headliner (not the material)

[shrapnel]

Anyone have any luck finding the cardboard headliner piece for an L-body? I contacted several junkyards and searched the internet, but no luck. I did my healiner in my 87 GLHS, but all I needed was the material. The one in my 85 is looking pretty beat up.

[iangoround]

Can you make yourself a new one out of cardboard or fiberglass? the one in my Laser has some big chunks missing near the windshield. I'm going to pull it out and fill in the missing chunks with fiberglass or something like that

[dds78910]

Mine was in pieces and I just fiberglassed it back together.
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[87glhs]

The "pros" in our area that do this for a living use some sort of duct tape to repair breaks in the cardboard and then recover it with that foam-backed headliner material you can buy.

As far as finding/fabricating the cardboard itself, it's like the lost knowledge of the Incas. No one has it, and if you push the matter and tell them that "it's just cardboard", they tell you how it's custom molded (steamed) and they can't duplicate it.

Anyway, we ended up buying a parts car and used the cardboard from that one to replace ours--if someone ever figures out a way to make the things they'd be like gods.

[iangoround]

I bet if you were really determined, you could mold out of the original piece or even the ceiling of the car and make as many fiberglass copies as you want.

I wonder if there would be any kind of interest in the community for a service like that?

[2.216VTurbo]

*Hijack warning*

Hey Dustin, what's with the Omni 024 in the pic:eyebrows:? It's not in your sig;)...

[87glhs]

I'm sure there would be a lot of interest in replacement headliner backer-boards. I know we would have bought a replacement had one been available.

Shipping would be a challenge though--

[minigts]

Mine was in pieces and I just fiberglassed it back together.
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When you fiberglass, do you get a kit that has the resin and some sheets of the fiber or something? I've been interested in doing this for a few different things, but haven't taken the plunge to do it.

Any suggestions on kits that are easier to use?

[Marcus86GLHS]

when i replaced my headliner mat'l in my omni i first reinforced the backing board with 1/16th inch thick aircraft plywood. this reinforcement (doubler) straightened and strengthened the backing board and will last forever.

btw i believe Mopar makes headliners in at least some of their new vehicles just like they did in the 80's (ie: moulded backing board and adhesive attached liner mat'l)......my 2008 Jeep's headliner is straight out of the 1980's so the technology isnt dead at all.

[minigts]

I am afraid to ask what aircraft plywood is. :D I've heard of aircraft aluminum, but not plywood. Is it made by Wright Brothers Industries? ;)

[Marcus86GLHS]

no silly.

aircraft plywood is super-light, super-strong material designed for use in all types of aircraft. you do know theres a million aircraft in the world that were manufactured from wood, including plywood.

like a lot of 4-door L-body backing boards after 20 years, mine had sagging in the areas above the front and rear seats. these boards are weak, and sag under their own weight, so they need strengthening otherwise they will continue to sag.

[dds78910]

*Hijack warning*

Hey Dustin, what's with the Omni 024 in the pic:eyebrows:? It's not in your sig;)...
Sorry, I guess I forgot. I bought the car cause it came with a crap load of parts and it runs good. I have been slowly rebuilding it to give to my step daughter as a first car, so I guess I didnt think of adding it in my sig.


When you fiberglass, do you get a kit that has the resin and some sheets of the fiber or something? I've been interested in doing this for a few different things, but haven't taken the plunge to do it.

Any suggestions on kits that are easier to use?

I just buy a gallon jug and some extra hardener from the auto part store and and but a package of fiberglass material. Sometimes I uses some thin stretchy material that I got from the crafts area at walmart.