Thread: Headliner cloth sagging

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I guess the years are starting to catch up on the malibus interior headliner. I hate the feeling of it rubbing against my head. Perhaps if I had more hair, it wouldn't be so bad!

What is the trick to getting it back in place? I once tried using a spray adhesive on an older camaro, when the cloth sagged, by poking the end of the spray tube through the cloth. Once I sprayed it around inside a bit, in a few spots, I pushed the cloth back up against the roof, or particle board/cardboard. What a mess The glue came through the headliner cloth and got all over my hands, and then proceeded to leave a messy residue. I won't try that home made idea again!

How is the cloth held on originally?

Any solutions?

Time for a new headliner.

This is from one of my sources !

To permanently fix the headliner, go to your local auto body paint
store and get 3M 8088 spray adhesive- it comes out in a spiderweb
pattern.

Remove the headliner and fabric from the car.
Clean off (stiff brush) the cardboard liner and the fabric.
Spray the headliner and the fabric, one section at at time.
Press, roll the fabric back on the headliner.
Put the headliner back in the car.

Originally posted by Jerilynne1965
This is from one of my sources !

To permanently fix the headliner, go to your local auto body paint
store and get 3M 8088 spray adhesive- it comes out in a spiderweb
pattern.

Remove the headliner and fabric from the car.
Clean off (stiff brush) the cardboard liner and the fabric.
Spray the headliner and the fabric, one section at at time.
Press, roll the fabric back on the headliner.
Put the headliner back in the car.

very good jeri.

Thanks for the info!
I guess my idea of doing it while still in the car, "is" a bit of a pipe dream...but I was hoping..

For a laugh I'll tell you how I ended up getting the camaro's headliner cloth back in place..

You remember the little upholstery do-hickies that your mom used to hold arm rest covers on her favorite chair. They were clear plastic buttons, with a corkscrew wire. Yup, I used about 10 of those to hold the headliner in place. They did the job, and kind of gave the button tuck upholstery look to it. The buyer of the car didn't say boo about them.

A guys got to be inventive!

Originally posted by Chev malibu


You remember the little upholstery do-hickies that your mom used to hold arm rest covers on her favorite chair. They were clear plastic buttons, with a corkscrew wire.

A guys got to be inventive!

Custom :

Hey, its no worse than mine. 1/4 inch strips of wood across the liner. Worked surprisingly well and it came with the car. So i had to leave 'em in, but i painted them blue to match

Originally posted by drg84
Hey, its no worse than mine. 1/4 inch strips of wood across the liner. Worked surprisingly well and it came with the car. So i had to leave 'em in, but i painted them blue to match

Now there's an idea I never thought of!

How the heck did he keep them in place? Tap screws?

CSF,
I never felt any layer of foam under the headliner cloth, but regardless, it sounds like its time to strip it out, and see what I have to work with. I have done some minor upholstery work, so if worse comes to worse, I may just use a similar color, foam backed vinyl, and do a button tuck style headliner. This is if the cardboard type backing is strong enough to take the additional weight, of the vinyl material and foam...

First step is to get it out! Are headliners secured, other then the dome light and the plastic trim pieces around the front and sides? There is no retainer clips in the roof itself is there? If there is I imagine they may be a little brittle after 25 years....

Originally posted by Chev malibu
Now there's an idea I never thought of!

How the heck did he keep them in place? Tap screws?

Actually, its kind of cool. Most headliners bow up. so, to keep it in place, just leave about 1/2 inch longer than your car is wide. The wood bows up, form fits your car and holds the headliner. Also it gives it this "I'm too damn cheap to buy a new headliner" look

Originally posted by drg84
Actually, its kind of cool. ...Also it gives it this "I'm too damn cheap to buy a new headliner" look

Dave...you're hopelessly cost savvy...you could have a million bucks an I swear you'd be Sam Walton driving his (unrestored) 30 year old farm truck...but the engine would be another story...he hehe lol

Originally posted by DennyW
I did that to an old olds I had. Except, I had some sheet metal laying around. I cut pieces 3" wide, painted them, and installed. I used 5. It actually looked pretty good.

"It actually looked pretty good." i bet that was a matter of opinion

Originally posted by DennyW
I actually had people ask me where I got those at.

ok