I believe my eye started twitching....

...when the local auto upholstery place quoted me FIVE HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS to put a new headliner in. I just went catatonic. May have even drooled.

So, uh....anyone want to roadtrip here and help me do this?


Son of a stitch. >.<

 

Sounds about right. You realize the glass has to come out right?

 

I bought the headliner myself off of ebay from Auto Krafters....around $50.

I pulled all the glass myself and had the car painted.

I took painted car to upholstery shop and had them install my headliner....$50 labor (still NO windows in car).

I brought car home, had glass guy come out to my house and install the glass using my new rubber gaskets I had purchased......$50.

It all depends on how much work you can do yourself. If you have to take your car somewhere and have it ALL done....it will be a lot higher.

If I was closer to you...I would help....no charge.

 

I know about the glass, just dont feel comfy trying to remove it. Short arms, not much muscle, would be just my luck to drop and break it! $500 feels almost painful. Its close to what I paid for the car itself. Ouchie.

 

i did put in a call to a glass guy to see what he would charge to remove/re install the glass. I could handle the headliner install myself I think.

 

the glass/windshield company's will come and remove the glass for you also. then you will just need to order new front and rear windshield gaskets. autokrafters carries them. be careful and check that they are the right ones before you have them installed. then you can put the head liner in your self then have the glass company come back out and put the glass back in.
i imagine that you will spend about $250.00 doing it this way.

 

I was recently quoted $275 just to install the headliner and a separate quote of $125 to install ft & back glass. I've spent a little over $200 on the headliner & gaskets already...it adds up.

 

If you plan on repainting the car I would wait to install it till then.

I'm saving up to install the headliner, put in new glass/gaskets and paint the car all in one shot.

 

That's actually a very good point. I do plan to have it painted. But can my OCD handle staring at a limey green metal roof until next June? Hmmmmm

 

Removing the glass is easy IF you cut the gaskets and replace them. Otherwise, the chances of breaking the glass are pretty good. But, I would want to have an extra set of hands to do it safely.

My wife and I installed the front and rear glass, with new gaskets, without TOO much trouble. We were lucky -- no leaks. Think there have been as many complaints here (maverick.to) about leaks with pro installs as with amateur installs.

Getting a wrinkle-free headliner install was more of a challenge. I ended up with some wrinkles but I blame the headliner stitching. The wrinkles are on just one side of the seams. Think a pro could have probably done it better but I like doing things myself.

Not everyone who installs headliners removes the glass. Seems to me to do it right the glass would have to come out. If you hire it done, ask how it will be done.

 

We have a guy down here in Douglasville that can put them in without removing the glass. He did mine that way....$150 for install, and it looks great. If you want to call him, his is: JR Audio/Upholstery, PH: 678-598-1732. Ask for Junior.

 

Probably too far for me, Earl. Id be looking for someone in the Memphis/Little Rock area, or possibly Nashville.

 

one thing I see wrong with not removing the glass is...if the seals are old and hard and they try to stuff the headliner behind the gasket, it may crack/break.

...JMO...:Handshake

 

If you pull the glass, add the price of new gaskets. You'll never get the windshield out, if it's still the original gasket, it'll be hard as a rock.
If you are not too worried about being original, just get some material, and glue it to the inside of the roof, and if you want it original....you gotta pay to play (I think I read that somewhere else already)

 

Some things I like to keep original, though some things about the car will have a more modern feel. Im not opposed to installing the headliner differently than the norm, but it cant look like crud either. No evident "jerry rigging". Thats not how I roll. If Im going to be divergent, it has to look quite intentional, or I just wont bother. ;-)