner for the screws.
29.* Mount the sun visors.
Tools needed:
T50 Torx bit and ratchet
Philips screw driver
Needle nose pliers
X-acto knife
(3) Rear headliner clips )
1. Pull all trim loose from around the headliner. Start on the passenger side working your way around. The A-pillar will have to come first.
2. To remove the metal trim above the doors, you have to stand outside of the car. The metal trim is held on by three clips per side. The clips have an inside tab and an outside tab. To remove the metal trim from these clips, grasp the trim with palms up and pull it toward your body at a downward angle. The metal piece will pop off the outside tabs and it will hang down a bit. Then, push the piece toward the inside of the car to pop the metal trim off the inside tabs. Don't break the clips because they are not easy to find anywhere. Remove the three clips on each side with a philips screwdriver.
3.*** Remove the seatbelt mount by popping off the cover and using a T50 Torx bit.
4.*** Remove the B-pillar window trim and door trim.
5.*** To remove the metal trim from above the rear window, you will need two flat blade screwdrivers. You can try pliers, but two screwdrivers are easiest. Remove the two Philips screws, one on either end of the molding. Pry the metal trim down a bit until you can see the three plastic clips. They have a triangular plastic piece that inserts into a slot in the roof. Use two flat blade screwdrivers and squeeze the bottoms of the triangle together while having a partner pull down on the trim. It should either pop out or the clip will break.
6.*** Unbolt the sunvisors.
7.*** Pop the cover on the interior light in the center of the headliner. Use needle nose pliers to remove the two fasteners on the studs and drop the dome light down. Let the light hang by the wires for now.
8.*** The board needs to be removed. I didn't care much because mine was going in the trash, but you can easily ruin your factory board by not being careful.
9.*** Leave the front metal trim along the windshield IN the car. This one is a bear to get out and you are better off not messing with it in my opinion. You can slide the headliner back and down to get if out of this trim piece.
10.* Now, it is time to remove the headliner from the car.
11.* Slide your seats all the way back, and recline them as far as you can.
12.* Tilt your wheel all the way up.
13.* Have both doors open and see if you can get a friend to help you maneuver the board out of the car. You must take it out the passenger side, it won't clear the wheel on the driver side.
14.* Drop the front of the board down a little and rotate the front so it comes out first. You will want the passenger side up against the roof and the driver side against the floor.
15.* Make sure the board goes over the shifter not under it or it will bind.
16.* Play with it a little and it should come right out.
17.* Now that the headliner is out, the interior is pretty bare up top.
18.* When this is all done you can reverse your process and reinstall the headliner. You may have to cut holes for your dome light and sun visors. I cut my dome light hole with an Exacto knife while it was out of the car. Don't try to cut the sun visor holes out of the car. Just wait until you have the headliner installed and this will be your last step.
19.* Roll your headliner a bit to get it into the passenger side of the car. It is fine to roll an ABS liner since it is tough and will return to shape. Do NOT attempt if you are re-using your styrofoam one. Use masking tape to tape the wire to the dome light so you can easily locate it to pull it back through.
20.* Slide the headliner into the metal trim above the windshield. It is helpful to have a friend, but I used my head to hold it up.
21.* Attach the three plastic tabs to the passenger side and driver side to hold the headliner up. Remember, these were the tabs that were above the metal trim in step 2.
22.* Pull the dome light through and let it hang.
23.* Install the A-pillar moldings and the B-pillar window trim.
24.* Snap the metal trim in place above the doors ... you know, the ones you swore at in step 2.
25.* Install the metal trim above the rear window. Position the triangular clips in the metal molding first and then position it in place so the clips line up with the slots in the roof. Pop them in place with a few pounds of the fist. Insert the two screws, one in either end of the trim.
26.* Push the headliner up by the dome light hole to reveal the mounting studs. Mount the dome light and secure it with the little metal rings you removed in step 7.
27.* You are almost there. It is now time to mount your standard sun visors. Use your finger to locate the hole in the roof. It will be easy to find. Trim the hole out with an Exacto knife.
28.* Use your finger to find the three screw holes in the metal roof. Use a sharp punch to poke a hole through the headliner for the screws.
29.* Mount the sun visors.
696
Active Member
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- Jun 11, 2009
- Messages
- 853
I got lucky, all of my rear clips are still good, I REALLY took my time removing them. Spot Shot got the junk off my interior that the old foam left. Will be reintalling after a few dings are removed.
BBcallaway
Member
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- Jun 21, 2007
- Messages
- 381
Hey 696...HAve you bought a liner yet? Is so where did you get it? I am looking at oldbuickparts.com.
Thanks
Thanks
696
Active Member
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- Jun 11, 2009
- Messages
- 853
I got it off of a board member at BG last year (Black Magic Racing). But I believe it 's a G-body one.
hello; There rigid as I'm looking at one sold by Highway stars and a big expence would be to get it to me as it's an oversized item and it'll cost a bit just to ship.
IBBY
That's the bad thing. Mine was $139 and ~$60 to ship. It was worth it, though.
ttypewhite
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Oct 1, 2001
- Messages
- 4,156
When my headliner went I got a new one from Brian at GBodyparts and it was a piece of cake to install. Being that flexible, foldable type of material, you can fold it up like a road map, bring it inside the car and open it up. No crease or fold remarks to be seen. Opens up mint and that's the end of head liner issues. Give Brian a call or pm him on this board. Bweavy is his handle here.
Mike how long has that been in your car now 6 years?
salvageV6
Daily Driver
- Joined
- May 25, 2001
- Messages
- 20,968
Do the astroroof ones roll up too and are they easy to ship? 
Do the astroroof ones roll up too and are they easy to ship?
yes they do. just order the material for the slider & as suggested matching visors. You can also get extra material to match the visors if you want to re-wrap them later yourself.
This was the very first 1 ever installed on a 86 GN
Buick ABS Moonroof Headliner (Precovered)
ttypewhite
Well-Known Member
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- Oct 1, 2001
- Messages
- 4,156
Yes Sir, and looks as as new as the day I bought it off of you. Definitely one of the best investments I have made. That concept is pure genius. Thanks for your commitment to this community.
bringing back.....has anyone done one after a rollcage has been installed...my problem,i have a 10pt cage and a astroroof and the headliner needs to be done....what do you do in this situation? will the abs one still work being nice and flexible?...please help.....joel
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