Old Sagging Headliner - Re-done by me in Leather...must see.

[Dave M]

Looks like a great job. This may be your first archived post ;)

Dave M

[bad_manners_god]

Hey guys, about a week ago I was fed up of the sagging headliner and it's sh*tty color. So I took the weekend and went to some fabric stores and found some leather with a textured backing for easy molding onto the panels.

Here is what the material looks like:

http://usera.imagecave.com/badmannersgod/DSC00365.JPG

While I was doing the headliner, I noticed that the Pillars werent going to match, so I took those out along with the headliner.

Called some friends at PPM and ordered 5 Bottle's of Super-Adhesive all purpose spray glue. I got to work taking off the old material and prepping the panels.

This is what the old material looked like in comparison with the new material:

http://usera.imagecave.com/badmannersgod/DSC00364.JPG

I finally finished today, and took some pictures with my phone before I left the garage, I'm rather pleased with the results, not to mention, it's my first time working with material all together. Only Thing in the headliner I didn't do was the dual sunroof's but that's going to take more patience since I can't take those out of the car.

Here are the finished pics. Will get some more after finished installing.

http://usera.imagecave.com/badmannersgod/DSC00371.JPG

http://usera.imagecave.com/badmannersgod/DSC00372.JPG

http://usera.imagecave.com/badmannersgod/DSC00373.JPG

http://usera.imagecave.com/badmannersgod/DSC00374.JPG

http://usera.imagecave.com/badmannersgod/DSC00375.JPG

[attack eagle]

beautiful...
feel free to do mine.

on hte duals, you probably won't be able to use the same material unless it is less than 1/8th" thick. anymore than that and you will have a lot of drag on the moving parts and could incur problems.

[bad_manners_god]

beautiful...
feel free to do mine.

on hte duals, you probably won't be able to use the same material unless it is less than 1/8th" thick. anymore than that and you will have a lot of drag on the moving parts and could incur problems.

Thats part of the reason I didn't do the Dual Roofs yet, the other reason if I ran out of material....for them. Lol.

[attack eagle]

didthe material have a name etc on the roll?

if so would you kindly post it when you get more or are there again?

that looks the cat's meow.
I think you should be able to remove the duals if the roof will open. front one slides forward after releasing the little spring latch on each side.

[bad_manners_god]

didthe material have a name etc on the roll?

if so would you kindly post it when you get more or are there again?

that looks the cat's meow.

I bought the material for $8 CDN a square Meter, So I got 3 meters. I have a bit left over but I was able to do all the over-head panels, side pillars except for the seat-belts pillars up front which I'll do when I release the seat belt bolt on the seat.

Material didn't have a name on it. I'll pass by there again and look for a thiner leather-looking material for the duals and see if the roll had a name or code on it.

[///Sniper535]

I would like to redo mine, but with suede or something rare.

Was it difficult to remove, redo material and reinstall?

[attack eagle]

sedans are probably harder as they are one HUGE piece. tourings are many (but more manageable) pieces.

rvae34 on bf.c did his sedan in black suede a while back

[bad_manners_god]

I would like to redo mine, but with suede or something rare.

Was it difficult to remove, redo material and reinstall?

Not really, probably easier on touring even though there's more panels, but there's more room to move.

You need to remove the screws behind the handle's and cost hanger's.
Also, need to remove the courtesy lights and disconnect the wires and release the side moldings for easier removal. Not sure if there's anything else on the sedan.

The reason I choose leather was because other carpet looking materials will abosorb the glue and soak through the material. Also, if the glue gets on the leather, it's easy removable.

Redoing the material wasn't too hard, I started with the smaller pieces to get the hang of it and not waste any material if I messed up. A couple tips: Cut the material about an inch longer in every way and either commit a couple days to drive around without a headliner.

I'm in the process of reinstallation, hasnt been difficult yet, but I still have the front panel to do.

[attack eagle]

take an hot awl or spike and punch thru each screw hole before reinstalling it so you don't have to fight to find em.

[bad_manners_god]

take an hot awl or spike and punch thru each screw hole before reinstalling it so you don't have to fight to find em.

I cut the hole openings with an Xacto Knife and molded them in for a tight fit.

[timandbim]

nice work! would you mind posting where you went for the material please?

[bad_manners_god]

nice work! would you mind posting where you went for the material please?

Went to Fabric-Ville in Galleries Laval in Laval, if you want directions from the 15, Let me know.

[timandbim]

Went to Fabric-Ville in Galleries Laval in Laval, if you want directions from the 15, Let me know.

nice- thanks very much i know where that is, i think there is another one closer to me in lasalle somewhere. i actually want to use it to cover this eyesore up until i find a replacement or someone to repair it.

[uscharalph]

Gorgeous!!!!

[bad_manners_god]

nice- thanks very much i know where that is, i think there is another one closer to me in lasalle somewhere. i actually want to use it to cover this eyesore up until i find a replacement or someone to repair it.

Big-time eye sore it is. Just get seat covers made for the e34:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/BMW-E34-525-530-540-89-95-S-LEATHER-SEAT-COVER-COVERS_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33702QQihZ022QQi temZ350019034929QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW


Gorgeous!!!!

Thanks.

[repenttokyo]

had no idea you were from montreal, nice to see another local board member.

[timandbim]

Big-time eye sore it is. Just get seat covers made for the e34:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/BMW-E34-525-530-540-89-95-S-LEATHER-SEAT-COVER-COVERS_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33702QQihZ022QQi temZ350019034929QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW



yes - big time eye-sore and a pain to fix properly or find a replacement... too bad because the rest is almost mint. those covers look like front seat covers - i have those already...

[repenttokyo]

nice- thanks very much i know where that is, i think there is another one closer to me in lasalle somewhere. i actually want to use it to cover this eyesore up until i find a replacement or someone to repair it.

cloth seats in your car, that is super rare here.

[artguy]

Good call on the less absorbent leather versus fabric. Would have been a gluey mess.

Did you spray the adhesive on the leather or on the part?

Did you have to clamp or hold any of the edges or did the glue grab the leather and hold well right away?

[bad_manners_god]

yes - big time eye-sore and a pain to fix properly or find a replacement... too bad because the rest is almost mint. those covers look like front seat covers - i have those already...

If you read the auction, he makes custom rear covers as well. Use the Ask a Seller Question.

Repenttokyo: Should meet up once the bimmer is finished for a drive.

[bad_manners_god]

Good call on the less absorbent leather versus fabric. Would have been a gluey mess.

Did you spray the adhesive on the leather or on the part?

Did you have to clamp or hold any of the edges or did the glue grab the leather and hold well right away?

I spray both the piece and the leather backing, let dry for 15 in room temperature and then worked fast, glue held first time after waiting 15 minutes to dry. I used an industrial strength heat gun to heat the leather for the harder curves after leather was glued down. Just molded with the headliner curves with a clean rag.

Did the 2 Seat Belt Pillars so they all match now. Here are pics.

http://usera.imagecave.com/badmannersgod/DSC00380.JPG

Will take more pics of installed headliner interior tomorrow before it's off for tinting.

[Monastie]

wow this thread is filled with montrealers :)
me too! me too!

btw, I did my headliner but its looks.... bah.. not so good

[bad_manners_god]

wow this thread is filled with montrealers :)
me too! me too!

btw, I did my headliner but its looks.... bah.. not so good

Wow, we defiently gotta do some kind of run.

[repenttokyo]

I'm down! :)
wanna have some bodywork sorted first though... fkin rust :(


actually picking my car up from Automotion in a few minutes, had some corrosion on the lower fender taken care of.

[Monastie]

Wow, we defiently gotta do some kind of run.

I'm down! :)
wanna have some bodywork sorted first though... fkin rust :(

[timandbim]

cloth seats in your car, that is super rare here.
yeah i thought it was brilliant at first until I started looking for a replacement cloth seat. the rest is in great shape, been quoted $300 for a repair (would do both strips on the bottom) with very good match but I'm too broke- might get a cover made i'll need one anyway. whatever... these days i'm overjoyed if i make it from a to b without breaking anything new.
Wow, we defiently gotta do some kind of run.
i agree... but by the looks of a lot of threads we ought to wait until spring - otherwise we'll just sit around fixing fuel pumps and waiting for the lock de-icer to work! and i think... maybe... in my case anyway... more of a 'jog' eh manners?;)

[repenttokyo]

any comments on their work? pricing?
still haven't picked a place for the bodywork...


it's the best place in montreal, i go there all the time. excellent work. if you go, ask for Greg and tell them that Ben with the BMW sent you.

[Monastie]

actually picking my car up from Automotion in a few minutes, had some corrosion on the lower fender taken care of.

any comments on their work? pricing?
still haven't picked a place for the bodywork...

[Russell]

Very impressive. This is real leather? Must be rather thin to mold to panels even with heat and strong glue?

[bad_manners_god]

yeah i thought it was brilliant at first until I started looking for a replacement cloth seat. the rest is in great shape, been quoted $300 for a repair (would do both strips on the bottom) with very good match but I'm too broke- might get a cover made i'll need one anyway. whatever... these days i'm overjoyed if i make it from a to b without breaking anything new.
i agree... but by the looks of a lot of threads we ought to wait until spring - otherwise we'll just sit around fixing fuel pumps and waiting for the lock de-icer to work! and i think... maybe... in my case anyway... more of a 'jog' eh manners?;)

Jog, yea right, I think I'll be in the lead providing radar and laser protection...lol.

[bad_manners_god]

Very impressive. This is real leather? Must be rather thin to mold to panels even with heat and strong glue?

Leather Face and a a grain pattern on the back, will get pics for you, not real leather, but about 1000000x easier to mold.

[bad_manners_god]

Got more pics of the completely re-installed headliner, sorry for the bad quality, only a 2.0 megapixel camera phone and bad lighting.

http://usera.imagecave.com/badmannersgod/DSC00389.JPG
http://usera.imagecave.com/badmannersgod/DSC00390.JPG
http://usera.imagecave.com/badmannersgod/DSC00393.JPG
http://usera.imagecave.com/badmannersgod/DSC00394.JPG
http://usera.imagecave.com/badmannersgod/DSC00395.JPG
http://usera.imagecave.com/badmannersgod/DSC00398.JPG

Might have finished the headliner, still got the Sunroof seal to do and clear the FR drainage tube as well as the Sunroof Switch.

OMG, if you didnt know BMW's, you wouldnt know this:

http://usera.imagecave.com/badmannersgod/DSC00400.JPG

Getting complete Rust Removal, New LED Tails, Badge Getting Removed.


-Front grill is done and pretty nice too:

http://usera.imagecave.com/badmannersgod/DSC00379.JPG

[attack eagle]

just noticed... dave M is credited with starting the thread... LOLZ.

man the software/db is SOOOOO FUBAR.

[Hozay]

That material looks awesome!
You mention you won't be doing the duals yet...but even so, curious if you have tried removing the headliner from the rear sunroof panel??? I can't work mine out and it's driving me insane...

[shogun]

where the clips are:
see my website below and here
http://www.inv.co.jp/~shammy/tenjo101.jpg

http://www.inv.co.jp/~shammy/tenjo.htm

[bad_manners_god]

That material looks awesome!
You mention you won't be doing the duals yet...but even so, curious if you have tried removing the headliner from the rear sunroof panel??? I can't work mine out and it's driving me insane...

I didnt touch the duals yet, I probably wont do them at all since the 2 shades of gray contrast rather nicely.

[Bo525i]

Awesome job you´ve done there, looks great!

[bad_manners_god]

Awesome job you´ve done there, looks great!

Thanks

[Jeff N.]

If you can mold it like that, it looks like a solution to door panels. Got a link to the source materials to check for possible door panel matches?

[bad_manners_god]

If you can mold it like that, it looks like a solution to door panels. Got a link to the source materials to check for possible door panel matches?

I was considering redoing my door panels as well with a thiner leather than what bmw used and the leather insert piece the same color leather as my headliner to match and give it a rather unique look. But I'm sure any material will do, just a thin material easy to mold and a MUCH stronger glue since the door panels are much more oftenly used versus a headliner you look at.