Who has done their own vinyl top installations and headliner replacements?

[7E-Bodies]

Looking at any possibility of doing my own work on installing a rather hard to get and expensive vinyl top (V1F Dark Green with correct seam) that SMS charged me $800 for it after a 4 month lead time. They also matched my original headliner, less the fade and dry rot. With both on site, I'm wondering if I could handle the job and do it correctly. I remember doing the vinyl tops as a helper when I first hired into the body shop as an 18 year old. My boss would spray the glue and I'd help him stretch out the top. Never had a failure that I can remember, but that was 35 years ago. I've never once tried a headliner, but I did remove the original and everything under it was super clean and rust free. Our best auto upholstery shop is about an hour away and would come to my shop and do both jobs for $300 each plus travel time at shop rate. I'd bet on $1000 by the time he was done. There's one 20 minutes away, but I have no feedback on his work. Thoughts? Advice?

[usraptor]

I did my own headliner.  Made a couple of mistakes that nobody else will ever notice but crawling around on my knees for two days was brutal.   Lots of step by step on the internet and I believe on this site.  I did have somebody else do my vinyl top.  I've seen others on this site that did their own but I'm glad I left that to the professionals.  Personally, if you can get both done for $1k or less, I'd go for it.  Well worth it in my book. 

[RUNCHARGER]

A previous guy screwed up the top on my R/T-SE, I pulled it up and tried to fix it but no dice. Then we hired a professional to lay one on it and he effed it up. Ordered another top and he got it on straight that time. So 3 shots, where you will run into problems is beneath the rear window if you don't hit it right on.  So if you do try it make double sure you have it placed perfect side to side and front to back before you spray any glue on it. Headliner is a bit tricky but it can be fixed if you mess up a bit. (I still can't believe whoever laid the white one on thought it was going to work without properly addressing the SE plug). Note how the pro was off on the seam running beside the rear window, the other seam was farther away of course, then he tried to bunch it below the window, I told him to forget that idea and pull it off.
This episode had me so stressed out I think it is the reason I ended up selling that car.

[7E-Bodies]

Wow. You guys have me spooked. $1000 doesn't seem like that much compared to what can go wrong and getting that top was not easy. A few other members had nightmares getting theirs.

[1972V21Cuda]

I've done a few headliners & they seemed easy to me. You just need a lot of clamps or clips.

[anlauto]

I've been using the same guy for 34 years. I would never attempt it myself...

[headejm]

I've done my own vinyl top installation...twice on the same car. It's not as difficult the second time. 

P.S. i didn't have a helper either time. Super happy with the second one.

[ply64post]

7E-Bodies

Here are a couple sites to look at.

               Jeff
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MC1anP9Trs&t=25s

https://www.legendaryautointeriors.com/installation-videos/

[Mr Lee]

Personally, I think $1000 is a lot. If it were half that I think it would be a no-brainer to have someone do the jobs. But for reference, my guy charged me $250 to put my top on. And he came to my house. This is New Jersey and not only was he the only guy i could find who would travel but he was also the most reasonably priced.  Figure that one out. Shrug. A fellow member here recommended him.  (Thanks again Rich G!)
There was an issue w the top .... The material was cut too wide under the rear window and he had to cut it at the seam, remove some material, pull it tight and make a new seam by folding it over and gluing it. You cant even tell it was done. If I had to figure out how to do that while i was feeling the time pressure of glue drying it may have been bad.  Im glad i hired someone because it was an expensive gator grain top. ($1,200)  id rather someone else be liable if it got messed up

The headliner, which was cheap compared to the top, I did myself and although it's not perfect, my vinyl top guy said that I did a good job. And he even helped me fix it a little bit for free when he did the top.  You need a lot of little clamps and just dont rush it. Clamp it in place all the way around as much as you can before you put it down permanently.  Its a doable job in my opinion.  A soldering iron works good for poking holes for your seat belt clips etc.  Make sure you have those all ready to go and in place and that you can feel the screwheads through the material so you know where to poke through.  And trim it little by little as you go. You can't add material back!   I think the hard part is knowing how tight to pull the material before you poke it through.


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[tparker]

I did both myself. The short answer is you can do them yourself. However, you might want to reconsider. My rational was my top wasn't THAT expensive and if I ruined it I could just get another. Sounds like your is a little more expensive. Mine came out OK, depending on what your definition of OK is. I do have a couple minor issues. I am ok with it but others wouldn't be. I think it is one of those things were you do it once and you've "mastered" it. But of course you only got one shot. My main advise is to have two people. Be careful with the outside temp. You want it warm enough the vinyl is flexible and as stretchy as it can be.

For the headliner, that was probably a little less stressful. This one needed a little more patients. It was easy except I have a wrinkle near the passenger window. I couldn't get it out. It isn't bad at all, but it could be better. Again, it's all doable.

I am not skilled in any of this, but have no problem attempting to do these things... and am broke. LOL. Youtube comes in handy. I found most of the advise and examples from there. It would be a bit more daunting without that resource. Usually you just need to see the basic process and you can pick the rest up.I watch as many as I can to see different processes and some cool tips and tricks

[CHL2T]

I did the headliners twice in my cars. First one in the Challenger was a white replacement for the original, second one is black after I changed the whole interior. These were rather easy, just have to be patient and line everything up and start installing from the center out.

The Charger I did twice as well, one for the original replacement then mice got in, nested  and chewed a hole above the visor, so it got replaced. This one was the same just a bit trickier around the rear window. I agonized over it till I saw pictures of original ones and found that my installation was actually better than factory installed ones.