World Uphol. Headliners

CSteve

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I am waiting for a sample of the World Uphol. headliner material to arrive.

Anyone have any experience with these, match, quality, install problems, satisfaction?

Thanks,

Steve
 

mark99

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From what people have told me, with a couple exceptions, the headliner texture should be the same as sun visors, indents with small 'random' raised lines in horizontal and longitudinal directions
The headliner sample I got from WU does not match that texture
I have bought other material from WU and think they are a fine company

I received samples from lots of places and the only one with close to the correct texture was from SMS fabrics in Portland OR
They matched the texture for a member here with a CSL, in black
After several months and a false start, they sent me the material in a very close (usable) color
The problem, when I was ready to have the pro install it, he said the material is too thick and heavy and it won't stay up
Maybe it would work if you had a non-sunroof car

The headliner in my car seems original based on the glue and foam but no way to know for sure
The pro thought it was original also
It does not have the raised lines, the indents are very similar but the background does not have the raised lines
It has a very fine 'leather' texture
The place in Belgium Lakewell or something like that has material very similar to that
 

CSteve

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From what people have told me, with a couple exceptions, the headliner texture should be the same as sun visors, indents with small 'random' raised lines in horizontal and longitudinal directions
The headliner sample I got from WU does not match that texture
I have bought other material from WU and think they are a fine company

I received samples from lots of places and the only one with close to the correct texture was from SMS fabrics in Portland OR
They matched the texture for a member here with a CSL, in black
After several months and a false start, they sent me the material in a very close (usable) color
The problem, when I was ready to have the pro install it, he said the material is too thick and heavy and it won't stay up
Maybe it would work if you had a non-sunroof car

The headliner in my car seems original based on the glue and foam but no way to know for sure
The pro thought it was original also
It does not have the raised lines, the indents are very similar but the background does not have the raised lines
It has a very fine 'leather' texture
The place in Belgium Lakewell or something like that has material very similar to that
Mark,
I will check out SMS Fabric. When you say it, "does not have the raised lines, the indents are very similar, but the background does not have the raised lines", I assume you are talking about the SMS not the WU fabric. And that the SMS has the "leather" texture but is too heavy and thick.

I feel the pattern is more important than the texture if the color is close to a match. Is there a code or part number for the SMS fabric that you feel is a, "very close(usable) color" so that I can avoid the false starts you experienced?

I agree about WU being a fine company, may fairly new carpet is WU. But I knew this was not going to easy or smooth. My problem is a nickel size mouse hole in the headliner above the back seat. Damn Varmints!! I now have mouse bait and mothballs throughout the car hoping to repel or poison them. I don't care which. Some one on e9 sent me a swatch of old headliner that I was hoping my wizard of an upholstery guy could work with. Sad, not to be. If he can't do it no one can. He took my #3 trunk with all original elephant skin, etc and turned it into an 8++.. Amazing guy.

Thanks, Steve
 

mark99

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the SMS does have the raised lines, the only one I have found
But not usable for me, due to thickness weight
Pattern = texture
 

zinz

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I'm getting very close to needing a proper headliner material... Mark, do you really think the SMS will work on a non-sunroof car?

Ed
 

CSteve

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I'm getting very close to needing a proper headliner material... Mark, do you really think the SMS will work on a non-sunroof car?

Ed
No Sunroof. I gather the SMS is too thick and heavy. I will see what my upholstery guy says and let you know.
 

mark99

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My car has a sunroof
With a sunroof the headliner material is glued on to foam which is glued the the ceiling
The upholstery guy came over to do it and said the (SMS) material is too thick (heavy) and over time it will sag
I am speculating that it might work with an non-sunroof car because they have bows
I don't really know though
It would be difficult for me to ask the upholstery guy his opinion, my car is not here etc.
I have not decided what to do with the SMS material yet, I might keep it to try and recover some sun visors
It was very difficult and very time consuming to get this far with SMS, and disappointed it is to me it is unusable
I plan on using a piece that I bought from another member if the upholsterer can get the storage wrinkles out
 

zinz

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My non-sunroof car does not have the bows, but uses a large, fiberboard panel that clips to the ceiling on the edges. The headliner is glued to that panel along with a foam liner.

Oh well... I suppose I'll be purchasing something that will "have to do"

Ed
 

mark99

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In my sample quest I did get some from Carl
The color didn't seem quite right (and the pattern) but I have since found that I can have vinyl paint matched to a sample
I am considering 'painting' the visors and / or panel (mine were painted black by PO)
I have not tried it yet
 

CSteve

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Close but not original I believe.
I will give Carl a call. That way I will have three samples, WU, Carl and SMS. Does anyone have a Lakewood sample they can send me to compare?

Steve ONeill PO Box 61 Solebury, PA 18963
 

Gransin

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I have the Lakewell headliner, it isn't anywhere near the original in looks, it doesn't bother me but it's not the way to go if you want it to look original.

Here is the best closeup I have of the material, the color is lighter than it appears in this picture.
Untitled 2.jpg


A couple of other pictures:

DSC_06501.jpg

DSC_06561.jpg
 

CSteve

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I have the Lakewell headliner, it isn't anywhere near the original in looks, it doesn't bother me but it's not the way to go if you want it to look original.

Here is the best closeup I have of the material, the color is lighter than it appears in this picture.
View attachment 40720

A couple of other pictures:

View attachment 40721
View attachment 40722
Thanks Gransin. You are right, I am looking for as close to original as possible. Glad it does not bother you. Steve
 
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