In order to pull my headliner for repair, I have to remove the trim pieces around the roof in my Mirada. All went well until I got the the rear pillars around the back quarter window and rear window. These large panels seem to be hung up on the trim around the small window and am unsure how to pull them without breaking. The plastic is fragile enough as is without me tweaking on it hard. Any tips?
Pulling a Jbody Headliner - Mirada Headache
- Thread starter moreada
- Start date
80mirada
Well-Known Member
you have to remove the side panels that flank the rear seat. they hide the screws in the window molding
80mirada
Well-Known Member
http://www.yourautotrim.com/auheclvifa.html
This is just the only one I had bookmarked, there are other places to get it. I think Eastwood had a kit to.
This is just the only one I had bookmarked, there are other places to get it. I think Eastwood had a kit to.
Aspen500
Well-Known Member
Got my headliner material (foam backed cloth) from this place. Also the got the recommended spray adhesive from them. I know the high temp adhesive is pricey but a headliner job isn't something you want to do twice.
http://www.automotiveinteriors.com/headliners_readymade/order_foamback_material.htm
http://www.automotiveinteriors.com/headliners_readymade/order_foamback_material.htm
I found a place in Toronto that carries lots. I'm not sure the colour so i will bring them a piece that was under the plastic trim to try to match it. If not, i will have to entertain U.S. sources. The challenge is that you cannot get the spray shipped from the U.S... i think this was also an issue i found when looking for nitro lacquer once.
kkritsilas
Well-Known Member
You can get nitro lacquer in Canada a lot easier than you can in the US. A guitar builder friend gets it from a paint dealer in town. He used to get it from a place that deals in cabinetmaker supplies, but they stopped carring it.
Due to VOC regularions in the US, it is next to impossible to get nitro in almost all states.
Funny story: In and around 2004-2005, I went to the Healdsburg guitar festival with my guitar making buddy. This is one of the biggest shows in the world for high to impossibly high end hand-built guitars (so no Martin, Tayolor, Guild, Gibosn, Larrivee, etc.). Upwards of 120 hand builders brought various numbers of guitars. Anyway, I amlking around admiring a lot of the guitars, noting that some were Canadaian, a few from Europe, and a much shmaller number from places like South Africa. I asked my guitar making buddy if he knew how many were from Canada. He said he didn't, but it would be easy to find out. I didn't have any idea of what he was talking about. He told me to look for the really, really shiny guitars at the show. Those would be nitro, and were from non-US builders. Then from that group, we could figure out which were Canadian or other. Easily cut the number down by 80-85%. Due to the VOC regulations in the US, almost all of the builders from the US were using water based lacquer, or catalysed lacquer, which, no matter how you polised it out, never shines up as well as nitro.
For a lot of glues/adhesives, the problem is transport regulations, air transport being one of the most tightly regulated.
Due to VOC regularions in the US, it is next to impossible to get nitro in almost all states.
Funny story: In and around 2004-2005, I went to the Healdsburg guitar festival with my guitar making buddy. This is one of the biggest shows in the world for high to impossibly high end hand-built guitars (so no Martin, Tayolor, Guild, Gibosn, Larrivee, etc.). Upwards of 120 hand builders brought various numbers of guitars. Anyway, I amlking around admiring a lot of the guitars, noting that some were Canadaian, a few from Europe, and a much shmaller number from places like South Africa. I asked my guitar making buddy if he knew how many were from Canada. He said he didn't, but it would be easy to find out. I didn't have any idea of what he was talking about. He told me to look for the really, really shiny guitars at the show. Those would be nitro, and were from non-US builders. Then from that group, we could figure out which were Canadian or other. Easily cut the number down by 80-85%. Due to the VOC regulations in the US, almost all of the builders from the US were using water based lacquer, or catalysed lacquer, which, no matter how you polised it out, never shines up as well as nitro.
For a lot of glues/adhesives, the problem is transport regulations, air transport being one of the most tightly regulated.
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Cordoba1
Well-Known Member
Do you have JoAnn Fabrics in Canada? They sell the foam-backed headliner material. I've done this job several times, it's pretty easy. The hardest part is the acrobatics required to get the unit in and out of the car. For the glue, I use 3M Scotch 90 spray adhesive. Two cans is plenty. "90" is the heavy duty, heat resistant version. "77" is lower priced, and will fail. Spend a couple extra bucks, buy the "90" version.
1: Remove headliner.
2: Remove old fabric.
3: With a stiff brush, remove old adhesive and leftover foam.
4: Coat liberally with both cans of Scotch 90
5: Smooth on the new fabric onto headliner shell.
-- The Scotch 90 will dry almost immediately --
6: Trim the excess fabric away with sharp scissors, cut holes for lights, seatbelts.
7: Reinstall!
-- The shell is made of some pressed fiberglass strands and cardboard. You will have to bend it to get it in and out, and you may even rough up the edges. This is no big deal. When you reinstall, the new fabric will hide any damage or rough edges.
1: Remove headliner.
2: Remove old fabric.
3: With a stiff brush, remove old adhesive and leftover foam.
4: Coat liberally with both cans of Scotch 90
5: Smooth on the new fabric onto headliner shell.
-- The Scotch 90 will dry almost immediately --
6: Trim the excess fabric away with sharp scissors, cut holes for lights, seatbelts.
7: Reinstall!
-- The shell is made of some pressed fiberglass strands and cardboard. You will have to bend it to get it in and out, and you may even rough up the edges. This is no big deal. When you reinstall, the new fabric will hide any damage or rough edges.
Thanks folks!!
In regard to the nitro... I was looking for Guitar Reranch Nitro... company who makes reformulations of old paint from the 50's on up. Couldn't ship the aerosol by air I guess.
Regular Nitro lacquer - I wish that was all I was looking for.
I was surprised the headliner came down so easy after the panels came out. My biggest fear is that my assistant wasn't there and I spilled my screw tray while pulling it out the car solo. I now have a mixed bucket of screws that I am not sure goes where.
Baggies next time. Sealable and tapable to parts. No amount of photos will tell me how long each screw is buy I seem to recall where some of the unusually large ones went. I suppose it will add a day to the rebuild. Good things take time.
The place in Toronto offers a lot of options... 60" wide, priced by the yard.
http://www.prestige-decorating.com/headliner-car-boat.html
She was very friendly and when I get that way next I will pop in unless I find something cheaper than $29.95 a yard.
Fabricland here was all "you gotta come in and look" - we live in bumfark nowhere.
In regard to the nitro... I was looking for Guitar Reranch Nitro... company who makes reformulations of old paint from the 50's on up. Couldn't ship the aerosol by air I guess.
Regular Nitro lacquer - I wish that was all I was looking for.
I was surprised the headliner came down so easy after the panels came out. My biggest fear is that my assistant wasn't there and I spilled my screw tray while pulling it out the car solo. I now have a mixed bucket of screws that I am not sure goes where.
Baggies next time. Sealable and tapable to parts. No amount of photos will tell me how long each screw is buy I seem to recall where some of the unusually large ones went. I suppose it will add a day to the rebuild. Good things take time.
The place in Toronto offers a lot of options... 60" wide, priced by the yard.
http://www.prestige-decorating.com/headliner-car-boat.html
She was very friendly and when I get that way next I will pop in unless I find something cheaper than $29.95 a yard.
Fabricland here was all "you gotta come in and look" - we live in bumfark nowhere.
+1 for "77" not holding up, we carry that here, so I tried it first, but it didn't last, even without the foam backing..
JoAnn fabrics has a variety of materials to choose from, I'm still tempted to try the faux bearskin rug, just not sure I want to be "that guy" lol silk would also be interesting, but hard to maintain, maybe satin if the adhesive wouldn't soak through and ruin it.. :tongue7:
Bearskin!!! Be that guy! If you go that far though, I'd also suggest dice and a Cheech and Chong style steering wheel riding on airbags and 13" daytons 
I have some rad orange sheepskins my grandparents gave me. Totally would love to reuse them somehow but they may just end up a bedside rug. I considered perforated leatherette and others but want to keep it stock looking I think.
Anyone ever stuff anything in the space between headliner and roof? Foam etc?
I have some rad orange sheepskins my grandparents gave me. Totally would love to reuse them somehow but they may just end up a bedside rug. I considered perforated leatherette and others but want to keep it stock looking I think.
Anyone ever stuff anything in the space between headliner and roof? Foam etc?
Bearskin!!! Be that guy! If you go that far though, I'd also suggest dice and a Cheech and Chong style steering wheel riding on airbags and 13" daytons
I have some rad orange sheepskins my grandparents gave me. Totally would love to reuse them somehow but they may just end up a bedside rug. I considered perforated leatherette and others but want to keep it stock looking I think.
Anyone ever stuff anything in the space between headliner and roof? Foam etc?
some of this stuff might be nice
http://www.dynamat.com/brands/dynamat-xtreme/
Aspen500
Well-Known Member
I used this stuff from Speedway, glued to the underside of the roof (not with 3M 77 but the hi-temp spray adhesive).
http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Alumi...Insulation-Shield-4-x-6-Foot-Sheets,2604.html
I'd shy away from Dyna-Mat (or equivalent) on the roof. If the car sits in the hot summer sun the butyl tends to soften and the mat could fall off or worse, make a big black gooey mess. No experience myself but I've heard horror stories from others that did it. Just sayin'!
http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Alumi...Insulation-Shield-4-x-6-Foot-Sheets,2604.html
I'd shy away from Dyna-Mat (or equivalent) on the roof. If the car sits in the hot summer sun the butyl tends to soften and the mat could fall off or worse, make a big black gooey mess. No experience myself but I've heard horror stories from others that did it. Just sayin'!
Aspen... that may be the best priced product. Will have to see what shipping will be worth.
As for Dynamat, I believe its okay to use and not worry about. Of all the bad things I have read, it seems to always be the people who use the cheap stuff from home depot like peel and seal instead of a properly intended product. They aren't made for automotive applications and tends to get gooey when heated. It's also apparently toxic as heck. There is a CLD tile product from a place called sounddeadenershowdown... they charge 2.45 per 6x10" piece and say 25% cover is sufficient - it makes sense to me.
http://www.sounddeadenershowdown.com/
Would it be okay to use that blue tube pipe insulation in parts of my car or is that foam no good to use in panels?
As for Dynamat, I believe its okay to use and not worry about. Of all the bad things I have read, it seems to always be the people who use the cheap stuff from home depot like peel and seal instead of a properly intended product. They aren't made for automotive applications and tends to get gooey when heated. It's also apparently toxic as heck. There is a CLD tile product from a place called sounddeadenershowdown... they charge 2.45 per 6x10" piece and say 25% cover is sufficient - it makes sense to me.
http://www.sounddeadenershowdown.com/
Would it be okay to use that blue tube pipe insulation in parts of my car or is that foam no good to use in panels?
Jack Meoff
Mopar Maniac
I was using that pipe insulation as a window seal on the Volare before it got retired from any rain duty.
So stuffing it into a panel should be okay then... good to hear. Thanks.
After the rain, i returned to find some water on the floor... it appears there is a leak. Given the stain on headliner and the droplet of water i found along the top edge of frame, I assume there is a small leak on my windshield.
Any suggestion on how to remedy this without replacing the glass? silicone?
After the rain, i returned to find some water on the floor... it appears there is a leak. Given the stain on headliner and the droplet of water i found along the top edge of frame, I assume there is a small leak on my windshield.
Any suggestion on how to remedy this without replacing the glass? silicone?
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Aspen500
Well-Known Member
Standard silicone doesn't really work well for windshield leaks. Either use urethane or this stuff:
http://www.autozone.com/sealants-gl...d-and-glass-sealer/552992/?_requestid=4629364
Just pull the upper windshield bright moulding off, clean the groove and have at it. If you don't have one, you need this tool to get the moulding off without damaging it. The hooks release the clips from the edge of the trim.
http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/d...ap?ck=Search_N0681_-1_2131&pt=N0681&ppt=C0063
http://www.autozone.com/sealants-gl...d-and-glass-sealer/552992/?_requestid=4629364
Just pull the upper windshield bright moulding off, clean the groove and have at it. If you don't have one, you need this tool to get the moulding off without damaging it. The hooks release the clips from the edge of the trim.
http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/d...ap?ck=Search_N0681_-1_2131&pt=N0681&ppt=C0063
Thank you! I used the stuff in the first link for my Nissan Pumpfinder. It works its way into places well and does the trick - that's what I meant by silicone. Is Urethane better though?
I need one of these tools. Do you know if the clips are easy to replace too? If so, I need to order some. Hopefully I can find one on this side of the border or lump into my Rock Auto order. The guy who did my rear window replacement was a butcher... my insurance company picked a guy cheap and now there is a whole load of sealant on the inside, and outside the trim doesn't seem to stay clipped in. Fortunately I figured out what the loose wires were for, and my rear defrost SHOULD work now when I get a battery in.
I need one of these tools. Do you know if the clips are easy to replace too? If so, I need to order some. Hopefully I can find one on this side of the border or lump into my Rock Auto order. The guy who did my rear window replacement was a butcher... my insurance company picked a guy cheap and now there is a whole load of sealant on the inside, and outside the trim doesn't seem to stay clipped in. Fortunately I figured out what the loose wires were for, and my rear defrost SHOULD work now when I get a battery in.
Aspen500
Well-Known Member
The clips basically "snap" onto little pegs sticking out of the window channel. Easy to change unless the urethane was apllied too heavy and oozed up around the clip. Then it takes some digging. They're readily available from any number of sources (on-line, body shop supply company, etc), just have to know which ones you need.
Urethane is probably better but for a small leak, the sealant stuff should be fine. Urethane can get messy if you're not careful and it sticks to EVERYTHING. Plus, (far as I know) it's only sold in the 10.5 oz tubes and a regular caulk gun isn't quite up to the task. Need a high ratio caulking gun (like 26:1) to force it out the nozzle. I put one 1/4 window back into my car with a standard caulk gun and about broke my hand and bent the gun. Bought the high ratio one and did the other side,,,,,,,piece of cake!
Not that it matters but, this is what I'm referring to, shown with seam sealer. They don't have a pic of the gun by itself for some odd reason.
http://www.eastwood.com/2k-seam-sealer-and-cartridge-gun-kit.html
Urethane is probably better but for a small leak, the sealant stuff should be fine. Urethane can get messy if you're not careful and it sticks to EVERYTHING. Plus, (far as I know) it's only sold in the 10.5 oz tubes and a regular caulk gun isn't quite up to the task. Need a high ratio caulking gun (like 26:1) to force it out the nozzle. I put one 1/4 window back into my car with a standard caulk gun and about broke my hand and bent the gun. Bought the high ratio one and did the other side,,,,,,,piece of cake!
Not that it matters but, this is what I'm referring to, shown with seam sealer. They don't have a pic of the gun by itself for some odd reason.
http://www.eastwood.com/2k-seam-sealer-and-cartridge-gun-kit.html
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