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I recently got myself a running 244, though it has had the Southern heat and humidity working on it for three decades. I've got a line on most everything inside that's a problem, except headliner (that, and who I need to hunt down and slap for the aftermarket radio and alarm wiring, but I'll probably replace the main wiring harness this winter, anyway). The current headliner is a hard layered board, about 5/16" thick, which sags and bounces, as it is only supported at the edges, where it rests on trim and the body. It looks like it was originally meant to be closer to 3/16" thick. The coated bottom layer, that you see from inside the car, seems fine.
Is it best to repair it, or replace it? In either case, what materials and/or methods work the best? I can search, but I get conflicting answers, some of which clearly won't work for this car anyway, and some if which gloss over dealing with wires and the dome light.
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This is indeed an interesting and uncommon subject. I've had a few 244s and seen countless in the yards without ever seeing something like what you describe. Even had one to be totally inundated -- a sunroof car at that -- and in the months it took me to pull what wasn't ruined, saw no unusual change to the headliner.
The factory body repair (TP30303/3) shows a procedure to replace the headliner in a 4-door sedan. For the years up to 79 it says the rear window must be removed, but 1980 and beyond (Manual published 1986) it says to remove the complete rear seat to obtain access to the C-pillar side panels. And to disconnect the heated rear window. Only for the 2-door (242) does it show bringing the panel in through the open front door.
--
Art Benstein near Baltimore
"The one thing that I love on a long trip is the occasional smell of diesel. It is one odor I know doesn't get produced by my car."
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See my comment here: https://www.brickboard.com/RWD/volvo/1685147/220/240/260/280/headliner_fits_front_doors.html
This was on an 89, IIRC. It was definitely a 244, I've never parted out a 242 or 245.
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I figured the headliner suffered like the door cards do, where the humidity gets to them, over the years. It's never been garaged (it's last two owners both live in the neighborhood), and the last owner treated it like a beater, until it needed real work, and then parked it. It sat under trees for the last 4 years or so.
That said, is there a digital copy of TP30303/3 to be had? That would probably help save some time and cursing, as there are several little details about which the Haynes and Bentley books are lacking some. There is a physical one on eBay, though...
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Hi,
You have brought up an interesting question that I haven’t seen addressed before on the board.
Have you checked out the little search box here on the board by entering in a question phrase like you used? Google’s engine appears to help with it but you can sift through their garbage.
I have often wondered how a person would get one of those semi-rigid boards into the car unless you have either the front or rear windows out.
I have never seen one out of a car and laying about but I have taken the vinyl ones out of the wagons as they seem to be more vulnerable to having issues small cuts, sagging or getting dirty.
Those liners have steel strips attached to the liner and spring upward to hold the liner in place.
Maybe the harder liner has a similar overhead support system that has failed?
Maybe some tried to remove the headliner before you and broke that system?
The dome light could be a clue as to why it’s flopping?
There’s not many other reasons to even mess with the liner, except to clean it, on my cars but I’m out west.
The outer surface is rather tough but can be delicate though, IMO.
Detailers must used a special weak soap or a well diluted Dawn dishwashing soap with soft and only dampened rags.
The 245’s clean up nicely that way.
Over the years I have seen the harder ones left in place in the parts yards. Demand never seemed to deplete them.
So there should be plenty of them around somewhere.
If you are nearby a yard that might work as shipping one might be tricky?
You might try the place in Atlanta Georgia that seems to warehouse lots of Volvo items from several years back.
Voluparts.com can get you there I think. I have never used them but several Bricksters have.
They seem very helpful to others on the BRICKBOARD.
They may even have cars with with radios and wiring harnesses.
Phil
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With the seats and doors removed, the headliner will fit out through either of the front doors. You just need to angle it right. It doesn't look like it'll work, but it does, I promise. I've done it. I specifically wanted to know this, so I tried it on a car I parted out years ago.
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Hi,
I tried looking up that reference number on the manual too but didn’t find anything.
I looked in to the green books I own for my 1978 GT coupe but it covers the whole model line and only talks about the rear window being removed. Volvo didn’t put a lot of description on the subject.
My manual only talks about removing rear clips above the rear seat, removing the dome light, the rear view mirror and three or four handles provided to assist passenger loading or for clothing hanging behind driver side as not to block the views out the back.
The drivers upper door handle was an option that I added from other JY cars onto my cars for my wife.
I never seem to remember to use them. I’m not to sure how much she uses them but she got them to keep the peace.
I was after the tiny covers anyway, as they seem to deteriorate with age easily.
The headliner seems to do a lot better than those.
I hope Volvo learned a lot from Ford in the way of better plastics on their newer models cars of today.
I believe you are right though that removing the seats or at least one and a door itself will make it possible.
One would have to measure the diagonal opening of the passenger doors to find out. I would exclude the drivers side just because of the steering wheel. The headliner is thin and therefore should allow lots of maneuverability.
It also is understandable that during production line motions both the doors and windows would or could be out of the body structure.
If the headliner is as bad as you say, finding one would greatly improve the overall well being of owning the car, since you are going to great lengths to restore it.
Good On Ya!
Phil
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I plan to have the glass all out of the car, for multiple reasons (like replacing their seals, and getting a good paint job done), so taking it out by the front or rear window should be no big deal, with an extra pair of hands. I have a parts car, but its headliner is in even worse shape, as it has sat untouched, out in the elements, for around a decade, now (that's another story).
From what I can see, looking at it from the side, just loosening some trim, it looks like old fiberboard or OSB, that's separating into the layers it was made from. Maybe those steel strips have loosened or warped, from that? Or, maybe they're supposed to fit somewhere, and if I knew where, they could be popped back in place?
Unfortunately, there are no self-service junk yards, without driving at least a couple hours, nowadays. I'm about an hour and half south of Atlanta, so it's either go all the way past there, or way out into the farmlands. I plan to check a couple out, but I can't do so on a whim, like back when we had pick and pull yards nearby. If any of have actually pulled headliners, or kept some of the cars indoors, or maybe even just covered, they might be alright.
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Just a thought and can't say for sure, but the headliner probably was installed before the seats & console, and maybe the doors too, as it went down the assembly line, so all that may need to come out first if you decide to remove it. I've made a few new vinyl ones for 544's & 122's but they're a whole different ball game.
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