Project StinkBug: Headliners 'n Windlace! Part Four

The final part of the interior "soft" parts installation was the post boards. I could have dropped them off at the local upholsterer, and he'd probably charge me $75 to glue the extra green vinyl that Ciadella included with the interior kit to the card board pieces. I figured I'd try it myself.

The first step is deciding which material to use on the boards. In factory trim, the boards are headliner material on the top half, and vinyl on the bottom half. I went with vinyl on the whole piece, since I figured it would be more durable -- and it would also visually "blend" the post better between the doors.

I already had some good glue products like Super 77, but they don't adhere well to vinyl.
This is the only adhesive that I could find that held the vinyl, and only if clamped and left to cure overnight.

After trimming the vinyl, glue the edges, and clamp them to the board using (lots of) clothes pins.
The paint stirrers help press down the vinyl.

At this point, the board looks like a salami sandwich with ants all over it!

Here's one of the finished post boards. The board has a curve when it's installed,
so it's a little baggy on the front where I did not glue it.

Project StinkBug: Headliners 'n Windlace! Part Three

The Ciadella headliner video installation highlights the way to tug the headliner around the sides and push it behind the windlace toothed trim, as well as tacking the leading edge along the front windshield.

Here's the little money maker (buy at Harbor Freight) you can use for pushing the headliner fabric up behind the windlace trim. The tool is clean, small, smooth, and contoured - position so that it's pointing away from the trim teeth. If pointing toward them, it'll catch on the teeth and get stuck frequently. Notice the blue tape used to mark the holes for the coat hook, visors, and rear view mirror. I put screws in the holes and marked them with tape to carefully cut the headliner above them later.

Here's the cardboard sail panel with some headliner material glued on. I made sure both sail panels had the fabric match directionally, but did not feel the need to match them to the headliner itself. (It seems to match fine though.) This is a friction fit under the back glass gasket and the parcel shelf. Leave a fabric flap to let it slide under the parcel shelf.

Project StinkBug: Headliners 'n Windlace! Part Two

Here I continue with the windlace installation and will focus on the vertical runs at the A pillar and at the C pillar.

Here's the windlace guide at the foot well. It attaches with a few screws. This should be painted body color, although I chose not to clearcoat mine, since it had some minor dings and dents. I installed the windlace while this was installed on the car, although some folks may do it the other way.

When the guide is installed, you need to make sure there's some room at the edge of the dashboard, so the vinyl flap can be pushed up and behind the dash. Bend the guide slightly to make room if needed.

Here's the second place there may be a fitment issue.

Any unneeded widening of the guide should be tightened slightly so the windlace welting fits snugly.

Here's a similar tool to what I used during the headliner installation. (More on that later.) Push the welting into the guide channel firmly and flatly. This can be time consuming to get it right.

With the welting installed, cut the vinyl flap so that it can be inserted behind the dash.

Here's the finished product. I also bought, painted, and installed a set of dash end caps, since mine were missing. I painted them with the green lacquer paint from a can (and brushed them), and sprayed enamel clear on top. It was a quick fix, but looks fine. (These were slightly rusty originals on eBay for $15 instead of the $20 new ones stamped in China last month.)

At the C pillar, there's a quarter board that is stapled to the windlace backer board along the door frame, after the windlace is stapled to it.

A quick flip of the board, and you have a nice installation. Make sure the install height is correct, and the flap fits flush when folded back.