Headliner Droops

[Rueben]

I have a recently restored 1976 '02. I had a local shop near Atlanta do the restoration (Tom Sawyer Motorsports). I've never had so much fun driving a car except for one thing...the newly installed headliner droops at speed. It was annoying during normal outings but became a real problem last year when I put it on the track at Road Atlanta. With a racing helmet on, the added inches and additional pressure of the headliner made it noticeably difficult to turn my head after 10 minutes or so. By the end of the weekend my neck was very sore. When I questioned my shop about it they indicated the headliner was installed properly and am unsure why it droops so much. It looks very well installed. When I press my hand against it toward the roof there seems to be several inches of space between liner and the roof. I'm not sure if this is normal or not. The original headliner was in good shape but old the restoration took almost 3 years due to covid, parts, etc. so I don't remember if the same condition existed on the original. Anyone have any thoughts or advise?

[colorobo2002]

Is it sunroof or non sunroof car with correct corresponding plastic inserts by the trunk hinges? And if non sunroof the gap along the headliner edge and back window?

Edited February 2, 2023 by colorobo2002

[Rueben]

Its has no sunroof. I'll have to check the gap along the headliner edge and back window more closely but to my knowledge it's tightly fitted. I haven't noticed any gap before.

 

If there is a gap, you suspect air may be leaking between the headliner and roof forcing it down?

[Son of Marty]

I think you're missing the vent tubes that are under the package tray and exit out the oval holes on the outside of the trunk at it's front, take a look at the top of this picture you can just see the left one.

[Rueben]

Its has no sunroof. I'll have to check the gap along the headliner edge and back window more closely but to my knowledge it's tightly fitted. I haven't noticed any gap before.

 

If there is a gap, you suspect air may be leaking between the headliner and roof forcing it down?

 

That's interesting. The vent tube originates at the interior of the package tray and terminates in the trunk? I'll have to check that out.

[Son of Marty]

31 minutes ago, Rueben said:

The vent tube originates at the interior of the package tray and terminates in the trunk? 

They exit outside the trunk itself through two oval holes at the front of the trunk and they are covered by the trunk lid when closed.

 

PS, the gap in the headliner is easier to feel than to see.

Edited February 2, 2023 by Son of Marty

[Themis]

Hello Reuben! One thing to check is that one or more of the bow beams that hold the headliner have not turned. Typically, they should be tensioned, pointing upwards. But, if they slip off (their apex not touching the roof), then only the tension of the headliner will be holding them. And if there is low pressure in the cabin (for example driving fast with the windows open), that will suck the headliner, ballooning it downwards. You can feel these rods through the headliner, to confirm if that’s the issue

Edited February 3, 2023 by Themis

[Conserv]

13 hours ago, Rueben said:

… The vent tube originates at the interior of the package tray and terminates in the trunk?…

 

Well… BMW’s version of “flow-thru ventilation” for the ‘02, as implemented in 1966, was that a gap between the headliner and the top of the rear window drew passenger compartment air in, the air traveled down the insides of the C pillars, and exited the vehicle through the ventilation tubes in the trunk. But not for sunroof examples, where the hole in your roof was the “flow-thru ventilation”… 🙄

 

Sunroof models received either (a.) plugs of foam rubber in the ventilation tubes, or (b.) plastic blanks in lieu of ventilation tubes. This was done so that the headliner in sunroof models would not balloon.

 

Regards,

 

Steve

 

 

[Rueben]

Thank you Solex for the explanation. The bow beams are not flexed up against the roof. I can feel them through the headliner an inch or so below the roof. Does the headliner need to be reinstalled to correct the orientation of the bow beams? Also, what is the bow beam material? It feels like a very small diameter rod. 

[jgerock]

2 hours ago, Rueben said:

Thank you Solex for the explanation. The bow beams are not flexed up against the roof. I can feel them through the headliner an inch or so below the roof. Does the headliner need to be reinstalled to correct the orientation of the bow beams? Also, what is the bow beam material? It feels like a very small diameter rod. 

This has happened to my sunroof equipped 69.  The bow in the back has flipped around.  As mentioned to me, the side headliner bow cups don’t fit very well, even new ones. The bows are just metal rods. Some have a curvature to them.  The fix is either custom made cups or try adding something to the ends of them for a tighter fit.

[Hans]

On 2/2/2023 at 3:43 PM, Rueben said:

I have a recently restored 1976 '02. I had a local shop near Atlanta do the restoration (Tom Sawyer Motorsports). I've never had so much fun driving a car except for one thing...the newly installed headliner droops at speed. It was annoying during normal outings but became a real problem last year when I put it on the track at Road Atlanta. With a racing helmet on, the added inches and additional pressure of the headliner made it noticeably difficult to turn my head after 10 minutes or so. By the end of the weekend my neck was very sore. When I questioned my shop about it they indicated the headliner was installed properly and am unsure why it droops so much. It looks very well installed. When I press my hand against it toward the roof there seems to be several inches of space between liner and the roof. I'm not sure if this is normal or not. The original headliner was in good shape but old the restoration took almost 3 years due to covid, parts, etc. so I don't remember if the same condition existed on the original. Anyone have any thoughts or advise?

pictures of the headliner would be useful....

[Rueben]

Hans, photos attached.

 

There does not seem to be a gap along the headliner edge and back window.

 

Most of the bow beams are orientated in the wrong direction. Near the center of the car and most of the way toward the rear there is 2 or more inches of space between the headliner and the roof.

 

I'm wondering if custom made bow beams are the way to go? 

[Rueben]

Son of Marty, the vent tubes are in place. Must be something else.

 

Thanks

[Mark92131]

Is the cardboard piece at the top of the rear window still in place.  When I pulled the headliner on my 1970 BMW 1600 (non-sunroof) car, the rear of the headliner was wrapped around and glued to the back edge of this cardboard piece.  This creates the gap between the headliner and the rear window that others have referenced, (second picture).

 

Mark92131

[Hans]

Are all the hoops facing up? Did you use old liner as template? I'm assuming the roof is similar to my NK coupe, where the rear panel gets attached, and then the whole thing pulls forward to swing the hoops up and take out the slack. Your's seems to be drooping.

Edited February 5, 2023 by Hans
typo