DIY headliners (lets see the pics)

[Bruce Wayne]

Since I have a bastardized GL with the poptop bolted on over the sunroof I'm contemplating a new headliner. mine already has "cuts" in it from the PO.he had to,to bolt the poptop on. it has a few other tears and stuff from being almost 25 years old. I do want to keep the sunroof part intact,it helps cut down on the noise while driving and keeps the heat in at night. I'm leaning more to the wood or other hard type material. lets see your pics to give me some ideas!

[noganav]

There's what I did. 1/8 inch Baltic Birch. Looks great, no extra noise compared to the original. I love it.

[Bruce Wayne]

looks very nice! anyone else?

[Splash]

Love the liner noganav...Tell us more about the birch?

[dawna82]

I'd like to see more of this... anyone? I just partially ripped off my already torn headliner...
I plan on taking the thing completely off, finishing the removal, then wrapping with some vinyl wrap possibly. OR get some ideas from you fine people and maybe have a change of mind. I know nothing about the noise, since i have yet to drive my van.

suggestions
or just photos of your examples would be super

[GreenMachineVW]

Here is my version, though quite similar to the original Westfalia, and the photo above.

I would add that to do this to a non-Westfalia would probably be a lot of work: adding the side "J" chanels (ivory stips on the left and right of the photo), and figuring out how to make the transition to the old headliner, or add wood to the whole length. I thought I had Baltic Birch, but just discovered it was plain old three-ply 1/8" Birch plywood.

[srmpf]

I used ABS Plastic to replace all the panels, headliner included. flexible and easy to work with.

[veloandy]

My westy had some mouse issues before I got it. I pulled down my headliner and it was NASTY up there (I wished I was wearing a hat and a raincoat and rubber gloves and eye protection and a respirator and general anti-cootie spray when it all came down). I pulled the fiberglass insulation down from behind the headliner, scrubbed down the headliner and ceiling with a few dryer sheets soaked in ammonia, and it actually smelled OK.

I ended up gluing off-white fleece to the headliner board with 3M spray adhesive, taped a piece of 1" thick rigid foam board to the ceiling, and re-installed my headliner board. I think it looks pretty decent:

...but it has more of a "Jackie Treehorn" look than I expected.

Word on the internet is that 3M heavy duty spray adhesive does a good job holding up headliner material...lesser spray adhesive will fail and the fabric will sag.

Note, when I saw how nasty it was up there, I first tried to make my own headliner out of the 1/8 "honey maple look" masonite stuff from Lowes that I used for door panels:

Unfortunately, when I installed it, it cracked where it flexes at the rear corners. A woodworker friend of mine said he thought it would flex enough if I cut 1/16" grooves in the backside (running front to back) where it needed to bend...that seemed tedious, so I went with the fleece!

[GreenMachineVW]

[roberth3850]

I tried to build a birch ply headliner. Took the original and used it as a pattern. I cut the new one out of 5mm ply. Couldn't get it to bend into place. If I had help maybe it would forced into place, but I doubt it. I took the panel and cut saw kerfs along the bend line to make it easier to bend and then steamed the area. Almost went in. The damned thing cracked along the center of the kerf line and looked like s**t. I ended up spray gluing some off-white canvas material to the original panel and reinstalling it. The whole process was painful and frustrating. Even getting the original panel back in place was hard, need help to hold and wiggle.

Robert
'86 Westy
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Accelerate.....naah
I gain speed gracefully

[veloandy]

[GreenMachineVW]

Wow, and I thought I had it tough! 1/8" comes out to about 3 mm, and that might explain the difference in getting it in there. I almost had it in place for a while, with the various braces applying pressure where I needed it, and let it sit for a while: I think overnight. I also had a partner who was more adept at cursing than myself. In my case, I stripped the old headliner of the wallpaper, and polyurethend it, as I did to the new replacement. However, since the wallpaper had been peeling for years, I did not get the uniform color/finish I was hoping for. That's why I made my own. I do still have the original piece, and after all that I went through, and hearing the other stories, I think I will hold on to as long as I have the Vanagon. I still think steaming or slowly spraying down the unfinished back side for a few days may give it the flexibility I was looking for. Still, I am quite happy with what I have.

[bquigs]

To do the front headliner you need to use 3mm [1/8] baltic birch/arctic birch/European plywood. Its not the stuff you get at the big home center which is more like 3/16" and is a lumber core with two veneers. It cracks very easy if you bend it in the right direction and doesn't bend at all in the other. Best bet to find the 3mm stuff is a specialty lumber place that sells other plywood products, usually comes in 5x5 sheets. Also a little trimming on the edges makes a big different when fitting. Don't finish the headliner until its fitted. The stiffer home center plywood is much better suited for the back because it doesn't need to bend as much and it can hold itself up in the middle. the 3mm stuff has to be vaulted to hold itself up because its so flexible

Here is mine

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87 Syncro Zetec

[rc3]

I used gray foam backed headliner when i redid my interior.

[Zeitgeist 13]

Wow, that's sweet! What's the source for the overhead console?

[rc3]

Thanks. The center console is from a 1998-2000 pathfinder

[irgsmoore4]

Armpf, where did you source sheets of abs to do the headliner? I'm in the process of upgrading and the headliner is on the list, yours looks very clean

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Ivan
99 Eurovan (The Tortuga)
87 2.1 WBX Vanagon ( Elsie ) sold
Wife,3 kids 1 dog(luna)
"Needle Noddle Noo"

[purplepeopleeater]

I like the abs, but fabric would help cut noise.

my original stuff is really stained

[danfromsyr]

My ASI originally had a Formica thin sheet laminate
and with custom order options at the homecenters you can have nearly any look you like.
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[irgsmoore4]

So the foam backed fabric headliner would probably be quieter , where is this stuff purchased ??
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Ivan
99 Eurovan (The Tortuga)
87 2.1 WBX Vanagon ( Elsie ) sold
Wife,3 kids 1 dog(luna)
"Needle Noddle Noo"