^thanks, and yup they are Candy.

 

Formerly known as: swflge8

Sorry I haven't been around much. Took an unwanted vacation from Planet Earth. Anyway, I'm just getting back into working on the Fit.

I will NOT be posting a DIY on the headliner. I've done it about 4 times and I'm still getting bubbles and sags. I'm not happy with it so I don't want to mislead anyone. I have recently joined an online forum for upholstery and fabrication so once I figure out what I'm doing wrong I will post the DIY. Until then I want to thank you all for your patience.

I'm looking to go back to the Dragon in October so I'm going to be doing a LOT of upgrades in the next few months. I'll be sure to post pics.

 

Just curious, which one did you join? I'm looking for more info and tutorials on custom interior fabrication. Thanks.

 

how did you do your lip and upper grille?

 

Hey Leets! I just joined fiberglassforums.com. They have some insane work going on there and there's a lot of DIY information. You have to join up or they limit how much you can read in one day.

Hey Coco! It's actually the stock grille painted black and the upper lip of the grille is wrapped in duct tape. The front lip is actually the Home Depot lip wrapped in duct tape too. It looks better in photos than it does in person. It'll go away when I get my kit.

 

Seriously... go to either the 'Velocity' Channel online and look him up, or look up 'West Coast Customs' online, get a contact number, and contact the head guy in their upholstery department named "Ish".

Ish rips out old and puts in new custom headliners all of the time... fabric, leather, any kind of material the customer wants. Just because they have a huge TV show doesn't mean anything. I know a guy who called them for some other custom problem he was having with his own car and they told him exactly what to do.

Give Ish a call... I'm sure he'd be glad to help with a little headliner problem.

I used to use 3M Carpet and Upholstery adhesive when I detailed and did some light customization (replacing carpet, door panels, etc.) for my father-in-law at his car lot. The 3M stuff always worked for what I did. It was kinda' like contact cement because you had to spray both surfaces, let them dry for a little bit, then put them together. Never had problems with it... that is considering they still make it.

Let me/us know how it all turns out.

For what it's worth!

 

ah. thank you, thats kind of what i figured just had to confirm it.

 

Thanks annunC8! You and I think alike. I actually contacted Ish when I first decided to learn. I sent him an email telling him that I really liked the work he did and wanted to know how to learn - what school or training to go to. I never got a reply. I don't hold it against him, I just figured maybe he gets a lot of fan-mail and thought that's what my email was. When I wrote the letter, I had an '86 S10 that I was working on and he had just done some chicks '88 S10 in pink and black leather. I loved it!

Surprisingly, everywhere I look people are saying 3M. That's what I used the last 3 times I did my headliner and it's still not holding up. My husband's plaid headliner is holding up pretty well (only a couple sags), but mine has a lot of bubbles and those bubbles are getting bigger. I'm starting to think it's the fabric. Or the Florida heat. Or both.

 

Don't know if this will work, but when you contact people like Ish you can't e-mail them. They probably get so many e-mails they can't even find time to view all of them, much less answer them. Just a suggestion... find the actual tele# for West Coast Customs in LA and call Ish. Ask for him as if you're someone he might know -- without actually lying about it, of course -- and ask him only about the headliner, taking up VERY LITTLE of his time on the issue. Hey, you never know... he may speak with you and help. If it doesn't work you haven't lost anything except the price of a phone call.

Just for the record, I lived in Tampa, Florida when I worked for my in-law at the car lot. The 3M stuff always held up for the few headliners I did... at least it stayed while we still owned the cars.

Like I said, I've seen Ish and others use all types of fabric for headliner material. Still, does anyone know if any of West Coast Custom's work has failed in the past? No! And you can bet they would tell as few people as possible if something did fail, considering their high profile reputation. I have noticed Ish always uses what appears to be a professional paint sprayer when gluing material to interior panels and headliners. So he has to use either some expensive pro stuff for gluing, or companies such as 3M sell him glue by the bucket.

Anyway, if I hear anything I will be glad to pass it along to you. I know a few detailers and interior guys in my area... I will ask around for you when I get some time.

Sorry I couldn't be of more help.

 

One more thing...

... I remember someone telling me about this stuff and I finally remembered the name. It's supposed to be pretty good, and it gets mainly 5 star ratings on Amazon, as you will see. Considering your frustration, maybe it's worth a try. Yes, no?


Amazon.com: Permatex 27828 Body Shop Carpet & Headliner Spray Adhesive, 16.75.oz Net Wt: Automotive


Also, if you look down on the link page you can purchase rollers for smoothing out the headliner and making sure all surfaces are adhering after applying the glue.

Let us know how it goes... and good luck!

BTW, your ride looks GREAT!

 

Looking forward to seeing you all at the dragon again this year

 

Thanks annunc8! I'll consider giving Ish a call and see how that works out. I'm definitely going to try ordering some of that Permatex adhesive, especially since it's a "High Temperature forumla". The 3M has definitely performed the best for me so far, maybe I'm just not laying it on thick enough. idk. I'll probably be redoing it again before the dragon run in October...

Speaking of which, can't wait to see you again frk! Any new mods we can expect to see?

 

Its lowered, that's it really. No big deal lol.

 

dragon? whats that? and where?

 

Tail of the Dragon at Deals Gap, motorcycle and sport car two lane tourism serving Tail of the Dragon at Deals Gap, Cherohala Skyway, Moonshiner28, Devils Triangle, and Six Gap North Georgia.

 

Well I have done something else to my car finally!...kinda of



Just have to get some tires and lowering springs.

 

It's where you need to be in October!!! We need more Fits!

 

what wheels are these? they look like xxr's, but i thought the offset on xxr's wouldn't work on our ge's?

 

^^^ So far they fit fine, I just have to order tires and my springs. I need some more money, I got a good deal on this so tires had to wait. Looking at getting 195/50r15 S.drives.

 

Curious... why 195/50-15 instead of 195/50-16 or 195/55-16?

Either (especially the 195/55-16) would set your speedo off less than the 195/50-15 you're thinking of. Mainly curious as to why 15" instead of staying with 16" rims.

Thanks!