#1  
Old 02-14-2020, 09:15 PM
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Default Warped ABS headliner

The headliner is warped in my 76 in front of the back window. As I got to looking into it it is the ABS plastic with the perforated material glued onto it. Has anyone had any luck "forming" one of these back into shape? And if so how did you do it?

Thanks in advance
Kevin

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Old 02-15-2020, 03:43 PM
78w72 78w72 is offline
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how exactly is it warped? the PUI brand comes with a curve to them to fit the contours of the roof. ive read some of the earlier ones werent contoured or not as much as the current ones so maybe someone tried to make it fit better & failed?

but being they are ABS, you could experiment carefully with a heat gun to soften it & bend it how you want it, or curve it how you want & let it sit in the hot summer sun for awhile?

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Old 02-15-2020, 07:51 PM
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It has a downward bubble from behind the dome light to the back window. Probably 18"-20" wide. Its pulled down so far that it pops out of the rear window trim.
When pushed up it follows The contour of the roof nice but a second after you let go it pops back down.
Do you know when they switched? I'm guessing this headliner would've been put in 10 years ago or so, before I owned the car

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Old 02-16-2020, 10:44 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 535 tall deck View Post
It has a downward bubble from behind the dome light to the back window. Probably 18"-20" wide. Its pulled down so far that it pops out of the rear window trim.
When pushed up it follows The contour of the roof nice but a second after you let go it pops back down.
Do you know when they switched? I'm guessing this headliner would've been put in 10 years ago or so, before I owned the car
sorry i dont know when they changed, but ive read over the years, maybe at TAC forums, that the early abs headliners didnt fit too well & had similar sagging or not matching the countours of the roof as yours. i bought a PUI one a few years ago that has a very pronounced curve front & back & side to side... but havent installed it yet. hoping it fits ok. these are very heavy compared to the factory cardboard headliners so that may contribute to the sagging.

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Old 02-16-2020, 03:57 PM
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Last summer, I purchased and installed an ABS-backed headliner on my 78. A few years earlier I recovered the cardboard. But, it was really too far gone with a bulge like you describe going to the back window.

The ABS liner I used came from NPD, I think? Unfortunately, it wasn't pre-bent or formed at all. Pretty much a flat piece of ABS with the headliner material glued on. I knew from the description I was on my own cutting out the t-top openings. It fit very, VERY poorly any place that had any curves. Which is basically the entire roof!! So, as with so many parts, I don't know if this is as much an age issue as it is an issue of who's supplying the parts. While PUI might make a good fitting replacement, not all the suppliers have the same things available.

I'm considering doing what 78w72 suggests and trying to use a heat gun to help form the plastic. The other thing I was thinking of trying is making up some sort of clips (metal or maybe plastic?) I can glue to the back of the ABS and insert the other side in the slots/holes in the roof panel. Not sure if the same thing holds for pre-78 models. But, there is something of a sub-roof with what look like "T" slots.

I like the advantage of the ABS not being affected by any water that might get past the t-tops. But, I'm concerned the same thing I'd do to make the liner fit better (applying heat) will be pretty much constantly applied every day for hours in the summer after it's installed. Seems like it's just a matter of time before everything sags after being heated over-and-over with no mechanical attachment to the roof.

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Old 02-16-2020, 05:02 PM
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using a heat gun is just a suggestion, try it at your own risk! the padded foam is very thin & may get damaged from enough heat to bend the abs board... definitely dont push on the vinyl side when its hot. i would try the hot sun idea first, then overly form the area you want & hold it while you cool it ASAP. worth a try.

i bought the full PUI board without seatbelt notches to use in my 72 firebird that im changing from the original style headliner. i will try & report back with installed pics if i get it installed soon.

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Old 02-21-2020, 02:47 PM
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I got the headliner out and from what I can tell its a year one piece. Im going by the odd shaped cut for the domelight.

Now that it is out of the car and on the floor i'm not gonna waste my time on trying to fix it. Its warped about every way possible Lol

Time for a cloth one

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Old 02-21-2020, 02:59 PM
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try to call PUI & ask if theirs are contoured to fit the roof. my pui "looks" like it will be a pretty good fit. the cloth ones look kinda tacky IMO, have one in my 78 t/a & plan to change to the correct perf vinyl someday.

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Old 02-21-2020, 03:32 PM
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I was just looking around and noticed the PUI one had the same odd cut around the dome light. Almost makes me think they all come from the same manufacture.

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Old 02-21-2020, 04:54 PM
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could be, i havent seen any others but the pui. maybe you have an early one before they were contoured better? can you post a pic of how it is in the car & how it sits on the ground? either way you go, best of luck!

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Old 02-21-2020, 05:07 PM
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I tried to get some pics earlier and with it being black its hard to see the distortion. It has a teepee look to it. Also swells down from the dome light to the back window, probably has a 2" droop there. It droops so far that there is only 1/8" underneath the back window trim.

I'm somewhat leery of spending $200 to end up with the same thing that I have now.

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Old 02-21-2020, 05:14 PM
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yeah that seems strange, sure hope the one i have isnt like that.

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Old 02-22-2020, 10:44 AM
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After heating this thing up with a torch and letting it sit overnight its better. The material has wrinkled a little bit but still better than a 2 inch droop.

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