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Filling the gaps!
#1
Hi guys,

Well, with the countdown to Eurotec well underway now, I am anxious to getting 11777 into a 'presentable' condition for her 1st club appearence! :roll:

I have just received my headliners back from Dave H, he has done a cracking job on them too as they look mint! Big Grin

Anyway, before I stick them into the car for the first time, I can't help thinking it is an ideal opportunity to make sure I deal with any potential issues now which could cause me problems at a later point...

Therefore, I would be ever so grateful for some advice from you good people as to the specific areas I should be looking to 'plug' to avoid any potential embarrasments in the future! :oops:

For starters would I be right in thinking silicone filling is the right tool for this job?

Many thanks

Kind regards

Carl
Carl & Alex Hammond
DOC361
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Norfolk
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#2
polyurathane is the route to take, it takes longer to dry but is impervious to everything including getting it off your hands Smile TT
DOC398
VIN#3484
Tourettes Tutor
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#3
Good shout Tony... yes wear gloves Smile

Just check all your wiring is in a good condition and not chaffed...

Has your centre T bar been done ?

Any interesting writing inside your doors like your Ignition / door key numbers ?? If so take a pic Smile
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#4
Hi Carl,

I sealed up just about everything when I did my head lining. The polyurathane is best. Pay particular attention to the sunvisor fixing plates, and the two tab brackets that are rivoted in the centre of the roof that take the slot brackets on the back of the head liner. One other point to check is some cars had the plastic trim around the outerdoor seals and the torsion bars screwed on with self tappers, some with pop rivots. Check these are sealed up on the underside (ie above the head liner) as water sits in these channels around the door and finds its way in as some rivots and screws go all the way through the fibreglass tub.

One you've sealed it and allowed it to dry, you ought to get some one to gently hose the car with water with you inside BEFORE you fit the headliner. (slip the outer door seals back on first). I found another leak this way above the rear view mirror at the head of the T bar. 8)

Good luck. Big Grin
Regards
D

PS wear a cap or hair net I got the Sh*t in my hair and it's no fun to get out Big Grin
VIN 4532

DOC-574
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#5
One last thing I just remembered, is when you glue the edges of the head liner around the doors (where the seal goes) do not have too greater overhang of material into the rain gutter. When you refit the door seals you'll know as you will see the cloth poking out from under the seals next the the black plastic trims in the gutters. This will soak up water with a capillary action and drip into the car. The best thing to do is stick the material on, pointing vertically upwards, to the aperture side of the tub, allow glue to dry, then trim so that you have about 4mm spare to "roll over" the tub lip into the gutter without showing when the seal is fitted.

At the ends of the headliner (by gas strut fixing and ends of sunvisors) the material should be folded in on itself by around 5-8mm. This needs to be trimmed sufficiently where the door seal slips over as not to cause a bulge, otherwise you'll get problems closing the doors.

Use a good HIGH TEMP impact adhesive sparingly!

Best of luck, it's quite easy to do honest! :lol:

Regards
D
VIN 4532

DOC-574
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#6
Some top advice there guys thank you very much. Smile

Thanks especially to you Darren for the detailed walk through. Being a beginner at this, I find your advice extremely helpful and I already feel a lot more confident about taking on the job now! Will you be going to Eurotec? If so, it would be nice to meet you buddy, put a face to a name and all that. Smile

Mike, sorry to ask a silly question here, but what do you mean with regards to the work on the centre T bar being done? :oops:

By the way, I took some piccies of the doors earlier, nothing on the drivers side, but as you can see from the photo below, I have a 5/N written on my passengers door no idea what it might have referred to though! Something else I did notice is if you look closley to the left of the pic you can see one of the welding spots has been circled with the letter Q around it perhaps to do with a quality control issue on the door during production maybe?

Fascinating stuff though isn't it! Smile

Best regards

Carl

[Image: DSCF0714.jpg]
Carl & Alex Hammond
DOC361
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Norfolk
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#7
Hi Carl,

No problem, as the saying goes "advice is free" Big Grin

When you come to fit the door headliner sections, its worth investing in some new Fir tree clips, as any owner will tell you door panels will come on and off on a regular basis for rectifying windows, locks, electrical faults etc.

The compressed fibre panels that make up the base for the material to attach are particularly fragile in this clip area. Try to get hold of a fir tree clip tool as it saves damaging the expensive panel. Another top tip is to strengthen the fibre panel around where the clips go. You can buy a product in B & Q thats for hardening rotten wood on window frames etc. It comes in a small tin, its clear and soakes into porous materials then sets like rock! Big Grin I used this around my clip holes and it's been great. Another thing I did was paint the rear of the headliner fibre boards with a waterproof PVA so that they are less porous to water leaks and damp.
This makes them a little stronger too!

Last of all I added a small aluminium strip about 30mm wide x 1.5mm thick x 1m long, to the back of the headliner board where it meets the rear window. This stops it sagging and hanging down. You'll see any sagging if you open the engine louvre and look through the rear window.

Best regards
D

PS will be at Eurotec Fri & Sat. Big Grin
VIN 4532

DOC-574
Reply
#8
Darren C Wrote:water leaks and damp.
This makes them a little stronger too!

Last of all I added a small aluminium strip about 30mm wide x 1.5mm thick x 1m long, to the back of the headliner board where it meets the rear window. This stops it sagging and hanging down. You'll see any sagging if you open the engine louvre and look through the rear window.

Best regards
D

PS will be at Eurotec Fri & Sat. Big Grin

Yes it was basically to do this to it.. but Barren beat me to it Smile

Oh and worded it much better than i would have too !

Eurotec .. Im there on Thur setting stuff up ... Smile

and I'll be helping Mike prop that bar up too Smile
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#9
That's some more sound advice, thanks buddy.

Struggling to find this polyurathene (not entirely sure what it is) My local Jewsons have some polyurathene expanding foam, will that do the job? Sorry for being stupid! :oops:

I have one other challenge when it comes to fitting my headliners, as my car doesn't have any of the brackets in the roof! So, I guess I will have to rely on another product to get them to stick properly too! :?

Thanks again guys, I shall get there in the end! Smile

Best regards

Carl
Carl & Alex Hammond
DOC361
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Norfolk
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#10
'Tiger Seal' is a trade name for the stuff ... it is black in colour

Seems to be a regional thing wether or not you will find it on the shelf at the local car shop / motor factors, Halfrauds dont stock it....if you need some i could get some from the one next door to were I work no worries .

You could try velcro you can get it with a sticky back for fixing to the headliner and roof , a strip of that will hold it firm Smile just clean the surfaces to be free from grease first.
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#11
Will there be some tiger seal for sale at eurotec? I could do with re-sticking my outer door seals and they are flapping off in a couple of places.
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#12
Carl Hammond Wrote:That's some more sound advice, thanks buddy.

Struggling to find this polyurathene (not entirely sure what it is) My local Jewsons have some polyurathene expanding foam, will that do the job? Sorry for being stupid! :oops:

I have one other challenge when it comes to fitting my headliners, as my car doesn't have any of the brackets in the roof! So, I guess I will have to rely on another product to get them to stick properly too! :?

Thanks again guys, I shall get there in the end! Smile

Best regards

Carl

Hi Carl,

Try a local motor factors that supply paints/sundries to the trade, such as "Brown Brothers". Tiger Bond is a well known name as is Sikoflex, both are polyurathane sealants. Big Grin

Not sure on the velcro idea :?
Are you sure the brackets are missing? They don't look much. About 100mm long and 40-50mm wide. They would be originally pop rivoted onto the inside of the roof on the centre line, there quite shallow too.

There should be another small bracket pop rivoted on the back of the headliner board, that locates on the roof mounted tab bracket to hold it up. If they are definately missing I can either make you some or talk you through it.

Dont go near the expandy foam!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Best regards
D
VIN 4532

DOC-574
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#13
Carl,

The brackets are item 14, fitted to underside of roof tub.

Second brackets can been seen in picture attached to back of headliner.

Brackets 14 are well fixed originally so I'd be surprised if yours are missing. But you never know!

[Image: 8-7-4.gif]

Best Regards
D
VIN 4532

DOC-574
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#14
Ah, Tiger seal, that's the stuff! Big Grin

Darren, I had another look in the car, definately no brackets, just the six holes where they used to be! :?

It's the first time I have seen the headliners since I bought the car, as the previous owner took them out and sent to Dave H. Dave was also surprised to hear this when I spoke to him about them!

Surely, with the right stuff, there's a way around this though?

Best regards

Carl
Carl & Alex Hammond
DOC361
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Norfolk
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#15
Hi Carl,

The 6 holes WILL be your water leak I'll lay money on it Big Grin

The right way to do this is to replace the brackets. I know it's a pain, but if you cut, glue and fix the headliners in without them, I'll be worse and far more of a job to sort it when the sag down on top of your head Cry

If you put any glue etc to hold them up without brackets, then the next time you or anyone wants to get them off they'll risk damaging the expensive back boards.

If time is against you, and you can't wait for DMCH (item 14 $2.50) pop into B & Q they have a rack full of aluminium strips and angles etc. Make yourself some. Big Grin

Best Regards
D
VIN 4532

DOC-574
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