Headliner

I knew I needed new headliner but instead of going with the stock foam backed vinyl headliner I went with the more modern automotive headliner you can buy at most fabric stores. Partly because it's supposed to be easier to install and partly because it actually serves as a sound deaden-er and insulator.

So I set the back body down on a bunch of blankets to protect the paint upside down. I tried brushing on the 3M glue I bought. This is not the rattle-can stuff you get at automotive stores, it's "3M Scotch-Grip High Performance Contact Adhesive 1357"  which comes in a paint style can. This stuff is a gnarly green and smells like, well glue, but it seems really strong. Supposedly everywhere I read recommendations were talking about a yellow 3M glue for headliners and that's not what I ended up with. It seemed to work but I would try to find that stuff instead if you can.

I tried to brush it on at first but this stuff gets tacky so fast when exposed to the air that the brush starts clumping it on way to thick. Then it shows through the brown headliner I've chosen. So I went to Harbor Freight and bought a cheap little 15$ spray gun, dumped the glue in and and sprayed it like that.

The trick is to spray the surface, use some kind of spacer, like cardboard stripes of wood dowels, and make sure the headliner can go over that whole area without bunching up or adjustment. If not, adjust, if it fits you fold it back spray more glue directly on the foam backing then slowly stick the glue side to the surface. Pull the material tight as you press it down, it helps to have somebody hold tension while you press the glued surfaces together.

Mine didn't come out perfect because it's the first time I've ever done it, I was by myself, and my spacers were crap. That being said it still looks good, and is a hell of a lot better than the raw fiberglass.

After it had dried for a day I poked holes into the correct spots and screwed in the rear-view mirror and sun visor.