Headlining

amarshall · Post by **amarshall** » Thu Sep 06, 2018 10:00

Because of water ingress through the rear window, my rear rails are in need of a retrim. (roof panels have survived pretty well, fortunately). Since I have bananananananas for fingers, I'm not going to try to stitch them myself, but have found a very useful contact in Northallerton who's going to do it for me. She'll probably end-up with patterns for the full set of stitched fabric trim as I work my way round my car.

She's going to make up some patterns so she could offer the same service to other members. Turn-round time is about a week.

If you're interested, please let me know. I'll post photos when I get the two new panels back next week.

Lotus-e-Clan · Post by **Lotus-e-Clan** » Thu Sep 06, 2018 11:27

amarshall wrote:Because of water ingress through the rear window, my rear rails are in need of a retrim. (roof panels have survived pretty well, fortunately). Since I have bananananananas for fingers, I'm not going to try to stitch them myself, but have found a very useful contact in Northallerton who's going to do it for me. She'll probably end-up with patterns for the full set of stitched fabric trim as I work my way round my car.

She's going to make up some patterns so she could offer the same service to other members. Turn-round time is about a week.

If you're interested, please let me know. I'll post photos when I get the two new panels back next week.

Angus Definitely interested in any local help! Mine has just started to sag even though it's kept in the garage most of the time. Can't stop the glue drying I suppose - time and tide etc.

Phantasm · Post by **Phantasm** » Mon Sep 10, 2018 03:32

My headliner/C-pillars/visors etc are in rough shape, is this something that could be shipped? or work done on site only?

amarshall · Post by **amarshall** » Mon Sep 10, 2018 09:14

Phantasm wrote:My headliner/C-pillars/visors etc are in rough shape, is this something that could be shipped? or work done on site only?

Easy enough to ship. They'll fold/roll quite easily.

The problem would be ensuring a good colour match unless you can ship over some matching fabric.

amarshall · Post by **amarshall** » Thu Sep 13, 2018 16:28

1 week turn round time.

£20 charged for cutting and stitching the material that I supplied. Well worth it in my book. That's the charge for an hour of time. She can probably do more than just 2 panels in that time, though.

(old vs. new)

So, that's the back rail patterns sorted. Now we just need the B pillar and front rail. Anyone have any old covers they'd like to donate?

Hawaiis0 · Post by **Hawaiis0** » Thu Sep 13, 2018 18:53

amarshall wrote:1 week turn round time.

£20 charged for cutting and stitching the material that I supplied. Well worth it in my book. That's the charge for an hour of time. She can probably do more than just 2 panels in that time, though.

(old vs. new)

So, that's the back rail patterns sorted. Now we just need the B pillar and front rail. Anyone have any old covers they'd like to donate?

Bloody hell ggrrr - bin man just took mine

Qwertyco · Post by **Qwertyco** » Mon Sep 17, 2018 13:26

amarshall wrote:1 week turn round time....... Anyone have any old covers they'd like to donate?

Angus, I have the full interior, everything from an early narrow body Excel in my shed, it's been there for nearly 30 years. I was going to reline all the roof panels and swap them into my car. I'm sure we can come to an arrangement to use them for patterns, and as you know, I'm in Northallerton!

Qwertyco · Post by **Qwertyco** » Mon Sep 17, 2018 13:31

I'm tempted to try this 5mm thick lining:
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre ... 2172747456
Do you think it's a viable option?

amarshall · Post by **amarshall** » Mon Sep 17, 2018 13:33

Qwertyco wrote:
amarshall wrote:1 week turn round time....... Anyone have any old covers they'd like to donate?
Angus, I have the full interior, everything from an early narrow body Excel in my shed, it's been there for nearly 30 years. I was going to reline all the roof panels and swap them into my car. I'm sure we can come to an arrangement to use them for patterns, and as you know, I'm in Northallerton!

That'd be helpful. Yes please! I *think* most of the fabric panels are the same, although you probably don't have the section on the B pillar.

amarshall · Post by **amarshall** » Mon Sep 17, 2018 13:35

Qwertyco wrote:I'm tempted to try this 5mm thick lining:
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre ... 2172747456
Do you think it's a viable option?

Could be - although 5mm is a lot thicker than the original so I'm not sure how well it would wrap on the rails.

Qwertyco · Post by **Qwertyco** » Mon Sep 17, 2018 17:21

amarshall wrote: Could be - although 5mm is a lot thicker than the original so I'm not sure how well it would wrap on the rails.

Also available in 3mm thick!
I've sent for a sample piece.
I'll dig the roof panels out of the shed this weekend. I'm sure it has B pillar covers?
Did you once tell me you had covered some lightweight panels to cover the flat roof sections instead of glueing directly?

Alan_M · Post by **Alan_M** » Mon Sep 17, 2018 18:01

How much it stretches will be more important than thickness. You need enough stretch to glue into the shaped areas, especially on the B post at the seat belt mounting and on the front rail around the sunvisor and rear view mirror mountings.

carlp · Post by **carlp** » Mon Sep 17, 2018 19:02

Hi Angus,

I am certainly interested, mine are well past their best (another way of saying ripped and hanging down in bits). If I could get the b pillars and front rail that would be even better. This looks much better than juts using glue...

Thanks
Carl

bash · Post by **bash** » Wed Sep 19, 2018 09:31

You can sew sunvisors yourself, Ive done two cars now. I folded the material for the rear pillars and it looks good so sewing wouldnt be difficult. This is what I did for the sunvisors. You will need some powerful gimmer glasses from poundland or similar, a fine needle and a bit of contact adhesive. Remove the visor, split the cover at the hinge on the old headlining bit and remove, turn the visor inside out and with a stanley knife blade very carefully split the plastic part from the lining part. Do this without damaging the plastic. You will then see that there is a small 'flange' about 3mm wide around the plastic, use this to sew on the lining section inside out, make sure that you allow extra lining material near to the hinge. Use very small stitches and overap them ( hence the gimmer glasses ). When you have done this turn it inside out again so that its now back to its correct side and slide in the visor, Push the excess liner inside the plastic bit near the hinge and secure with contact adhesive. When you put them back in the headlining make sure that the nuts are correctly tensioned before putting the header rail back on or they will drop when you are driving.
I slightly bent the needle to make it easier to use and the finer the needle the better because it makes smaller holes in the plastic reducing the risk of the stitches tearing the plastic, a thimble is also handy because it will make your fingers sore, this was my first attempt at sewing and they look very good, its not rocket science so whats to lose. Have a go at the rear pillars if you want but folding two pieces into the rear pillar and using contact adhesive looks just as good.

Bash

Qwertyco · Post by **Qwertyco** » Mon Sep 24, 2018 16:59

Angus, I ventured into the dark end of my shed, It appears I have an 'almost' complete interior, but the only
roof section I have is the front bit with the sunvisors attached.

*WARNING* - distressing photos:

Do you think there's enough left to make a pattern out of?
That last photo seems to indicate that the metal tab is rivited through the lining before the material is glued down??

I also found these, do you think these are the original speakers? :

The Lotus Grand Tourers

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