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Headliner Replacement Fabric

chilibill

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Arizona
I have read the threads on replacing the headliner on my XJ and am ready to start the project. The replacement fabric remains a mystery. Standard fabric comes in yards. The width of the XJ is more than three feet wide. Is the replacement cloth stitched to make it wider or is special cloth used?
 
The cloth I got from a fabric store is 58" wide which left me enough to wrap the edges. I ended up going to a few place before I was able to find what I wanted. Its just a matter of shopping around. There are a few places on the internet where you can buy headliner material I just dont remember the web sites off the top of my head.
 
A "yard" refers to length - I think a bolt of fabric is generally 40-50" wide. As has been said, some bolts come wider, which allow you to do it with a single panel - vice a seam down the middle, or two seams dividing the panel into thirds (which is still workable - especially with some patterns - and it opens up options for you.)

I'd suggest using a fairly lightweight cotton or cotton blend (cotton duck comes to mind for some reason...) and washing it before you install it. 3M77 should keep it up there for a good long while.

Reemmber, no-one's telling you to use a pattern or not - or what pattern. I'm still waiting for my wife to settle on something, but I think (since we're going to paint it blue anyhow...) that the 89 Limited is going to end up with a "night sky" pattern - and it may even have luminous stars!

When I redo my 88, I think I'm going to see if I can get an interstate map printed to order, and use that for a headliner... I do a lot of driving.

Just because you got a solid colour from the factory, doesn't mean you have to put another one in... Have fun!

5-90
 
I'm fixin to do the same thing on mine, and I went to a fabric store...JoAnn's...which I think is a nationwide chain. I found waterproof marine grade vinyl, like they use on boat seats. The whole project will cost less than $30.

That vinyl is really light and it has a solid backing to glue to the headboard.
 
I use 1/2 or 3/4 inch foam to cover the backerboard and have used various camo schemes, the nicest one was done in urban camo, blue/black/grey/white and cost me about $8, almost like a light canvas. Before I put it on I scotch guarded it 3x over a couple of days. To hold the whole shebang in place I used those split tail brass paper fastners like you use for putting papers together. Painted them flat black, drilled thru the material all the way round the outside and a few spots in the center field, foam, backerboard and put a washer over them then opened the split ends and double bent them back. Gave it a buttom tufted appearance and that puppy was never coming down again like it does with the 3m spray...The double bending prevents them from ever pulling back out and the washer prevents them from pulling thru the backboard. I use one of those push type drills.
 
Wally World $1 table in crafts - white denim, 3 yards. Hardware section, got 2 cans of 3M77, still up there 2 years later. I used more glue than I probably needed to, but oh well, it was in the can. :D If I remember correctly, the material was 45 inches and fit.
 
Be a big balla and do it in suade!

I did custom door pannels in my 240sx and the 77 stuff didnt hold up too well. There's this other stuff called 357magnum or something, it comes out thicker, stringier, drier so it wont soak through, and hold up 10X better. Its also like almost $10 a can. I used 357 on one door and 77 on the other, the 77 soaked through and peeled back, the 357 is still going stong.
 
In my XJ, I used a medium gray felt; looked exactly like stock.

I've also used a narrow wale, lightweight corduroy to do Mustang headliners. It looks surprisingly good as a headliner. The fabric section of WallyWorld is a good place to find material, or any fabric store.
 
Cottontail said:
I'm fixin to do the same thing on mine, and I went to a fabric store...JoAnn's...which I think is a nationwide chain. I found waterproof marine grade vinyl, like they use on boat seats. The whole project will cost less than $30.

That vinyl is really light and it has a solid backing to glue to the headboard.
JoAnn Fabrics is a national chain, AND they sell automotive headliner fabric, complete with the correct foam backing to duplicate OEM fabrics.

Pep Boys also sells headliner fabric kits, but the fabric at JoAnn Fabrics is heavier weight
 
Cottontail said:
I'm fixin to do the same thing on mine, and I went to a fabric store...JoAnn's...which I think is a nationwide chain. I found waterproof marine grade vinyl, like they use on boat seats. The whole project will cost less than $30.

That vinyl is really light and it has a solid backing to glue to the headboard.

My son and I got regular "head liner" material at JoAnn's with the foam backing on it. It's available in several colors and the grey matched the original color but the surface was smoother and not fuzzy like. It looked real nice and was also under $30.

JoBo
 
On my last beater I did a felt cloth with a series of license plates printed on it in various bright colors.

It'd make you dizzy if you looked at it too long.
 
Cottontail said:
I'm fixin to do the same thing on mine, and I went to a fabric store...JoAnn's...which I think is a nationwide chain. I found waterproof marine grade vinyl, like they use on boat seats. The whole project will cost less than $30.

That vinyl is really light and it has a solid backing to glue to the headboard.

i am going to do mine in vinyl also.

i am using a black perferated material with a soild backing..so it should glue well.
my material was 90 bucks..nice stuff.

any problems with yours falling yet due to the weight of the vinyl?
 
You can get headliner fabric at any fabric shop, I got mine at Joanne's. I have a bunch of pictures of the process here: http://www.jeepsunlimited.com/forums/showthread.php?t=695033&highlight=headliner

XJ_headliner2-005.jpg


It is easy, but a pain in the ass and very tedious. $10.99 per yard.
 
3M super 90 will do the job well and permanently, the trick with any spray adhesive is to completely cover the area AND don't be a jew with it

77 doesn't work that great because it's not really made to stand up to the crazy heat that'll collect at the top of your jeep around the headliner
 
I used a fabric that was intended for upholstery with some Super90. Really nice quality fabric with embroidered elephants. I've been told it makes my jeep look like a drug dealer's, but I think it's sweet, and that's what counts, right? :D
 
I don't like glueing, I use these to hold the fabric in place.
378814_01_enl.jpg

You can paint them to match or contrast, do a pattern, etc. I also use washers behind and do a double bend so they won't pull back thru and also to provide a bigger bearing surface. They are a kind of poor mans button and you used to see that kind of button work done on south of the border custom interiors but those kind of button cost upwards of $1.50 ea. Put some 1/2 or so foam between the backer and material and they look really good. You can get a box of 100 of them at staples for under $4....
 
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