Headliner Question

mcglsr2

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Hey guys, I'm looking at getting the ABS headliner from AM or LMR. I have a couple questions: what's involved in getting the current headliner out? I did a lot of searching, but came up with the responses referring to Fox bodies. Not sure if those are applicable to a SN95.

About all I know right now is that the trim pieces need to be removed, and the dome light needs to be removed. Is the current headliner/board glued to the roof? If so, what's the easiest way to get it out (I don't care if I break it)? Will I need to glue the new ABS replacement in or will the trim pieces/dome light hold it up?

TIA!
 

gate keeper

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We actually are the manufacturers of those headliners, so I can answer your questions.

Yes, trim pieces need to come down - and the OE old board is glued to the roof - if you're not saving the board your can technically just grab an edge and pull. However, you'll want to grab a good strong putty knife and get the thick caulk like glue that will be left on the roof metal. Then install is super simple, new board is held in by the dome light, sunvisors and trim pieces. A bit of glue on the back isn't required - but if it were my car, I'd put a few quick lines across the back of headliner with some heavy duty adhesive.
 
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mcglsr2

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We actually are the manufacturers of those headliners, so I can answer your questions.

Yes, trim pieces need to come down - and the OE old board is glued to the roof - if you're not saving the board your can technically just grab an edge and pull. However, you'll want to grab a good strong putty knife and get the thick caulk like glue that will be left on the roof metal. Then install is super simple, new board is held in by the dome light, sunvisors and trim pieces. A bit of glue on the back isn't required - but if it were my car, I'd put a few quick lines across the back of headliner with some heavy duty adhesive.

Thanks for the reply! That helps tremendously (also good to know the part is actually your product :) ). Any recommendations on the adhesive I should use?

Also, is the headliner a fabric that is glued to the ABS backing? Or is the whole thing some sort of ABS material thing?

Edit: I should clarify that last question a little - where I'm going with it is the headliner in my STI is like a material thing, but it seems the headliner is made out of it. It's really hard to describe. But it's not fabric in the traditional sense. Which means it won't eventually come un-glued and start to hang down. I actually really like it, though some might criticize it for appearing (being?) cheap. I'm wondering if your ABS headliner is like this, or more like the tradition headliner with fabric glued to a backing board?
 

ttocs

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When he says glued to the roof, I don't think that quiet covers it. I replaced mine last year and am convinced that ford reverse engineered alien technology that allowed them to weld cardboard to steel............... I was amazed how hard it was to get out and keep the cover. If your not keeping it you will still want to be careful as I was sure I was going to f-up my paint with as much as the roof was flexing while slowly working the glue off. At one point I got a piece of 2" wide flatstock aluminum to wedge between it and act as a lever and that did leave a small spot in the metal that I will be fixing/painting on my rebuild....
 
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mcglsr2

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When he says glued to the roof, I don't think that quiet covers it. I replaced mine last year and am convinced that ford reverse engineered alien technology that allowed them to weld cardboard to steel............... I was amazed how hard it was to get out and keep the cover. If your not keeping it you will still want to be careful as I was sure I was going to f-up my paint with as much as the roof was flexing while slowly working the glue off. At one point I got a piece of 2" wide flatstock aluminum to wedge between it and act as a lever and that did leave a small spot in the metal that I will be fixing/painting on my rebuild....

Dayum. :( I hope Ford found that alien technology *after* my car rolled off the line...
 

ttocs

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mine is an early production 94 so doubtful. It was impressive stuff, and ford must have used 6 lbs of the stuff on the liner as they wanted to be sure it would not fall down. BUT I would rather complain of needing some kind of small equipment/machinery to get it down then to need thumbtacks to fix it like most GM/Chrysler cars. It was in there so well I am not all that sure it isn't a major structural component of the roof :)
 
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mcglsr2

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Lol there goes your roll over protection. Now you'll have to run a roll bar!
 

ttocs

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after I got it out, which took I think 2-3 hrs of cussing at it, I could not help but be impressed. I mean if I found out what it was I would get some and start mounting shit to the garage ceiling with no fear of it falling on the car...
 
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mcglsr2

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Lol :) Screws? Who needs screws? I got me some of that <insert Ford alien techno-adhesive>, it ain't never coming down!
 

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I've removed one and kept it 100% intact to use in another car. It required (like ttocs said) about 2 hours w/ a hard core putty knife and ended with both hands having severely bloody knuckles.
One thing I think that did help was the summer sun beating down in SoCal - think it would be 10 times harder to do in the cold.

As for board - our board is a vacuum formed ABS plastic - not a cheap compressed cardboard like original. The material is a 1/4 inch foam backed cloth that is glued onto the board.
As for the adhesive to use - i think i used a general adhesive I had on the shelf, something industrial that required a breathing mask to use (that i of course did not use).

g'luck to you and your knuckles.
 

Orange 94

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Why don't I recall the headliners being difficult to remove?
I've done it on a sn95 and a new edge. hmm.
 

ttocs

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I remember in the end I was using heat on top that was just about hot enough to burn me on the bottom as I jammed my arms between the roof and the cardboard. I was able to keep mine 100% and recover it but it was not easy.

Not even really sure why the adhesive is there. With the dome light in the middle and the pillars in the corners it should not be going anywhere. I think I just did 4 dabs of silicon when I put mine back up, it has not moved.
 

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Scott is right, the glue is unreal and they use so much of it. Also the dome light doesn't actually hold the headliner up, it just kinda floats in it.
 

g36 monkey

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post pics in this thread when done, I wanna see.

And onyx's headliner is freakin sick!
 
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mcglsr2

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I've removed one and kept it 100% intact to use in another car. It required (like ttocs said) about 2 hours w/ a hard core putty knife and ended with both hands having severely bloody knuckles.
One thing I think that did help was the summer sun beating down in SoCal - think it would be 10 times harder to do in the cold.

As for board - our board is a vacuum formed ABS plastic - not a cheap compressed cardboard like original. The material is a 1/4 inch foam backed cloth that is glued onto the board.
As for the adhesive to use - i think i used a general adhesive I had on the shelf, something industrial that required a breathing mask to use (that i of course did not use).

g'luck to you and your knuckles.

Thanks :( I'm in FL so maybe I'll wait another month or so and let the sun help out. I can see it now: Neighbors crowding around the house, all staring at the Mustang in the driveway, mixed emotions on their faces - some showing outright disgust, others mouths agape in awe, and still others with scowls forming deep lines. Parents are covering their children's eyes and ears. The urge to run is there, but greater still is the desire to know what's going on, the flight reaction overruled by sheer curiosity. In the driveway, the Mustang is rocking around on it's springs with all kinds of foul language, guttural ogre-like grunts, cries for mercy and pleas to the Almighty for Salvation emanating from it. Finally! The rocking stops. The door opens. mcglsr2 emerges from the car, 150 lbs lighter due entirely to water loss through sweat, bloody stumps for hands, pieces of broken pressed cardboard littering his shirt, chunks of fabric in his hair, and globs of alien-sourced glue firmly and permanently attached to his arms, face and neck. Murmurs and whispers issue throughout the crowd. mcglsr2 peers around, apprehensive about making eye contact, and crumbles to the ground, dead. While falling, in a final gesture of defiance he raises his right bloody stump to the sky, extends the middle finger that no longer exists and warbles a cry of anguish directed at the aliens that have provided Ford the glue for their headliners.

Why don't I recall the headliners being difficult to remove?
I've done it on a sn95 and a new edge. hmm.

Because Canada. Isn't everything easier/better in Cananda? No, I'm being serious.

I remember in the end I was using heat on top that was just about hot enough to burn me on the bottom as I jammed my arms between the roof and the cardboard. I was able to keep mine 100% and recover it but it was not easy.

Not even really sure why the adhesive is there. With the dome light in the middle and the pillars in the corners it should not be going anywhere. I think I just did 4 dabs of silicon when I put mine back up, it has not moved.

I guess I have a chore in store.

Scott is right, the glue is unreal and they use so much of it. Also the dome light doesn't actually hold the headliner up, it just kinda floats in it.

Le sigh. :(

post pics in this thread when done, I wanna see.

Will do my man. The pics will be here as well as my build thread. It'll be part of the interior phase that is quickly approaching.
 

ttocs

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I do remember that once I had it out, looking at how the glue was applied looked pretty cool. Looked like they have some kind of special applicator that spins or something as there were all these perfect circles of glue on it that were 4-5 inches wide. I honestly think is fords version of crop signals that is caused when they weld the cardboard into the structure of the car...
 

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