T-top Headliner Replacement.

[HighMileage]

Hey gang ...

A new headliner with ABS backing should be arriving from nos4GN any day now.

Any tips on putting it in?

It looks like the seatbelt anchors will have to come off. Are there special clips or Velcro pads holding the headliner up? My other GMs had Velcro.

I really don't want to break any plastic.

Thanks!

Steve. '87 GN. Powerlogger. Mostly stock.

 

[GullsGN]

There are a couple of things. There are a number of things holding up the headliner. All the molding around the outside edges, the dome light, coat hooks, the sun visors. To remove the rear molding you have to remove the molding around the quarter glass. To remove that you have to remove the back seat. At least I think that is the case. It has been a few years since I did mine. Any way you should be able to figure it out if you look close. I think the reason for this is screws in the corners of the rear window. The important part is the clips that hold the moldings in. The front and rear are still replaceable, but, do not break the ones holding the side moldings on. You will be junkyard hunting for a long time. To release the side moldings, stand out side the car and grab the molding with both hands. Pull toward you and rotate down. You are just trying to release the lip of the molding from the clips.

 

[GullsGN]

Here is a good how-to. How to replace headliner with a precovered ABS piece
1quick6

 

[GullsGN]

Try this. Cedar Crest Speedlab Technical Articles

 

[Bruce Urie]

Not hard at all. Since you have a T-Top, you have no dome light to worry about.

Take off T-Tops, both.

Take off the T-Top interior trim towards the rear.

All upper trim around the old T-Top foam board should be removed.

Take off the coat hanger hooks.

Remove the rear top window trim...behind these you'll find three or four (I forgot how many) plastic clips. These break easily so be careful. You can look at them from under the upper window trim and see how you can use a pair of needle nose pliers, squeeze the outer clip edges and they will come out from the window...but you have to be careful when you do this. Then when you reinstall this trim part, put the clips on the trim then push back into the window frame.

Then just slide forwards the old foam board and out the side of the car.

Reassembly is reverse order. Any problems just write.

The previously mentioned website on replacing the foam board is for a hardtop Regal, so, yours being a T-Top you won't have as much disassembly as a hardtop. It's easier for a T-Top. But study the mentioned website to get familiar with your assembly.

You'll love the new results.

And Glenn is a great guy to deal with. You won't be disapointed with his products.

Bruce '87 Grand National

 

[HighMileage]

Thanks for all of the replies.

I knew there just had to be some kind of hidden trick/trap. It looks like the trap is those clips that hold the moulding in at the top of the rear window. Thanks for pointing that out! I'll be careful.

The hardtop article was helpful. Technically,the t-top headliner *should* be easier since it is smaller,there's no dome light or visors to deal with.

Last night,the old headliner had an episode. It started to come undone from the sides. With the windows down,the fabric started to flap. That old foam backing created a foam tornado in the car. Yeah,and I had a white shirt on.

Once the new headliner arrives,it's going in!

Thanks again.

Steve. '87 GN,t-tops. Mostly stock,Powerlogger.