So I pulled my headliner out, but it is a lot more damaged than I thought it was. Big chunks taken out of it, crushed sections where they had tried to staple the headliner back in. I see a lot of things calling it fiberglass, if it is, its like just compressed? it's not hard like I expect fiberglass to be, more like pressed fibers. Is there any way I can repair what I have? give it more structure before recovering it?

 

I'd be willing to bet you can get some kind of "fiberglass" repair kit. Not the fiberglass that comes in sheets and you use epoxy to shape it and make it hard, but I bet the fiberglass may be in a "shavings" form and you sprinkle it on and then spray something over it to keep it in place.... or just use small amounts of 2 part epoxy....

https://nastyz28.com/threads/headlin...repair.215274/

 

Hmmm... I'll look into it. It looks like it will cost me a bit more than a hundred bucks to get all the parts I need to do it. if I can get it done for less than $150 locally, then I will have it done professionally, Time to make some calls.

 

Might get lucky at a junkyard...? headliner fabric may be falling down but the board may be in good shape.

 

I already perused the junk yards, nothing near me worth looking at right now. already pulled the headliner, and pulled most of the fabric off., this is the result:

 

I didn't want the rear speakers in my headliner so I spent a good amount of time working with fiberglass and resin all just to get it to look like an OK version of 96 headliner. Moral of the story just get one from the junk yard.

 

its a sob, but I have repaired one with fibreglass impregnated 2 part filler and fibreglass sheeting.

You also have to ensure you have a flat surface if you intend to stick down foam backed headliner fabric, or the result looks lumpy

One way around this is to use an underlay of "headlining felt"

 

Been kind of following this thread.
Since one can't be found and as pointed out you have to do a decent job so it is flat
and the fabric can lay down on it properly maybe this is one of those instances where you
should bed line the headliner like I have seen a couple guys do.
Thinking the bed liner would hide most if not all the imperfections of a not perfect patch job.

 

So.... I decided to glue some stiff foam to the board, to give it some strength, and make it smoother for the cloth to lay on. I need to go back and glue down the places I didn't get it to stick very well before and trim it up. my work was hampered by a monsoon storm last night. I don't think I could get a very good job of doing the fiberglass myself, and the cost to have somebody else do it was prohibitive, so I probably will end up trying to find a headboard at a junk yard... but this is attempt #1

 

Make sure the glue can handle heat and make sure the old foam/glue residue to removed. .

 

Yeah, I spent hours removing the old stuff. I also plan on insulating the roof of my jeep. This is supposed to be able to take the heat, but I'm in AZ, even stuff that would last 100 years elsewhere lasts 10 here. I saw another thread on here of people putting some closed cell foam in the ceiling, seems like a great idea.

 

I did two layers of 1/8 inch closed cell foam in my Subaru roof in Prescott, AZ. I don't know if it's still fully stuck up in there, but it hasn't caused any problems with the headliner. My 76 Plymouth has a headliner made out of the stuff you are working with. Mine wasn't broken up, but it was distorted by moisture over time. I got it to the correct shape again and fiber glassed the back side of it to make it stay in shape. If you want to keep working with the one you have, I would recommend that to give it more strength.

 

So..... I installed in this morning before work, Looked good, Came home and it had completely failed. So.... I need a better adhesive than just spray glue, or a different spray glue than loctite.

 

most spray on adhesives are inadequate, unless they are the correct headlining glue applied heavily

I have found Selleys contact adhesive GEL, applied with a scraper, brush or roller works well, I used 1.5litres to do my last XJ

 

thanks for the suggestion, I will check it out.