Sunroof / headliner replacement questions

I've gotta 89 limited with a power sunroof and a saggy headliner. Since the weather is warming up here I've been thinking of fixing this, but in my lil exploration it appears that I don't have the backing board.

Is this normal not to have one?

All the docs I've read on the sunroof option made it sound like it was non powered, did a PO do a custom install??

Can a non-sunroof backing board be easily modified to fit??

I did a headliner job on my last XJ, but it didn't have the sunroof so I'm only half lost here.

Any help would be appreciated.

Sounds like an aftermarket install to me. Alot of dealers will send out for installs too...who knows. Most installers are hacks and will beat the crap or tear up the backing board. A quality headliner shop will be able to fix it for you. I just had a truck with an aftermarket sunroof and (hacked) headliner backing board replaced and it turned out well.

AFAIK there never was a powered sunroof offered. OEM sunroofs were a simple screw open type and they only opened a few inches. You might have to scrounge the backing from the junkyard. They are easily modified as I had to cut one to put in an aftermarket sunroof.

AS for the head liner, IF you can find and mod a good backing board. Hit a wallmart and pick a fabric and with some 3M headliner glue it will take you only and hour or two to do it yourself. Not too terribly hard.

I had a sunroof put in my 2001 (from PO) adn i recently redid my headliner. To my surprise, part of the old board was still there. It covered most of the rear. The rest i used light, thin board - i believe its called masonite boards - similar to what is found on teh back of entertainmnet centers.

Anway, that as a backboard, and bought my custom (black) headliner from a craft store w/ some 3m blue. I just had to cut the board up best as i could to fill in spots where there was nothing to back up the headliner material. I really didnt hit up the sides to well, and i just stretched the fabric and tucked it inside the trim - it sags a little but oh well. I mainly did it to change the color. It looks the same as the old one, crappy, but i like black much better.