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Headlining?

Printed From: The Brick-yard
Category: T3 Section
Forum Name: T3 Tech help
Forum Description: Forum for T3 specific problems.
URL: http://www.brick-yard.co.uk/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=74561
Printed Date: 28 Mar 24 at 11:42
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Topic: Headlining?
Posted By: richbvw
Subject: Headlining?
Date Posted: 17 Jun 12 at 13:34
Hi all, I am currently converting my panel van to a weekend camper (bed, electrics, table etc) and I'm getting to the soft stuff
The van has only a cab headliner and stops where the old bulk head was. What is the best option for putting in a new headliner? Get a full 'velle headliner or try and make a rear covering and leave the front as is?

Cheers, Rich.

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Check out my band - www.myownagenda.co.uk
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Replies:
Posted By: cobblers
Date Posted: 17 Jun 12 at 15:10
I've had good success with making three boards and covering them in headliner material - 3mm ply has the right amount of "bend". One board in the cab, one in the middle and one at the back. Similar to the t4/t5 headliners.
You could retain the OE cab lining, but mine was scruffy so I removed it.

I ran some strips of wood down the sides of the van to give me something to attach the sides to as there's not really anything there as standard.

Fixed the boards up by screwing them into the ribs that go across the van and covered the screws with little screw covers. Worked great on my van and on Jons and a hell of a lot easier than trying to fit an old caravelle headliner. Since it's a solid headliner, you can fit lights to it wherever you want. 

The plywood was free (marked 3mm Caravan Ply) and the headlining material was about £5 per meter, plus a few tins of glue.

You could probably do it all in one piece if you could get a big enough sheet of plywood, I did it in 3 pieces because each section is just over 4' wide so you have to go sideways out of an 8x4 sheet.


Posted By: richbvw
Date Posted: 18 Jun 12 at 15:05
That sounds like a great way to do it, thanks for that. Where did you attach the wood along the sides? Do you have a pics of the install at all?

Thanks again

Rich

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Check out my band - www.myownagenda.co.uk
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Posted By: Gingers VW
Date Posted: 18 Jun 12 at 15:46
I've seen them attached with J channels or just screwed in at the edges.

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Posted By: cobblers
Date Posted: 18 Jun 12 at 16:11
I just popped out and took a screw out to lower the roof lining so you can see what I've done along the sides: I ran a piece of scrap 18mm ply down on the table saw set at an angle - you could do the same with a jigsaw.


I didn't actually end up using any screws along the outside edge of mine - I was in a rush so just put three screws in the front and rear ends of each panel and intended to screw the sides up later, but this was about 6 months ago and they have't sagged at all so I won't bother. I've still not got round to putting the black caps on the screws.



Posted By: andy1300gt
Date Posted: 18 Jun 12 at 16:53
What did you do at the front above the windscreen? It looks pretty good tho.

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It's all rust in the end....

89 T3 Doka - AFN TDI
76 XJC 4.2 Daimler - Gone!
72 Austin 1300


Posted By: richbvw
Date Posted: 18 Jun 12 at 19:40
Thanks for doing that, really appriciate it. So, you cut the side pieces at an angle to get the right curve for the roof ribs, then just screwed through the headline into the ply and the metal rib. It looks great, def the way I'm going to go.



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Check out my band - www.myownagenda.co.uk
new tracks and vids online now


Posted By: cobblers
Date Posted: 18 Jun 12 at 22:22
No worries 

That's pretty much it - cut the wood down the side at an angle which suited the curve of the roof ribs, and screwed the ply up into the ribs. I've got some screw covers (actually black numberplate screw covers) to go on when I get round to it.

Around the windscreen I just carpet the steel where the original headliner would go (lose the edge in up to the windscreen rubber along the top and knocked it into the grip channel things down the side.

I've no pictures of this cos I've not actually done it on my own van yet - I did a mates and it turned out great, but I'm going to be fully painting my van at some point in the near future so I'll carpet those bits once I've done that.

In hindsight I probably wouldn't use black headliner to cover the wood - it's a bit gloomy in the back of the van. I might redo it at some point with something a bit lighter.


If you use the normal foam backed headliner material, when you glue it on only use a very sparing amount of spray glue on the back of the headliner, and leave it overnight before handling them, otherwise any pressure on the headliner leaves dimples where the foam gets squashed flat.


Posted By: richbvw
Date Posted: 19 Jun 12 at 11:04
Thanks for that.
I need to start sourcing the carpet, vinyl and headlining now.

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Check out my band - www.myownagenda.co.uk
new tracks and vids online now


Posted By: CosmicSheep
Date Posted: 19 Jun 12 at 12:12
Nice thread, i've been thinking about lining my roof with ply and was wondering how to attach it.
Think i'm gonna paper the ceiling with old comic books though for something abit different.


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Steph aka CosmicSheep

1989 Mk2 Golf 1272
1989 T3 1.9 DG Petrol Twin Slider


Posted By: KrugerbayDesign
Date Posted: 20 Jun 12 at 13:54
Hi,
 
I completed mine early part of this year, although not had chance to put fabric up yet.
 
I used much the same principle, fastening battens down the sides, middle then some thin strips over the ribs. I sikflexed all the battens then used self tappers to fix in place, also did the same with the plywood after first putting some insulation and sound proofing on the roof. I used 6 smaller boards, just easier to handle on your own.
 
Don't forget to treat your batterns with some paint/varnish to seal them.
 
I have some pics on my machine at home, I will try and look them out and post them up.
 
 


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Paul H, Kruger Bay Design
Web: www.Krugerbayclothing.co.uk
E-Mail Paul@Krugerbayclothing.co.uk
Tel: 07702071820


Posted By: KrugerbayDesign
Date Posted: 02 Jul 12 at 10:59
Finally managed to get a chance to find the pics out, hope they help:-



 


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Paul H, Kruger Bay Design
Web: www.Krugerbayclothing.co.uk
E-Mail Paul@Krugerbayclothing.co.uk
Tel: 07702071820



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