Headliner Replacement Recommendations

[NJ_9C3]

Hello,

After owning my Caprice for 11 years, the headliner finally went. I have a 2011 model, and I would like to replace my headliner with one that looks identical to the OEM headliner. Does anyone have a recommendation on this? I searched the forum, and could not find any information with a working link to a headliner. I appreciate any advice on this.

[ashyers]

NJ_9C3,
My headliner went rapidly since I purchased the ‘11 in January. I’ll be keeping an eye on this thread. At one point I found a thread with a bunch of photos showing headliner removal. If I find it I’ll post a link here.

I’d didn’t look like a fun job…

Andy

[elc32955]

Temporarily you can use the Swingline Suspension Method to keep your existing fabric up and out of your hair. The old backer board doesn't care about a few microscopic holes.

My headliner has finally started to give up attachment in the hot Florida sun, so I'm doing this for the time being until I get a replacement installed.

Good luck!
Eric

[CrashTestDummy]

NJ_9C3,
My headliner went rapidly since I purchased the ‘11 in January. I’ll be keeping an eye on this thread. At one point I found a thread with a bunch of photos showing headliner removal. If I find it I’ll post a link here.

I’d didn’t look like a fun job…

Andy

It's not! The one in our '12 fell, and I just pulled the fabric. I had already done the one in our '92 B4C Camaro, so I was not looking forward to doing another anytime soon. The aftermarket headliner I got for that car was cr@p, and since it had been a year since I bought it the fabric had already separated from the backing board before I got it installed. I opted to replace the fabric on the factory board, which was in not too bad shape, but it was still a miserable job.

I really never noticed the missing fabric in our car after I removed it. The new owner didn't seem to care, either.

There's a headliner company based in Australia that has several Yuutoobs about replacing headliners, and I'd recommend looking at those. They also offer better headliner material (it's some sort of double-layered fabric) that looks good to use. They have an E4!lbay site, so you can get their products in the US without too much trouble. Being based in Australia, they may even have a good-matching color available.

[NJ_9C3]

Temporarily you can use the Swingline Suspension Method to keep your existing fabric up and out of your hair. The old backer board doesn't care about a few microscopic holes.

My headliner has finally started to give up attachment in the hot Florida sun, so I'm doing this for the time being until I get a replacement installed.

Good luck!
Eric

Eric, it seems that when it starts to loosen, it’s done. Mine came apart quickly after it started loosening in the rear. Now, I can’t even comfortably drive the vehicle because it’s completely dropped down. I’m very disappointed in the quality, but that’s another story. I cut out a piece to try to match it with a sample from available options.

[elc32955]

Oh agreed, the OEM headliner material is done with it's adhesive properties. But it still looks OK if you re-spread it & use small paper staples to get it back on the backer board temporarily. The board will be rendered clean when the headliner shop goes to re-use it for new material. Driving with a pooched-down headliner is a royal pain & it messes up your hair. It just gives you comfort until you can get it replaced. Not a permanent solution by any means, just a work-around so you can drive.

The owner of a Porsche service center showed me that trick (naturally since their Alcantara headliners frequently do the same thing). Believe it or not, I even sold a 04 Cayenne in that condition and it's didn't have hardly any impact on the resale! Go figure, LOLOL!

Eric

[jomama]

FWIW, it depends on how badly it’s hanging. Recently, my headliner started coming down in the rear at the back edge (this spot gets the most sun exposure where I park the car). I bought some 3M automotive spray adhesive at a big box automotive retailer and cleaned off the old, crusting adhesive from the backer board. Once that was done, I just applied new 3M adhesive (per the directions) and used an old credit card to reattach the headliner to the backer board. So far, it has stuck like a champ (I also used this method on another GM vehicle I’ve got, and it yielded the same results). Eventually, I’ll just get the whole thing redone at an automotive upholstery shop, but this seems to have worked really well thus far. Good luck!

[CrashTestDummy]

Heat, and our corrosive (mostly ozone) attack the foam and heat-cycles help pull the material away from the backer board. The issue is exacerbated if the former driver(s) smoked. It's a cheap, quick way to make headliners, and lasts just a bit longer than warranty, so the manufactures don't GAF.

As mentioned before, we recently did this on our '92 Ex-TxDPS Camaro, and it was a sucky job. It was made worse by having to reconcile the fact that the expensive replacement headliner was already unusable, even if I wanted to use the ABS backerboard (It's too short). The backerboard on Camaros is pressed fiberglass, and it was coming apart, requiring some repairs before gluing new material to it. So yeah, a real PITA.

But I digress. The job can be done, and I recommend you review some of the online videos on the subject, and have at least one helper. Oh, and it seems it takes more spray adhesive than you think. We really needed 3 cans for a 2-door hatchback. I'd probably get at least 4 for a 4-door full-size car. Additionally, many online stated that the 3M stuff wasn't really the quality it had been in the past, and recommended the Permatex 27828.

Good luck!

[NJ_9C3]

Would anyone know if this part number is the actual headliner with cloth and foam backing? GM: 92258430

[s/c'd cav]

Would anyone know if this part number is the actual headliner with cloth and foam backing? GM: 92258430

its no longer avaliable , it would have been made the material how ever the caprice was equiped