How-to: Removing & Reinstalling the Headliner [Headlining]

Hi Charles. I presume you mean


You could remove (pull off) the lining on the outer panel. It will pull off separately to the inner panel lining and comes off quite easily.

The snagged is it will leave behind the glue and the foam backing and this will have to be scrapped off which is messy job involving some sort of softening agent (I used kitchen surface cleaner and then a scrapper). I think this will be very difficult to do without marking the good centre panel, especially when working near the groove.

Then the inner panel will have to be masked off to protect it from the impact glue that is sprayed on.

I suppose you could glue the new lining on top of the old residual foam and glue, but that may be risky - the impact glue may not work and the new lining may have bumps all over it as it is not going onto a smooth surface. Try this entirely at your own risk!

Edit: In photo 33 the old glue and foam is the orange colour and behind is the cream coloured biscuit which can be seen in odd places. Glueing over that may be problematic.

Note the outer panel feels fragile and seems to be made of a fibre board of some type. The inner panel is hard and looks like fibre glass.
Hi Alan
Hmm I might try and debond the two, I can design and 3d print so I could make brackets to glue to the back of the two if there is space.

I've already tried to re glue and its only lasted about 3 months (still looked smart)

I suppose if I damage the Centre when relining the edge I can just do what you've done! or if its too hard ill contact a member on here that offers the service!
Cheers
Charles
 
Hmm I might try and debond the two,
There is a gap of about 5mm (from memory) between the outer and inner panels. This filled with a glue. Looks like hot stick glue though a bit softer. I would try removing from the rear, maybe insert a dremel disk for cutting plastic.
 
There is a gap of about 5mm (from memory) between the outer and inner panels. This filled with a glue. Looks like hot stick glue though a bit softer. I would try removing from the rear, maybe insert a dremel disk for cutting plastic.
I'll have a go!
 
I'll have a go!
Hi Alan,
Got the headliner off in about 30 minutes, I found the d pillar trims easier to slide the metal clips off rather than pull, and then remove with pliers and re attach. I broke one of the sun visor holders (closest to centre). The glue just peeled out and is sort of a filler. I'm now debating weather or not the go for a black headliner. My fathers bmw does and I think it looks very smart, but is there a black paint that won't chip and peel?
Cheers
Charles
 

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I didn't do the hard work on this. It's someone else's creation that I was fortunate enough to get.
It's obviously not everyones taste but puts a smile on my face when I look up
 
Hi @Charles Great news that the glue just peeled out easily. You will have to find a suitable glue to reassembled.

I looked at your centre panel in case it could be used without recovering but it looks marked in places.

@A2Steve will no doubt be able to supply a new clip for a modest amount.

PS I see in the best A2 tradition you gave you headliner shelter in-doors.

Biscuit in dinning room.JPG
 
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Hi @Charles Great news that the glue just peeled out easily. You will have to find a suitable glue to reassembled.

I looked at your centre panel in case it could be used without recovering but it looks marked in places.

@A2Steve will no doubt be able to supply a new clip for a modest amount.

PS I see in the best A2 tradition you gave you headliner shelter in-doors.

View attachment 108562
Hi Allan
The marks are just from where I've handled it and have since disappeared! I did notice around a few edges it has started to peel, not sure if I will redo it still as the fabric is glued by that I removed so should be held on re gluing. I'm currently debating on weather or not to go for a soul coloured headliner. My big worry is the grab handles would wear quickly if painted and look a bit shabby? Have you any experience painting items with tamyia paints or similar as I know my refurnished climate panel was painted satin tamyia and is wearing well! I fear the flex from the grab handles would cuase it to peel?
Charles
 
Have you any experience painting items with tamyia paints or similar as I know my refurnished climate panel was painted satin tamyia and is wearing well! I fear the flex from the grab handles would cuase it to peel?
Hi Charles. I'm afraid not.

Could you use another grab handle from a breaker? According to this post https://www.a2oc.net/community/index.php?threads/glasses-case.47888/#post-461083 grab handles came in Platinum (light grey) or Twist (beige) but there might be other colours from other vehicles that would fit.

See here https://duckduckgo.com/?q=auid+a2+grab+handle+part&atb=v287-1&iax=images&ia=images
 
An excellent write up thanks. The A2 I bought in the Netherlands for my father in law in Latvia is also suffering a drooping headlining. I always assumed this was solely a BL problem as I've replaced the headlining in my own Range Rover, in another 4 or 5 for others and a Rover 75 and I know that similar age Jaguars also suffer in the same way. I've used headlining kits from Martrim (https://www.martrim.co.uk/car-trimming-supplies/brush-nylon-headlining.php) in the past and their glue is amazing stuff. I intend getting the material in Silver Grey as I will be going over there in a few weeks time (so I'll have something to keep me busy while there). The material comes in 1.55m width but how much do I need to order? In other words, how big is the roof?
 
Thank you for the compliments. As I mentioned in the "How To", I had a company do the headline recovering. The main part is the width x length of the roof + say 20mm overlap at the edges (the biscuit is quite thick) . But note that I recall the roof is not square - one end is wider.

Then you need more material for the centre panel. You cannot use the piece you cut out from the main part as the main part and the centre part both tuck into the groove. I had a slightly different pattern for the inner panel as the original seemed to be different, but it is so little difference it would not matter if they are the same.

You will need more if you cover the sun visors. I didn't cover mine but the company gave me some spare so I have some when they go. There is another How To on the forum as to how to split them and cover them (both sides).

Some owners have separated the centre panel from the outer panel by cutting through the thick glue - looks like a hot melt stick glue. The panels would then be easier to cover.

I ordered 3 sqm (3 x 1 sqm packs) of self adhesive sound insulation and there was a bit over.

It's not an easy job using impact adhesive with fabric. I wish you success.

EDIT: Oh I realise now you don't have an A2 in the UK. There are some A2 diagrams on the web. I maybe able to measure tomorrow but I have a very hectic day and the weather is going to be appalling.
 
There is another How To on the forum as to how to split them and cover them (both sides).
Evening Alan,

Is this the thread you’re thinking of Sir:


I’m sure between our 2 threads, many readers will be able to have a refreshing look of newly adhered fabric in their cabins.

Kind regards,

Tom
 
That's the one Tom. Very useful for when I need to do mine. For @Gilbertd I found this diagram. You can work out the roof dimensions by calculating from a known measurement. I used the plan view diagram and I make it almost 1.5m long and 1.1m at the widest point.

Adi A2 dimensions.jpg
 
You're right, I don't have an A2 in the UK to look at. I've bought 3, the one with the droopy headlining, bought in the Netherlands and taken to Latvia, another also bought in the Netherlands, for a friend of my wife's in Latvia and one I bought for my ex who managed to kill it by running it with a coolant leak. I like them and if I had a need for a small car I'd buy another, but I don't think the other half would want to swap her Mercedes SLK280 for one.

Having done a few headlinings, it is most definitely a 2, if not 3, person job. One to spray the glue and smooth the material down while the others hold it up so it doesn't touch until it is supposed to. Looking at the pictures and dimensions, it looks like there will be a lot of wastage but if I get 2m of material, so a 2m x 1.55m sheet, should be enough to do it. Or maybe not, I'd rather not drive 1500 miles only to find I haven't got enough. Father in law's car also needs a front wheel bearing, so that will be another job to do while I'm there (so when I get back I'll probably have the tool needed to change it to sell on). Missus will spend time with her family while I spend time locked away in the garage.....
 
Hi. I've just been and measured. Twice in fact as I queried some of my measurements. One cannot measure the roof as the lining curves quite a bit. In fact, at the corners the curving is quite a lot.

Headline with sagging lining out of car + dimensions.JPG


So that is why 1280 measure is more than the 1170 measure. Similarly the 1760 is more than the 1620 as the front and back edges curve. The centre panel is 900 by 1230 but slightly varies at the edges as it is not quite rectangular.

Don't forget to add more for the wrap around the edges.

Given the very complex shape I think you should not cut to size before fitting. I think you cut a generous size cloth, glue it on and then trim around the shape of the biscuit with enough to wrap around.

I ordered 3 sq m of sound proofing material as 2 sq m was insufficient. And the lining is bigger that the sound proofing material. I don't think 2m x 1.55m will be enough as you need another length of material for the centre panel. Unless you have OSS where there is no centre panel.
 
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Thanks so much Alan, that is absolutely brilliant. I've got a 1.55m wide offcut in silver grey left over from doing my Range Rover so I'll check to see if that will be big enough to do the centre section. If it is, 2m x 1.55m will do the outer section (with a lot of wastage), otherwise I'll get 3m x 1.55m which will be plenty. From another post on here, separating the centre and outer sections doesn't look too difficult and I've got some stuff (OB1) that sets much like hot glue.
 
I should add that after recovering the groove looked unsightly. If you separate the panels you should have a neater finish but if not then add a cord beading as I explained in post 17

 
So, despite an ambient temperature of -5C and it only being 4 degrees warmer in the garage, the headlining was taken out. I also broke one of the sun visor clips just the same as Charles did, lever the cover off and the hook section comes off with it. The glue holding the inner and outer sections had given way in places so the inner section was hanging down above the passengers head (as well as the entire cloth was only held around the edges). With the aid of an old hunting knife, the bits that hadn't given way were cut through so we had two sections. Remaining foam and glue was removed from the centre section with a wire brush. Cleaning the outer section took much longer.

Inner was done first using a 1m x 1.55m offcut that I had left over from doing the headlining on my Range Rover (Martrim supply enough to do the sunroof cover too but as I don't have a sunroof, I didn't need it). We wrapped it right around the edges and stuck it to the inside too. That was the easy bit. 2m x 1.55m was plenty for the outer with an awful lot of wastage. Outer is a lot more complicated as the shaped bit at the front where the interior light goes and the concave shape of the whole thing meant we ended up having to cut it at the front and put a join in. Once both parts were covered, the inner was a nice snug fit into the hole in the outer due to there being two layers of trim with a 3mm foam backing in the hole. Once the two parts were aligned properly the inner and outer were stuck together with some stuff called OB1, which is like a silicon sealer but much better, it will stick anything to anything! The whole lot was then taken into the house to cure properly in the warm overnight.

As said, refitting is the reverse of the above and it looks pretty damn good even if the brushed nylon material is different to the original perforated material.
 
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