Headlining material
Moderator: Board Moderators
-
- Senior Poster
- Posts: 212
- Joined: Mon Aug 23, 2021 21:38
- Model: Excel SE
- Colour: Blue
- Year: 1990
- Location: Uffington
Headlining material
Looking at my headlining while waiting for my carpets.. The previous owner did a fairly mediocre job of replacing the headlining with off white vinyl which I'm not a fan of and got a lot of air bubbles behind it. The upshot of this is I'm looking at the Wollies website and not sure which colour I should be buying as I don't have any of the original headlining. My interior leather is a very light cream, I'm also wonder what quantity of material I should be buying!
Of all the things I have lost I think I miss my mind the most...
1952 MG TD
1957 MGA 1500
1959 Austin Healey Sprite
1975 MG Midget 1500
1990 Lotus Excel
1952 MG TD
1957 MGA 1500
1959 Austin Healey Sprite
1975 MG Midget 1500
1990 Lotus Excel
-
- Senior Poster
- Posts: 2183
- Joined: Tue Nov 01, 2005 20:01
- Model: SE x2 + Celebration
- Colour: Gold,blue and green
- Year: 1987
- Location: Norwich
- Contact:
Re: Headlining material
In the Excel, the headlining is a brushed-nylon backed with foam and originally a thin scrim but now it seems we just don't get the scrim back.
-
OnlineAlan_M
- Senior Poster
- Posts: 1031
- Joined: Sat Aug 12, 2017 01:17
- Model: Excel SE, Excel SA, Elan SE
- Colour: Red, red, white
- Location: South Wales
Re: Headlining material
Lotus bits sell the correct matching material with scrim backing.
- MetBlue
- Senior Poster
- Posts: 1283
- Joined: Sat Mar 24, 2018 21:00
- Model: Elite 74 & Excel 92 (SEish))
- Colour: Metalic Blue
- Year: 1974
- Location: Northampton
Re: Headlining material
I used Woolies material. I wouldn't worry too much about trying to match original. If you ring Woolies, they'll post a sample(s) to you so you can select best match . They were very prompt when I did mine, arriving the next day FOC.
Been said many times, but make sure you use a contact adhesive meant for roof linings ( unaffected by heat.).
Tony
Been said many times, but make sure you use a contact adhesive meant for roof linings ( unaffected by heat.).
Tony
What goes together.... Must come apart.
- Tanz
- Senior Poster
- Posts: 2022
- Joined: Thu May 03, 2007 22:05
- Model: SE
- Colour: Calypso Red
- Year: 1988
- Location: Wolverhampton
Re: Headlining material
This is what I got from woolies - Siting in my front room waiting to be fitted

I did this back in 2007 and now it needs doing again so I'm sure 4 metres is correct. I use the tinned glue rather than the spray as it goes a bit further.

I did this back in 2007 and now it needs doing again so I'm sure 4 metres is correct. I use the tinned glue rather than the spray as it goes a bit further.
Cheers, Phil
Never take life seriously, nobody gets out alive anyway!
Never take life seriously, nobody gets out alive anyway!
- MetBlue
- Senior Poster
- Posts: 1283
- Joined: Sat Mar 24, 2018 21:00
- Model: Elite 74 & Excel 92 (SEish))
- Colour: Metalic Blue
- Year: 1974
- Location: Northampton
Re: Headlining material
I found tinned glue best for can't rails etc, where you generally apply glue to the hidden areas of the fabric (on the rear of the fibre glass former).
You can use it on the 'front' visible surfaces, but just be careful not to apply it too thickly, then press on it whist fixing. If it gets into the foam backing, the foam compresses and the glue sticks it in the compressed condition. For this reason, I'd at least recommend the spray for the 3 main roof areas.
Tony
You can use it on the 'front' visible surfaces, but just be careful not to apply it too thickly, then press on it whist fixing. If it gets into the foam backing, the foam compresses and the glue sticks it in the compressed condition. For this reason, I'd at least recommend the spray for the 3 main roof areas.
Tony
What goes together.... Must come apart.
-
OnlineAlan_M
- Senior Poster
- Posts: 1031
- Joined: Sat Aug 12, 2017 01:17
- Model: Excel SE, Excel SA, Elan SE
- Colour: Red, red, white
- Location: South Wales
Re: Headlining material
MetBlue wrote: ↑Sat Aug 13, 2022 17:47I found tinned glue best for can't rails etc, where you generally apply glue to the hidden areas of the fabric (on the rear of the fibre glass former).
You can use it on the 'front' visible surfaces, but just be careful not to apply it too thickly, then press on it whist fixing. If it gets into the foam backing, the foam compresses and the glue sticks it in the compressed condition. For this reason, I'd at least recommend the spray for the 3 main roof areas.
Tony
Having done this job I’d definitely do this for the 2 main sections ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
- MetBlue
- Senior Poster
- Posts: 1283
- Joined: Sat Mar 24, 2018 21:00
- Model: Elite 74 & Excel 92 (SEish))
- Colour: Metalic Blue
- Year: 1974
- Location: Northampton
Re: Headlining material
OK. So I can't count once I run out of thumbs. 

What goes together.... Must come apart.
-
- Senior Poster
- Posts: 2183
- Joined: Tue Nov 01, 2005 20:01
- Model: SE x2 + Celebration
- Colour: Gold,blue and green
- Year: 1987
- Location: Norwich
- Contact:
Re: Headlining material
I thought you'd done something like the 1970s vinyl roof but with brushed nylon.
- MetBlue
- Senior Poster
- Posts: 1283
- Joined: Sat Mar 24, 2018 21:00
- Model: Elite 74 & Excel 92 (SEish))
- Colour: Metalic Blue
- Year: 1974
- Location: Northampton
Re: Headlining material
Now that would be novel, but I wouldn't want to get it wet ! That certainly wouldn't add lightnessI thought you'd done something like the 1970s vinyl roof but with brushed nylon.

What goes together.... Must come apart.