Headliner ease of install?

[Cornwallav8r]

I'm getting pulled deeper into this 75 Type 1 mini restore, and am wondering out loud how difficult the TMI "Easy Install Headliners" really are.
Watched a few utube vids, doesn't look too bad, but I've got 2 left thumbs. Thoughts from the already initiated?

Bill K

[bomberbob]

I watched a bunch of youtube videos, told myself it can't be that hard. I was told to buy two, you will screw up the first one, learn from your mistakes, and the second one will be OK.
True to form, my first one was ghastly. Wife and I discussed how we could do better at pulling out the wrinkles, posted stuff on this forum, watched videos again, thought I was good to go. Second try looked better but still did not pass my quality requirements. Bought a third headliner, had the car towed to a local auto custom upholstery shop and dropped 700 bucks to get it installed. Upholstery guy said its like gluing a sheet of paper inside of an eggshell. He did mine over a weekend, turned off his phone so there were no interruptions. I have done nearly everything on this car, welding, painting, electrical work, engine, but this headliner beat me down.
Others may chime in and say they did theirs in an afternoon and its easy, I am here to tell you before you apply glue you gotta think three steps ahead at where you have to pull, where wrinkles are going to form. Once its glued down, its down.
I will let the afternooners speak now.
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1968 Beetle (storage)
1990 Jetta GLI megasquirted, burning E85 (currently in heavy maintenance)
2004 Jetta turbo GLI
Marion, Iowa

[Tim Donahoe]

I just installed carpet into my 1974 SB. It turned out reasonably well. Not perfect, but not too bad. However, I would never attempt to install my own headliner. I have seen so many threads on this forum, where the owners have done so, and the majority have obvious DIY flaws. These jobs remind me of the Milky Way candy bar commercial, where the female tattoo artist prints “No Regerts” on the guy’s arm, instead of “No Regrets”..

There is a Jbugs video, where the Jbugs guy (seems like the vendor) shows you how to do all kinds of stuff, but when it came to installing the headliner, he turned the job over to a professional. I wonder why?

Actually, I don’t.

My advice? Turn this job over to a pro.

Tim
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Let's do the Time Warp again!

Richard O'Brien

[bnam]

What spray on glue would u recommend. In the past I’ve used 3M Super 90 - but it seems hard to get here, local 3m site does not show it and on ebay it seems to sell for $27 per can!!

Will Super 77 work to hold the felt/foam up to the roof?
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1971 1302LS Convertible (RHD) owned since '74
Click to view image
1965 Karmann Ghia Coupe - under restoration
1966 Fiat 1500 Cabrio (with 1600 Twin cam)
1952 Citroen TA 11BL

[VW_Jimbo]

Super easy to install! Used solvent based contact cement. Same stuff I used when I would lay up cabinet panels out in the field. I think JBugs sells this same product as their own cement - but it is not.
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Jimbo

There is never enough time to do it right the first time, but all the time necessary the second time!

[Tim Donahoe]

I just bought 2 cans of 3M 90 from Summit Racing. It was shipped and taxed for California, and the cost was $45.00.

Permatex also sells a nice headliner/carpet spray glue.

Tim
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Let's do the Time Warp again!

Richard O'Brien