DIY Headliner install and Carpet.

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mmw68

CruiserCrap.com - pimping crap for your cruiser!
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While shopping for a carpet kit and headliner for the 3FE40, I came across the one offered by Cruiser Solutions.com. I also could not find any info on IH8mud about it. I spoke with Ted Brown, the owner, and he was very helpful and easy to deal with. He told me the headliner was made from the same material as the carpet kit they sell, and it was a type of carpet that if one fiber was pulled, you would not have a run. (Hell... I can't remember the name. ;) ) It was also a large piece, so that you won't have any seams.

So here is a write up on how I installed it, Iam very happy on how it came out, and the quality of the carpet and headliner kit I bought. Iam not affiliated with him, just a happy customer. As soon as I install the carpet, I'll post that up here also.

Here are a few tips I found.

Cleaning:
1. to clean you fiberglass cap of the old glue - use one of those square 3m green brillo pads.
2. Then scrub it down with 3m Adhesive remover

Installing:
3. Use a small pair of scissors.
4. use a carpet hook blade on your knife (see photo)

The most important step is doing it in three sections!

1. First I laded out the headliner on the fiberglass top, and peeled half of it back.
2. Then I glued the middle third of the headliner to the top....

1. I applied three coat of 3m adhesive on the top and carpet - wait 5 minutes before pressing the headliner to the top.
2. Working from the middle out, lay the carpet out and smooth it with your hands.

Now the middle is done - you can repeat the process on the two ends of the top.

When I did the ends of the top- I would cover the section that was done with masking paper, so I would not get glue on the finished part.

Then, drink a beer:beer: - take your time, and start to trim the edges.
I had to apply a little more glue on the ends. You can tuck the carpet in on three sides of the cap. Make sure you trim it enough of the headliner back so you don't cover up your bolt holes. As for the front edge, that has no place to tuck the headliner - you just glue it over the lip, and it will be sandwiched between the windshield frame and top cap.

adhesive.jpg


knife.jpg


half1.jpg


glue1.jpg


head2.jpg


front2.jpg


front.jpg


cut2.jpg


cut1.jpg


corner1.jpg


front3.jpg


done3.jpg


done1.jpg
 
would love to see, can't get links to work, or address to work
 
I've looked at the carpet kit before, it looks like quality stuff. Just hard for me to pull the trigger for the price. Plus I have a few small leaks in my roof that need to be handled first.

Thanks for the write up, you do good work.
:cheers:
 
It was $69 Plus shipping. The Picture on the web site is very small, so I really went of faith when I ordered it. Maybe Ted is a good sales man, but once I talked to him, I was sold on the quality of the material.

I've looked at the carpet kit before, it looks like quality stuff. Just hard for me to pull the trigger for the price. Plus I have a few small leaks in my roof that need to be handled first.

Thanks for the write up, you do good work.
:cheers:
 
The headliner is a very good price.
It's the carpet kit that would hurt. $359.00 plus shipping
 
Nice. I have to do this to mine here pretty soon. I was wondering how to get all the surface prepped.

BTW, where did those grab handles come from? Looks like they bolt up on the factory holes.
 
Mark...looking tight.
 
Prep was easy - Scrubbed with thte 3m brillo pad (above in the picture) and wipe it down with the 3m adhesive remover. Just make sure the surface is clean so the glue can stick well. Free of any oils or dirt.

I bought the handles from SOR, I think they are OEM..if not, they are close.

-Mark

Nice. I have to do this to mine here pretty soon. I was wondering how to get all the surface prepped.

BTW, where did those grab handles come from? Looks like they bolt up on the factory holes.
 
Nice post. I too was in the market for a headliner solution a while back when I replaced my drip rail with an oem replacement. What you bought looks like what is commonly called "speaker box carpet". I could be wrong but that is what it looks like in the pictures. I decided on an indoor outdoor carpet with a short nap that matched my carpet kit perfectly. It was 15.00 at lowes hardware and turned out really well. The indoor outdoor is a little harder to work with because it has a light backing which what you used does not and will stretch and form a little easier, but if you take your time the indoor outdoor works great. Here are some pictures.

2dm78zo.jpg


23w8gw1.jpg


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Those headliners look great! The first carpet looks just like the ozite you can by from wally world for 8 bucks...Ozite is a superflex carpet made by the parent company Foss..It was a good deal at 8 dollars and came in black or gray...I forget the dimension but it was well worth it...What I bought looks exactly like the first carpet which I'd imagine is ozite too...
I havent used a lot of it but I used a roll in the back and a roll in the front floor board....Works nicely and I can take it out and shake it/vacuum it or rinse/dry it and put it back in.....

That felt like an infomercial.......:)
 
I also looked at the outdoor/indoor carpet. I've done lots of custom car audio builds, and have used both indoor/outdoor carpet as well as speaker box carpet. This carpet is soft, not as stiff as what I've use in the past, almost like a thick headliner material. As anal as Iam about materials matching, this headliner is a great match for the carpet kit.

But your right - the extra $$$ saved at Lowes could of bought a lot of :beer: :D

Keep posting up what you have done, it's always great to see what other people have done.
 
Looks like you can work onmy stereo in the X5 when I'm in Austin next......
 

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