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MG MGB Technical - MGBGT Interior-Headliner ??

Want to know how to remove the headliner panel from a GT? I'm guessing it slides towards the back after removing the upper rear panel?? Also are the other surrounding panels, header rail and rails that surround the roof/headliner removable? Want to reupholster them. Anyone done thes? any suggestions are appreciated. Mike
MK Mike

Mike,

Only the headliner comes out, the 'rails' it sits on are metal with the covering just stuck on. There is quite a bit of space under them for your to slide the thing around.

Take out all of the screw fixed ABC post covers first to simplify the job.

On mine it slid in (and out) diagonally, I think I slid it to the back first, then to the side and the opposite front corner dropped out. The bit that actually slid in were crushed to enable them to fit, but its not noticable.

Some DPO's do odd things like trying to glue it in place, or just sticking the covering material straight onto the steel roof so be careful. Its a light fibre glass material and very easy to snap. I did that with mine but when I stuck the new cover on it held it together OK and you couldn't tell.

Liam
Liam H

Mike -

I did mine last summer. The front and side trim is a very brittle plastic that chipped away and broke as soon as I tried to remove it. They are N/A so you're kind of stuck.

I simply glued the replacement material over the existing metal rails and it looks OK.

When I pulled the headliner out I removed the vinyl cover and glued the new to the existing fiberglass. The new vinyl I used was real headliner material with a foam backing. - Greg
Greg Smela

I should have added - I did exactly the same as Greg and thats the way to go

- "I simply glued the replacement material over the existing metal rails and it looks OK.

When I pulled the headliner out I removed the vinyl cover and glued the new to the existing fiberglass. The new vinyl I used was real headliner material with a foam backing. - Greg "

But I just used plain vinyl with no padding, it was easy to handle, but make big paper templates first - the curves on the front rail especially are very deceptive and if you try to cut by eye you end up throwing a lot of material away.

Total cost was about £20.00, got the vinyl off ebay from an upholsterer.

Liam
Liam H

Guys, like you said, The material on my rails is what really needs attention. Brittle, broken and needs recovering. My headliner is in v.good condition but would like to remove it to give me the room I need to do the rails. Is it any help removing the rear upper panel? the one that covers the hatch hinges and has the trunk light on it? After a long search I was able to get the correct material from Brown and Gammons, as suggested here Liam, those corners do look difficult.
Thanks
Mike
MK Mike

I used the kit from Moss USA. It sucked bigtime. The material was so thin that all of the spotwelds show through. Material has turned yellowish in color in places.
Never again. I need to pay a professional to redo it right now. Stay away from the damned expensive Moss kit
gerry masterman

Mike - Absolutely remove the rear panel. I don't even know if you can get the headliner out without doing so.

Liam - I found the foam-backed headliner material helped insulate the roof. I used the headliner as the template to trim the new material.

Gerry - I used the headliner kit from the Roadster Factory. It was lass than 1/2 the price of the Moss kit and the vinyl has held up going on the second summer in the Marylan/DC climate... parked in the sun all day at work.

Greg
Greg Smela

Gerry, The original style material is pretty thin stuff, at least that's what I got. I may use some foam pad unereneath on the rails if it shows every little bump. Thanks for the suggestions everyone. Mike
MK Mike

An iron on the steam setting or a clothes steamer will be incredibly helpful in getting that brittle stuff off whole. You can then flatten it out when it's hot and use the old as a pattern for the new. Several vendors sell whole bolts of vinyl that's very similar to the old, but I went with automotive fabric instead.
Adam Birnbaum

I wanted to add a trick I used on my 67 GT when replacing the rear valance. I went to an auto parts store and on the fastener rack found a flanged plastic fastener that fits into the hole in the fiberglass part of the valance and the flanges go up into the roof holes.

A whole lot more easy than trying to get the metal clips lined up and pushed into the roof holes.
BEC Cunha

Both good ideas. BEC, do you recall the make or part mumber for those fasteners? There are Sooo many would like to go in knowing what to look for. While on the subject, has anyone been able to make new C Post panels? I have made like 5 templates and cut 2 pcs of masonite but each time it's just a little off, these have to be just about perfect. Really hard to try and trace the pattern from an old, warped,split, shrunken one, about ready to ordeer a set from VB.
Thanks all
Mike
MK Mike

That rear roof panel where the light goes is a real pain to fit, what with hiding the wires and hinges, and having 5 or 6 different clips/holes to line up.

Bruce do you have a photo of the fasteners you used?

Liam
Liam H

This thread was discussed between 12/06/2007 and 16/06/2007

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