One summer evening I left my t-tops off and a deluge came and soaked my interior. I was able to dry everything before mildew took hold, but the headliner now not only sags but is separated in several places.

I don't want to replace the headliner, it's too much money for what I consider an issue of vanity. So I would like to remove it! My question is, has anyone else done this? Any ideas on how to make this look factory/presentable? Should I leave the foam underneath on? Painting the foam? Bare roof metal?

Let me hear your ideas before I start hacking my formula apart!

 

It'll look like absolute crap without the headliner in place. There's nothing remotely glamorous-looking beneath that shell. Don't be a cheapass. Get a new headliner up there. Get a half-decent shell from a junkyard and have it covered in new material. Shouldn't cost you more than 200 bucks total.

Edit: Actually, your shell might not even need to be replaced now that I read through your post again. Take it out of there, strip off the old material, and have it reupholstered. ~120 bucks, tops.

1: Remove dome light. Just takes two screws to remove.
2: Remove A-pillars. They're just held in with clips.
3: Remove visors. Three screws a piece and they come right out.
4: Remove rear sail panels. There's a screw behind the coat hanger hook. Take that out and the rest of the panel is just held in with hook-and-loop.
5: Your headliner shell should basically be coming off the roof on its own at this point.

 

headliner fabric at a fabric craft store is about $15 a yard.

this is on a fiero but the work is the same. you have nothing to lose but some time to try it yourself. I have done about ten so far is not that hard to do just takes some time.

http://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum2/HTML/092122.html

 

I took the headliner off my 89 RS Painted it black and rigged up a dome light...didn't really drop panties or anything but it didn't look bad

 

My car is a hardtop, and I've read virtually nothing about the "how to's" involved with removing and installing a headliner. I always just assumed it was held in place by screws along the perimeter, but I'm sure there is more to it than that, such as dome light removal etc. I've spent so little time in my car over the last ten years, I'm not even sure whether the car has a dome light. I do have the factory service manuals, but any insight would be appreciated.

 

its pretty easy, just remove the 6 screws holding in the visors and the 2 screws for the dome light. pull down the a pillars and you might have to loosen up the sail panel. shouldn't take more than 15 min.
On another note, I heard someone makes a headliner out of plastic. not sure how much it cost, probably about the same a cloth liner but you may want to look into it.

 

I removed the headliner and I kind of like it. The metallic blue paint just looks real cool on the ceiling. There are some gaps between the pillar moldings and the bare ceiling but I'm going to sculpt some foam inserts that should match up real well.

I'm sorry to all f-body owners trying to shake the mullet stereotype but I'm keeping the headliner off (until a girl really gives me crap for it).

Fingers crossed.

 

I have thought about recovering mine but I am playing with the idea of laying fiberglass over the foam, bondoing it and painting it gloss or satin black (black interior). The only thing I am wondering about is if the added weight of the fiberglass will be too much for the few screws holding it up. Any ideas?

 

Upload pics!

 

You can get a replacement ABS plastic headliner somewhere online that replaces the foam and padded version. I either saw it on stockinteriors.com or afterthoughts auto

 

plastic liner is @year one i think?.?
$150.00

 

I took mine out when I did the t top conversion. I'm too cheap to buy a new one, so there is no headliner in it right now. No one really notices.

I see that a new one made of ABS is $250 shipped. I cant decide if I want to get that or an SS spoiler....