FJ40 headliner recommendations?

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A

adavis

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Oakesdale WA
I've searched the forum but haven't seen any specific recommendations so I'm asking for recommendations. I'm pulling the top on my 1973 FJ40 to repaint the white and replace the headliner. I've been searching headliners and am wondering if anyone has a suggestion of which one to buy? I'm sure there are differences in quality, fitment, appearance, etc. and I want to do this ONCE so I figured I'd ask for recommendations from the folks that have done it. I'm looking for a headliner that looks factory stock but if there are better versions (thicker, higher quality, etc) that look the same as stock I'd love to know.

I've watched the videos and read what I can find so I think I'm ready to tackle the job once I purchase the right headliner.
 
I used the Specter one. Nothing wrong with the material. At the time of my research they were the only option. It looks OK. IT is oversized and needs to be fitted and trimmed.

Hardtop & Side Panels - FJ40 - Specter Off-Road

Toyota Land Cruiser parts since 1983. From the oldest FJ25 and to the newest Land Cruiser, Non USA or domestic 40 Series, 60 Series 80 Series or 100 Series, SOR has the largest selection of top quality new and used OEM and aftermarket Land Cruiser parts in stock in the world. Specializing in...
www.sor.com www.sor.com

I trusted an upholstery company to install it. I gave the the fiberglass as a separate unit to work on upside down. They ignored my instructions. They left a bunch of extra material in the gutter. I had to cut that out myself . I messed up part of it. IT shows. The glue they used is not holding. I have some places in the corners that are pulling away. Overall it sucks.

They did not want me in the shop when the work was being done. I get that sometimes. They usually use the "liability" excuse. I now take it to mean they are hiding something and are probably hacks. Never again. If a company is afraid of letting me see them work then they do not get my business.

Like most custom car jobs you are better off to do it yourself.

DSCN0727.JPG
 
I have fought with crappy 3M products ($22 aerosols that spritz and splatter, but don't actually spray) and falling headliners for 30 years. Next time, I will buy a new 1 piece headliner, take it to a shop and tell them to use a pro-grade product from a spray gun, not an aerosol.

Good thread on this:
forum.ih8mud.com

Comparing headlliners...color, thickness

In possession of headliners from both SOR and Cruiser Corp and thought I would pass on the difference between the two. SOR advertises as super thick....I measured it as 6.80 mm. The Cruiser Corp measures 4.80mm. To show the difference in color I have them staged with the bezel painted cygnus...
forum.ih8mud.com forum.ih8mud.com
 
@SteveH Thanks for the link to that thread....I didn't catch that one before. It's great to see a side-by-side comparison, especially for the color difference. I'm wondering how many other "versions" there are out there of the same "factory-style" headliner? In that thread he talks about the SOR headliner being about 2mm thicker than the Cruiser Corps version, but it doesn't seem like that would be much of a deciding factor.

Any other input on which "brand" is best? Thanks.
 
Do not make computer orders with SOR. Call them. Specify shipping charges when the order is placed. For some reason that escapes me they default to crazy shipping charges.
 
@peterb Thanks for that bit of info. It amazes me how many OEM parts Toyota still carries for these old rigs.

Holy CRAP they are proud of that OEM headliner!! So that's why I started this thread......is that OEM version really worth 3x the price of the SOR or Cruiser Corps version? If it is, then I'll save my money up to buy one, but if you can't really tell once it's out of the bag and installed then I'll probably save the extra $400+ and go with an aftermarket version.
 
adavis said:
@peterb Thanks for that bit of info. It amazes me how many OEM parts Toyota still carries for these old rigs.

Holy CRAP they are proud of that OEM headliner!! So that's why I started this thread......is that OEM version really worth 3x the price of the SOR or Cruiser Corps version? If it is, then I'll save my money up to buy one, but if you can't really tell once it's out of the bag and installed then I'll probably save the extra $400+ and go with an aftermarket version.
Click to expand...
Sorry @adavis, I can't help you with a comparsion. I've only bought OEM. One consideration is whether you are keeping the truck long term. If so, you should
consider going OEM.
Let us know what you decide.
Peter
 
@peterb Can you verify that the OEM headliner has the foam backing pad on it? I found the part number 63311-90302 for not much more than the aftermarket versions but I want to make sure I'm not missing something. If that part number has foam backing I'm going to purchase it. Thanks.
 
x2 on the CCOT headliner- 3 years in and sticking great. Here's my thread:

forum.ih8mud.com

FJ40 hardtop repair

Indeed - it's very...not white. I did end up painting my top white-white, but only because the body was going back to factory-original Cygnus, and Cygnus everything is a bit bland...a whiter white at least gave a bit of the two-tone look, and it tricks the eye a bit into the Cygnus looking a...
forum.ih8mud.com forum.ih8mud.com
 
I love to support our sponsors, but when it makes sense, I try and buy OEM from a dealer under the theory (possibly wrong) that the decision-makers at Toyota will see a steady demand for these old parts and that they, hopefully, will continue to supply them. Currently, my go to dealer is Capo Valley. Ruben (@Ruben C) provides a small discount to Mud members and I’ve found their service and speed top notch.
 
adavis said:
@peterb Can you verify that the OEM headliner has the foam backing pad on it? I found the part number 63311-90302 for not much more than the aftermarket versions but I want to make sure I'm not missing something. If that part number has foam backing I'm going to purchase it. Thanks.
Click to expand...
@adavis It had foam backing but it was thin. I would guess it was an 1/8" or less.
 
As the owner of a '73 FJ-40 with falling headliner I too am interested in the best headliner available today. With regard to the foam liner, this I feel is the weak link of the headliner. No mater the glue used I believe that the foam liner is the weak link. It seems the foam brakes down causing the headliner to detach from the roof. Unless someone can show the benefit of the foam liner, I believe a liner without the foam may be a better choice.
 
Speaking of headliner glue: I saw this in a Hemmings article. It points to a heavier-duty glue that I had not heard of. Has rave reviews on Amazon.

The glue used to secure the carpet is important to good installation. You may be tempted to use something like 3M General Adhesive from a spray can, but that is a mistake. While it will work for a while, this spray glue is not strong enough to hold heavy carpet to a floor, especially in summer heat. Instead, you need professional upholstery cement. We used WeldWood Landau Top and Trim contact adhesive, which can be found online in sizes as small as one gallon. You can also buy it from your local upholstery shop. Most shops will sell you some without having to buy a big pail. Our carpet took 2.5 gun cups to complete the carpet installation. That is about is about 80-ish ounces of glue. We used a typical siphon-feed spray gun for glue. Don’t ruin your gravity feed gun by putting glue in it. Pick up a cheap siphon feed from a bargain tool store. The glue is hard to clean, and you will only use that gun for glue from that point on.


Appears to be $93/gallon but an aerosol is sold for $29.95.
 
the hardest part for me was the back corners of the hard top. the compound curve means that the headliner needs a pie cut and a sewn seam. The CCOT headliner doesnt have a seam like that. I believe the Cruiser Corps version does. Sadly, I bought the CCOT one and I regretted it. I tried to do the pie cut myself and it looks like poop.
 
I made this headliner for $45. It's ridiculous how much the white ones go for and they all inevitably turn yellow or detach over time. A $20 outdoor rug and 4 tubes of adhesive from Lowes was a better alternative for me, I just used the old headliner as a template. Took about an hour with the hardtop upside down. Turned out great and it even dampens cab noise better than the OEM one ever did.

fotor_1715916620687.jpg
 
Given the cost and obnoxiousness of OEM style headliners, I'm not far from having a shop rhino-line it with a speckle-pattern coating that would look (at a distance) like a perforated headliner. If a future owner was really offended, they could always glue an OEM one over it.
 
So I decided to go with OEM and found the best deal from megazip.com from Japan. It turned out that WITH SHIPPING it was about the same price as the aftermarket versions from Cruiser Corps or SOR shipped. From what I've read, the OEM version might not have quite as think of foam padding on it but some people say that's not a bad thing. It should be here at the end of next week so I'll post details when I get it.

Now for another question. Can someone point me to a detailed description of taking off the fiberglass top? I've taken FJ40 tops off several times but never split the fiberglass top from the sides. I don't need to remove the metal ring from the fiberglass top so I'm hoping I can just unbolt the fiberglass from the sides and it will split, but are there any tricks? I was looking at the metal sections that go above the doors and attach to the windshield frame....I assume those say with the fiberglass/metal ring? Like I said, if someone has a step by step thread for pulling the fiberglass top off to paint and headliner I'd really appreciate it. Thanks
 
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