Headliner Gluing Technique - Front Mini-Headliner

[Tomnistuff]

Given that, 1) I didn't assemble my car the first time 54 years ago and 2) I can't tell the difference between 54 year old foam powder, 54 year old glue powder and 54 year old dirt, I have a Question regarding Al's (66andBlue's) philosophy of, "Reassembly is just disassembly in reverse".

I understand that when installing the headliner, the front  is stretched (a little) to the surface where the 1/2 inch wide x 40+ inch long aluminum strip will retain it to the "Front Dam" (as Joe Alexander calls it) of the hardtop with 2.9 x 9.5 Phillips Flathead screws.

Question 1 is, "Should the headliner be glued to the hardtop under the aluminum strip, since the aluminum strip has to come off again to add the Front Dam Mini-Headliner under the aluminum strip?"
Question 2 is, "Should the Front Dam Mini-Headliner be glued to the main headliner under the aluminum strip?

There seem to be many ways to glue and screw these parts together, but not so many that will keep it from leaking.

Thanks for any advice you can provide.

Tom Kizer

[66andBlue]

Given that, 1) I didn't assemble my car the first time 54 years ago and 2) I can't tell the difference between 54 year old foam powder, 54 year old glue powder and 54 year old dirt, I have a Question regarding Al's (66andBlue's) philosophy of, "Reassembly is just disassembly in reverse".

Hi Tom,
I respectfully decline to be the originator of this truism - nobody with a liberal arts degree would call it a philosophy.  .
I am sure you read Gernold's article "Restoring the Pagoda Hardtop" (https://www.sl113.org/wiki/Tops/HardTop) where he wrote: "Assembly is essentially the opposite of the strip down, but a few things should be noted."
Therefore, a lot depends on the quality of the notes, or photos, one took during the disassembly. If they are top notch then it is a breeze, if not then it becomes a chore akin to reading Hegel. 

I understand that when installing the headliner, the front  is stretched (a little) to the surface where the 1/2 inch wide x 40+ inch long aluminum strip will retain it to the "Front Dam" (as Joe Alexander calls it) of the hardtop with 2.9 x 9.5 Phillips Flathead screws.

Question 1 is, "Should the headliner be glued to the hardtop under the aluminum strip, since the aluminum strip has to come off again to add the Front Dam Mini-Headliner under the aluminum strip?"

Gernold writes: "If a new headliner is to be installed, insert the vertical rods first, then position the headliner inside the top and attach the two center rods. Next insert the rear rod and attach it to the top. Then stretch the liner into place before attaching the outer rods. Now glue in the liner, starting at the front and doing the rear quarters last."

I have photos of two hardtops that I worked on where the large headliner was glued to the side of the top in front top but not to the center under the aluminum strip. This make sense to me since you want to be able to stretch the large headliner forward to remove wrinkles before you screw down the the strip.

Question 2 is, "Should the Front Dam Mini-Headliner be glued to the main headliner under the aluminum strip?

The inside of small headliner should be glued to the metal strip - that is the reason why you put the vinyl upside down: Gernold: "Lay out the front dam covering upside-down, and center the material before attaching the metal strip. If you haven't done so already, cover this area with foam, too."
If you don't wait long enough for the glue to dry it will penetrate the pores and the metal and small headliner piece will be glued together. Just make sure the large headliner is properly stretched and wrinkle free when you screw down the metal strip.

There seem to be many ways to glue and screw these parts together, but not so many that will keep it from leaking.

Not sure why there should be any leaks developing under that metal strip. 🤔

Hope my comments are of help.
{Just don't call me "Al" again, anything but "Al"}

[Tomnistuff]

Good afternoon, Alfred,

Although I'm just getting around to answering your post, I have been working on my hardtop a little.  I also spent two days trying to get my car out of a snow bank.  I was late for a meeting and, without looking carefully, reversed out of my garage into a bank of snow that had slid off of my home's aluminum roof.  We get about 300 inches per year here.  Inertia carried the car into the snow bank enough to high-center the car.  It then froze solid as it got darker and colder.  Near the end of the next day, I surrendered and called a tow truck.

Back to the hardtop.  I had already installed the aluminum strip and mini-headliner to the main headliner but had not glued either.  I trust your experience and good advice so I disassembled it and glued the mini-headliner to the aluminum strip, using small nails as guide pins for the screw holes during the gluing process.  It looks good.
Next, I'll pinch the main headliner to the aluminum strip and mini-headliner by hand to restretch the main headliner and glue it to the hardtop.  It looked good before.  It should work as well or better with glue.

My comment about leaks was in regard to a previous question that I had deleted about leak risks with the combination of chrome trim, caulking or putty, headliner material, and contact cement layered one on the other when putting the hardtop together.  Maybe I'll understand how it all works and why it doesn't leak, if it doesn't, when I've finished putting it back together.  It had nothing to do with the aluminum strip.  I forgot to delete it.

I agree with your truism comment.  I deserved it. 

Thanks for the headliner advice.  I think I might survive this project.

Tom Kizer