Seeking Information regarding Headliner repair/replacement for 1981 Buick Regal Ltd.

[Matthew]

Hello, Buicks.net Forum!

I came across a link to your website while conducting a search for buick headliners on www.google.com this afternoon. I'm not sure if you can assist me or not, considering that my quandry pertains to a "newer" model year than those typically dealt with here but it's worth a shot.

I've been attempting to locate an affordable means of repairing or replacing the headliner on my parents' 1981 Buick Regal Limited Coupé. The car happens to have an Astroroom (sunroof), and the weatherstripping deteriorated some time ago to the point that leaks developed and preciptated the breakdown of the foam padding and adhesive holding the headliner cloth in place. Fortunately, the car is garaged and as best we can tell there is no major damage (rusting, etc.) or staining of the fabric. I feel that I could take on the project of removing the headliner for closer inspection, but am uncertain how to proceed from there. What options do I have? Is it possible to obtain the foam material myself, and replace the deteriorated foam with new material and use the original headliner fabric? The headliner is "sculpted" forward of the sunroof (in the area of the sunvisors and aft of the windshield header). Is it possible to either send the headliner to a shop (or take it to a local shop) for repair? OR, can you recommend a source that would be able to provide a completely new unit in the factory spec fabric (in Doeskin tan)? On a related topic, I need to find replacement weatherstripping for the Astroroof.

I've had a terrible time tracking down any leads, and your link is one of the first that I've come across that matched my search criteria. I sincerely hope that ANY of you can be of assistance. I would appreciate a reply at your earliest possible convenience.

Thank you for your time and attention to this matter!

Kind Regards,

Matthew E. Wanamaker
4005 SW 327th St.
Federal Way, WA 98023-2613
USA

p: (253) 927-1729
e: javaboy@earthlink.net

[rcfryer]

Hello Matthew.
You have two choices. You can recover the headliner shell that you now have with new foam-backed cloth and a little elbow grease, or you can get a new ABS plastic shell already covered with the foam-backed cloth and replace the shell you have. Yours is most likely made from styrofoam, which is usually fairly sturdy, but the areas around the sunroof are fragile and break easily. If you are planning to keep the car, I recommend replacing the styrofoam with the ABS plastic. You will be happier in the long run. Both of these items are available at www.autoupholsterykits.com for reasonable prices and you can get free instructions and free live support from Certified Master Craftsmen Auto Upholsterers there. Good luck with your project. I have posted the instructions for the recover kit below.
Best Regards,
Ron

Recovering your one-piece headliner. A common problem with one-piece headliners is that they fall down or sag. The reason for this is that the foam that the fabric is bonded to is disintegrating, allowing the fabric to fall. Very annoying. The solution is to replace the fabric (or vinyl) with new, while using the existing shell to maintain the original shape of the headliner. The first thing to do is remove the headliner. In most cases, you may use the following shortcut: remove all hardware that bolts through the headliner, such as the visors, coat hooks, dome light, and sometimes the rear view mirror. Then, by grabbing the headliner by the dome light opening and patting toward the edge, move the headliner toward one corner of the vehicle, allowing the opposite sides to come out from the surrounding molding and dropping down slightly into the passenger area. With the dropped corner below the surround moldings, work the headliner back in the opposite direction, releasing the other two sides and allowing the headliner to drop out completely. You may also do this side to side and front to back if that is more comfortable for you. You may now remove the headliner from the vehicle. You may accomplish this by sliding the headliner toward the rear of the car and dropping the front of it down below the steering wheel, then moving the headliner, front first, out the passenger door. It helps if you can recline the front seats a little when doing this. With the headliner out of the car, you are now ready to remove the old covering. First, peel off the old fabric. You will see the disintegrating foam underneath. The easiest way I have found to remove this foam is with 36 or 40 grit sandpaper. I merely drag the sandpaper across the foam until it is gone. The old foam usually ***** up and can be swept away. It is OK to leave the thinnest layer of foam (it will look like paper) on the shell. The main thing is to get the majority of it off and to have a smooth surface. If you have any cracks or holes that need repairing, you can use masking tape for that. When your shell is prepared, you are ready to recover it. Begin by placing the new material on the shell and positioning it where you want it to end up. Then fold back half of it over the other half, exposing half the shell. Spray or brush contact cement on the exposed half of the shell and the backing of the exposed half of the headliner. Allow the glue to set up. You can test the glue by touching it, and when you no longer stick to the glue, it is ready. Now roll the headliner fabric so that it begins to adhere to the shell. Then take the corners of the headliner fabric and flip the rest of the glued half over the shell, but do not allow it to touch. If you feel nervous about this procedure, you may place wax paper over the shell to prevent the glue from adhering. Of course, you must remove this before the headliner will stick to the shell, but it will help prevent you from sticking the fabric where you don't want it. Now, while holding the corners, pull slightly toward each corner and then place the headliner fabric on the shell, smoothing from the center towards the corners. The gentle pulling towards the corners will help mold the fabric to the correct shape. When this half is complete, do the other half in the same manner. Then trim the edges about 1/4 to 3/8" long. Cut out the holes for the dome light and sunvisors, and poke an awl through where the coat hooks go. You can install the headliner the same way you took it out, making sure that it is properly aligned so that all the holes line up. I use an awl to find the holes. You might want to use a putty knife with the corners rounded to help tuck the edges under the surrounding moldings. You should now be ready to install the visors and dome light, and the rest of the items you removed to allow the headliner to slide free. Good luck with your installation. Call me if you need some help. (360) 574-8070