Fitting Headlining with sunroof

[mgcjag]

Hi All.......thinking of replacing the headlining in my 2+2 thats fitted with a sunroof.......anyone done this and have any photos.......whats under there.....the existing is loose fitted.....either the material has seprrated from the backing or its not the normal glued down type.......also any ideas on fitting the lining to the sunroof...thanks Steve

[iani]

Steve, good luck with this job, can I ask that you take lots of photo's and share them. I approached a couple of trimmers with this challenge and they just weren't interested, more a reflection on their inexperience rather than complexity I hope.

Ian

[mgcjag]

Hi Ian....its all your fault.......when we met a Stonleigh and i told you about retrimming the interior you said are you doing the headlining......I wasnt......well have now finised and just looked at a friends 2+2 that a trimmer has done and the headlining is really neat.......mine is quite good headlining not as good as the rest........should have been the first job done but i like a challenge

[PeterCrespin]

If anyone in the US is doing a 2+2 headlining and wants a intact original fibre 'biscuit'



I have one available. That's the good news. The bad news is you'll have to pay me the fifty bucks before either of us removes it from the donor car. Intact biscuits are rare because they're so fragile ...

[iani]

Pete, are you saying the 2+2's original headlining was similar to the biscuit used in the XJS, not just a simple cloth? I haven't seen one removed, hence my question.

Ian

[PeterCrespin]

Yes. It is very similar material but about ten years after I did my XJ-S I can't say it was identical stuff.

Same concept though - remove the biscuit carefully with only the gentlest bending (passenger seat out) and trim the board with perfect access by putting it upside down on the ground. Then reinsert the trimmed board and fit. Since most Es are trimmed as part of a resto it's easier to do it before fitting the screen.

Pete

[mgcjag]

Hi Peter....so how about a 2+2 with a sunroof.....does it have a trimmed biscuit with a hole cut or is the headlining fitted in a different way.......really want to find out whats involved befor pulling my existing one out....thanks... Steve

[vee12eman]

Hi Steve,

I had my Sunroof restored by Peter Harvey in Kent, a quick search revealed there is still an advert for him:

http://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk/restorat ... repair.htm

Peter was fantastic, but he did my car some 8 years ago and I am not sure he is still doing this work - the link above was posted in 2008 and he wasn't a young guy then.

I contacted him by phone and email, then removed/sent my sunroof to him to restore and re-cover, then he drove up to my house to install it (I paid his mileage, as my car was not mobile at the time). He is superb, cannot recommend him highly enough. Sadly I never met him, as I could not get away from work that day, my wife let him in and he worked away in the garage unassisted. I was very disappointed not to meet him, but time pressures and my imminent migration to Australia meant I had to fit him in on a particular day and there was no way I could get away from work that day. Part of the job included a complete new headlining and was a very reasonable cost for the work involved and the result. Sadly, I took no photos of the work (obviously, as I wasn't there!).

As to the design, I presume the "Biscuit" Peter refers to is a one piece unit. My Series 3 2+2, which should be similar to earlier cars had no biscuit (hence my lack of familiarity with the term). The material was stuck to the sunroof frame and the window apertures, no metal support rods were fitted and no foam backing. There is a removable pad above the windscreen, held in place by the mirror and sun visor mountings, if I recall correctly. This is pre-shaped and padded. The roof is a Tudor Webasto, with an ash(?) frame, screwed to the roof. Most of the screws sheared when I undid them and I had to drill them out and plug the frame - avoid removing the frame if you can, it's a bear of a job. However, with it out and repaired, I did take Peter's advice and stuck it back in with new screws and mastic, to reduce a possibility for the frame to move and squeak in future - apparently quite common.

Since then, I have seen another Series 3 Sunroof/headliner dismantled, although not this time removed. It was the same design as mine. The owner of that car sent me the original Fitting in instructions as a .pdf, which I can't now find, but a quick search found this site, which has the instructions available for download and also may be able to help you restore the unit/headlining:

http://www.tudorwebastosunroofs.com/index.html

I'll have a look, but pretty sure the instructions I have are the same as these.

Regards,

Simon

[mgcjag]

Hi Simon..thanks for the reply.....my sunroof is in really good condition and so is the lining.....its the headlining surrounding the opening im interested in.......mine is not stuck to the roof but is attached all around the opening and streached outwards and again tucked in above the cantrsils, winscreen and rear hatch opening..(no removable panel above the windscreen.).....not sure if it was stuck and droped down.... but assume there was different ways of fitting as it was after market..will try your contact to find out how its done thanks... Steve

[PeterCrespin]

Hi Peter....so how about a 2+2 with a sunroof.....does it have a trimmed biscuit with a hole cut or is the headlining fitted in a different way.

My E was a 2+2 with Britax sunroof like a Webasto but I sold it to Carsten before trimming. I would think on one level cutting an accurate hole in the biscuit first and offering it up to check fit would be ideal. You could trim it out of the car and install around the sunroof. However, I assume a biscuit with a huge rectangular hole would be even more flimsy.

If all you want to trim is the surround then just do that.

If your headliner does not follow the full curvature of the roof (either foam-backed and stuck on, or stuck to a biscuit) then it is detached and needs securing/replacing.