[CrashTestDummy]

We're updating some bits in our 92 B4C 1LE Camaro RS ex-Tx DPS car, like headliner and carpet, to start. Both have enjoyed decades of police use and life as a race car. The headliner fell years ago, but since I wasn't DDing it anymore, I didn't worry much, but quietly gathered parts while I was working and tucked them away in our shop. We are finally mostly-done with the restomod of the SVO, so I figured that it was a good time to start on the Camaro. I'm STILL gathering parts, as things have broken and been discovered missing while disassembly progressed.

Since I'm waiting on parts, I figured I'd get the headliner down and unpacked so I can figure out what I need to do for the install. It's one of those ABS things that everyone complains about. When I was buying, the reviews seemed to be all 1's or 5's, and not having much choice, bought one. I think I got it from Hawks, but am unsure. I know they just resell one of the couple that are on the market, so kwality issues really aren't on them.

When I pulled the thing from the bag, I discovered that parts of the material are ALREADY sagging, and it seems the foam between the backing board and material has deteriorated. When you touch the material, it leaves an indentation in the fabric. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/banghead.gif) I'm kind of pi$$ed at this, but also kind of relieved we didn't install this thing only to have it fall while in the car in little time.

I'm not sure what to do at this point. The old headliner board is broken in several places, in spite of trying to go easy with the removal. It was a cheap POS, too, so I'm not sure it can be reused. I'm half-tempted to pull the material off the 'new' ABS board, cleaning it, and then getting and installing some new material, but my last experience with that job years ago was a total failure (headliner on a '83 Impala).

Does anyone know of a good manufacturer to order from? This crap sux!!

(IMG:https://media.fotki.com/2v2ZKPNT8xJDYiP.jpg)
Entire new headliner after pulling out of the packaging.

(IMG:https://media.fotki.com/2v2ZKPrUrxJDYiP.jpg)
Edge by B-pillar showing sagging material.

(IMG:https://media.fotki.com/2v2ZKPrt8xJDYiP.jpg)
Edge of headliner showing depression where it was handled.... a couple of years ago!

This post has been edited by CrashTestDummy: Apr 15 2025, 09:09 PM

[CrashTestDummy]

Done with this part of the project. I ended up reinforcing the back with fiberglass cloth, and just brushing/squeeging resin into the surface facing the. interior of the car. That's probably not the proper process, but the backer board is incredibly flimsy, and was torn in a few places, requiring some reinforcement.

Not at all happy with the way it turned out, but while driving the car I won't have to stare at the headliner. Those lumps and bumps show through, and make the headliner look like a fat lady's legs! Since the edges had pulled apart a bit, they ended up being almost too thick. The headliner fought us every inch of the way. I had to use at least 3 different screw lengths to reattach the sun visors. I added some aftermarket seal rubber along the a-pillar panel, and ended up having to rip most of that out just so the clips would clip into the roof panel. Fingers crossed it all stays put.

I'm now trying to clean the cloth upholstery, and again, the thing is fighting me every step of the way. I used Turtle Wax carpet and upholstery cleaner and some Griot's carpet and upholstery cleaner on the back seat, followed up with a carpet and upholstery wet vacuum, using only distilled water. That resulted in some sort of reaction leaving an orangish coating on the top of the back seat back. Luckily, a fine mist of distilled water and a lot of blotting with a towel picked most of that up.

The seats are stained and dirty from years of use, and I'm finding the upholstery cleaners aren't doing much for the stains. I even rubbed one spot with a towel dampened with brake cleaner and nothing happened. Sigh. I'll go ahead and finish at least wiping the seats down and probably say 'Eff it!' and call it a day. We still have to swap the fabric on the driver's seat out (driver's seat is tan, while the rest of the interior is gray). That'll be ton's of fun!!

The sail panel inserts, of course, folded at the speaker cutouts. After they've been in a while, they don't look too bad, but you can still see the creases in certain light. I still have the OEM molded inserts, and a bit of headliner fabric, so may re-cover them and put them in the car. Luckily, that can happen after everything else is done. Winter project maybe?

(IMG:https://media.fotki.com/2v2Zcau72xJDYiP.jpg)

(IMG:https://media.fotki.com/2v2ZcauYoxJDYiP.jpg)