69 T-Top Headliner

[Richard B.]

[FONT='Calibri','sans-serif']My original 69 T-Top headliners are warped. One is so bad that it creeks. Are there any tricks to straighten them out? Other then the warping they are in good shape. Or is my only option to buy some reproduction ones.[/FONT]

[Jack H.]

Re: 69 T-Top Headliner

Hard top liners suffer the same problem. The panels become old/brittle and begin to deform by curling inward. Eventually, they 'pop' loose from the plastic velcro fasteners that hold them in place.

Some have reported sucess by removing them, letting them sit in the sun with appropriately placed weights to deform them back to their factory original geometry. But, others have said that while that 'may' work in the short run, it's not a long term fix.

Let's face it, we're WAY past the original useful life these parts were designed to have...

[Edward J.]

Re: 69 T-Top Headliner

Rich, sometimes the squeeks come from the t-tops nylon inserts in the front and rear,Ive used dielectric grease to quite the top down, they really tend to flex just driving down the road.

As far as the warp tops, I think JACK has a good idea. just pick a hot summer day to lay out the tops, to add to it ,maybe remove the panels from the tops and lay face down and lay the weight from the top and let the heat do the work, just try a lite weight first,so it doesn't bend to much.

[Jack H.]

Re: 69 T-Top Headliner

Who's 'Terry'?

BTW, I even knew one fellow who tried the re-deform method a couple of times and was SO frustrated that the panel(s) returned to their deformed geometry over time that he used RTV (bathtub caulk) to GLUE the plastic velcro fasteners together so they couldn't allow the liner panels to re-deform.

The first attempt resulted in the velcro breaking loose from its bond to either the roof or the panel. The second attempt resulted in the velco fatigue fracturing right down the middle!

Yep, when you've got factory original panels that are in very good to excellent condition, you REALLY want to 'save' them vs. go the repro route. Unfortunately, I don't know of a foolproof method...

[Richard B.]

Re: 69 T-Top Headliner

Thanks to all for the advice. I removed the worst panel and have placed some weights on the corner to see if that will work.

I let folks know if have success.

[Edward J.]

Re: 69 T-Top Headliner

Jack, I FIXED MY POST SORRY.HOPE YOU'LL FORGIVE ME!

[Don L.]

Re: 69 T-Top Headliner

Thanks to all for the advice. I removed the worst panel and have placed some weights on the corner to see if that will work.

I let folks know if have success.

Dick, I was searching the TDB posts on C3 headliner warpage problems and found this one. I am wondering if you ever got the warp out of your headliner?

I have a headliner that needs some work. The warp is in the front near the clamp and just behind where the visor stows. The warp is just enough to allow the velcro to stick, then after a few seconds, it gives way and pops out. The warp is approx 1/2" from engaging with the velcro and is only in this one spot. Other than this warped section, the headliner is beautiful.

Ideas/suggestions? I've been told that if I wet the substrate, apply weight and let dry, the warp will come out. I'm skeptical after reading here.

Thanks

[Richard B.]

Re: 69 T-Top Headliner

I hear you. I didn't try wetting the substrate I just pulled them out and put some weight on them. I let them sit in the corner for about two weeks.
When I put them in they work fine for about a week and then the Velcro on the one corner came loose again.
I've been living with it, trying to decide if I want to replace them or try to wet them and see what happens. I guess if I get tired of hearing the rubbing noise every time I hit a bump in the road I'll probably try wetting the substrate to see if the works before spending the money on some new ones.

Sorry I couldn't help.

[Don L.]

Re: 69 T-Top Headliner

Does anyone else have any experience in getting the warp out of a hard headliner? Mine is in an auxiliary hardtop for the convertible, but I'm thinking the symptoms and solutions are the same as for the coupe.

I'm only about 1/2" from a good fit and it's only in the one area.

[Kenn S.]

Re: 69 T-Top Headliner

I know this is an old thread, but for me it's a current issue. I'd suggested the "bake it in the sun" approach to a friend before finding this thread. He was dubious then, and I'm dubious now.

I'm wondering if the temporary nature of the sun-fix is because the hard backing just didn't get hot enough to convince it to reform over a longer period. The sun can get things pretty warm, but that backing is pretty hard. I know it should be possible, since the sun caused it to begin with, so it's just a matter of finding the trick that works.

I'm thinking I might try a heat gun, starting at a very respectful distance on the back side. It might even be a good idea to let the panel warm up in the hot sun first and then apply that little extra head where necessary. Clearly this is something to be very careful with, especially with my panels (undamaged but for warpage), and any sign of fatigue or breakage, I'd stop with the gun. It's just an idea, of course. If your experience tells you this isn't a great plan, by all means respond...my goal isn't to destroy otherwise great panels. But there has to be some way to straighten them...

[Don L.]

Re: 69 T-Top Headliner

Hmmm. I'd hate to risk taking a heat gun to an otherwise undamaged headliner, but that's just me.

I did have some success in getting the warped fiberboard to "relax". I placed it on the HOT blacktop driveway for a period of time, then quickly installed it in the normal position. The bad news is that it occassionaly pops back out of the nylon fasteners. It's better but still not perfect.

Apparently, the warp's stubborness is tougher than the fasteners. I've since put the top away for the summer, but this thread has reinvigorated my interest in getting this fixed once and for all. My next plan of attack will be to re-heat the h/liner in the hot sun, then install to the top while the top is off the car/upside down. I'll install the h/liner and then place bags of sand on top, attempting to have the substrate "re-set" in the proper shape. Dunno whether this will work or not. Anyone else try this or does anyone else have other ideas?

[Owen L.]

Re: 69 T-Top Headliner

I realize this is an 8-year old thread but I wanted to relate what I did to flatten my severely warped '72 T-top headliners.

They had warped so badly in storage that when the back edge was engaged in the "velcro" fasteners, the front edge was at least 3-4 inches in the air above the mating fasteners. There was no way anything was going to even remotely stay in place even if I could get the velcros to engage. Weights and trying to flatten the headliners wasn't working.

So...
IMG_2711.jpg

I sprayed them with the garden hose! I figured the vinyl and foam wouldn't be harmed by some water and the fiberboard backing would be fine as long as they weren't immersed in water to the point of losing structural integrity. In the sun for an hour or more while I worded on other stuff, the fiberboard relaxed enough that I was able to almost get all of the fasteners to stay engaged! The headliners need a little more encouragement -- and re-riveting a few fasteners to the T-top that had come loose long ago -- but I'm thrilled it worked as well as it did.

I've got a little more to do with flattening the panels so that the fasteners' job is to only hold the panels to the underside of the T-tops and not act as warp-flatteners. Maybe seeing if I can weight them to a flat board or something to continue the process.