This article had a wealth of information and made doing so a breeze. I think it took me about 90 minutes including repairing two significant cracks with 5 minute epoxy. The headliner turned out great. BUT the old sunvisors did not look very good. So instead of purchasing recovered ones, I decided to do my own. It was not all that difficult. The following messages detail the recovery process.
If you do your own headliner and sunvisors, do yourself a favor and mark which sunvisor hinge goes to which side of the car.
Glenn
[This message has been edited by grathke (edited 09-09-2004).]
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03:06 PM
PFF
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grathke Member
Posts: 111 From: St. Louis MO Registered: Aug 2004
After taking off the old material, you are left with the cardboard 'frame'. Notice the missing cardboard along the edge. This is where the material is sewed through the cardboard.
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03:12 PM
grathke Member
Posts: 111 From: St. Louis MO Registered: Aug 2004
To fix the bad edges around the cardboard (where the material is sewed through the cardboard) I purchased some poster board at the local craft store and made it the same size as one side of the cardboard.
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03:17 PM
grathke Member
Posts: 111 From: St. Louis MO Registered: Aug 2004
I then glued both new pieces to the insdie of the folded cardboard. I suppose I could have made a new cardboard 'frame' but decided on this method instead.
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03:19 PM
grathke Member
Posts: 111 From: St. Louis MO Registered: Aug 2004
Then I trimmed the material sightly larger than the cardboard, and sprayed the edge with contact cement used in the previous step. Next I folded the material inward making a nice straight edge.
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03:25 PM
grathke Member
Posts: 111 From: St. Louis MO Registered: Aug 2004
Lastly, I folded the covered visor, inserted the hardboard backing, aligned the edges all the way around and sewed it. In the final picture, you'll notice I did not make the map pockets. Personally I never like them because they stretch if you keep anything in them. If map pockets are desired, all you'd have to do is cover the visor in 3 pieces allowing for the two pockets.
This project was not difficult at all, and took about 45 minutes per visor. Now instead of purchasing visors for 79.00 I saved 72.00 for something else.
Before:
After:
[This message has been edited by grathke (edited 09-09-2004).]
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03:29 PM
LZeitgeist Member
Posts: 5662 From: Raleigh, NC, U.S.A. Registered: Dec 2000
That's GREAT!!! I'd been thinking about doing something like this 'cuz my visors are pretty much shot, but wasn't ready to tear up my old visors trying to figure out the best way to do it... thank you!
+ for you!
------------------ Patrick W. Heinske -- LZeitgeist@aol.com 1988 Red Fiero Formula Convertible
Thanks for asking. I did sew through the cardboard as was the original. I forgot to mention that I did use a commercial machine. I'm sure you could use a 'home' machine as long as you have a new needle and heavy duty thread.
Glenn
[This message has been edited by grathke (edited 09-09-2004).]
Thanks.... No it is not vinyl.. It probably is the combination of the newness of the material, the flash and the angle. If you used a commercial machine, then it would be no problem going thru vinyl or even leather for that matter.
Glenn
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08:06 AM
waddisme Member
Posts: 76 From: taylorsville, nc, usa Registered: Jun 2004
great post!! I think I will attempt to do mine. It looks pretty straight forward except for the sewing. My neighbor sews, so could i ask her to sew this without tearing up her machine?
------------------ '85 GT 2.8L Auto 120K DRIVEN DAILY
If your visors are good, just bad fabric, you can get them done pretty cheap at auto upholsterer. I took mine, and some black naugahyde and got them both recovered for $20.
