Headlining swop .

[bigoldboy]

Hi everyone . The headling in my 1972 4s is not in good condition with a couple of tears and looking really scruffy but I've been given access to a 1982 4 GTL with a sort of one piece solid headling that looks like it could be removed in one go . Does anyone know if the one piece could be fitted into my car with the scruffy lining removed . My headlining has the edges with cardboard strips tucked behind a metal rim .
Advice would be gratefully received .

 

[Merkator Fontana]

The headlining of a 1980tl and my 1990 gtl was identical, if you are thinking about that vinyl (usually beige ) one. Don't know much about other types , there might be some i am not familiar with.
You have three screws and sunvisors in the front to remove , and after that you start taking out the metal rods and gently pulling out the ends of the lining . Putting it back goes other way round and is generally a bit trickier.
I have put a layer of foam inside which is supposed to reduce booming , but it wouldn't advise it since it will make your lining droopy and difficult to tighten .

 

[edwin]

Hi. The one piece hard plastic ceiling is good. You can spray it to refresh the colour, you can repair it. It comes out as one piece, three screws at the front, sun visors and mirror, and some of those same colour mushroom clips above the hatch. I put in some of the multi foil hi tech building insulation above it, like lots of layers of emergency mirror blanket, which keeps it a bit cooler in summer and reduces drumming. I think a lot easier that putting in the fabric ceiling.

 

[bigoldboy]

The headlining of a 1980tl and my 1990 gtl was identical, if you are thinking about that vinyl (usually beige ) one. Don't know much about other types , there might be some i am not familiar with.
You have three screws and sunvisors in the front to remove , and after that you start taking out the metal rods and gently pulling out the ends of the lining . Putting it back goes other way round and is generally a bit trickier.
I have put a layer of foam inside which is supposed to reduce booming , but it wouldn't advise it since it will make your lining droopy and difficult to tighten .

Thanks for that. The roof lining in the 82 GTL is a one piece plastic affair in beige that looks like it is quilted so I may try and get it out . My worry is will it fit into my 1972 4s because it has a rim around the edge of the roof to bend the metal over the cardboard on the edge of the roof material .

 

[bigoldboy]

Hi. The one piece hard plastic ceiling is good. You can spray it to refresh the colour, you can repair it. It comes out as one piece, three screws at the front, sun visors and mirror, and some of those same colour mushroom clips above the hatch. I put in some of the multi foil hi tech building insulation above it, like lots of layers of emergency mirror blanket, which keeps it a bit cooler in summer and reduces drumming. I think a lot easier that putting in the fabric ceiling.

Hi Edwin . Thanks for your reply . I think I will try and get the one piece plastic roof lining out before I have a go at my material lining . After what you said about the one piece lining my only concerns are getting it out in one without damaging it . Do you know if it will go straight into my 1972 4s because my car has the material roof with a cardboard edging that hooks behind a curled metal rim in the roof .
Thanks again .

 

[harbourseal]

Hi @bigoldboy, you need to remove the rim for the vinyl liner before you attempt to put the hardshell liner in.

Removing the hardshell from the GTL might be a bit tricky.
You need to start with prying it over the rim in one of the back corners. And make your way to the front until it is completely loose and leans over to the one side.
Only then you can take it out through the backdoor.
Do not attempt to undo both sides at the same time.
These hardshells can become brittle and break when under stress.

 

[edwin]

I don't know if it will fit. You will have to ask somebody else about that. Derek Flavell at Renospeed knows just about everything, and so do a few of the chaps on this forum. Just ask the question. I slid the ceiling panel out backwards through the back hatch, and it went back in the same way. Mine had a hole in it, but I had most of the bits. Its a bit like UPVC, so I used an adhesive for that, and glued all the bits I had. I then put a layer of fibreglass on the rear, across the whole damaged area to strengthen it, then filled it from the front, bit of careful sanding to maintain the quilt pattern, and then used a Wilco spray can in an ordinary white to do the whole roof, and it looked like new. Could not find the damage.

 

[bigoldboy]

Hi @bigoldboy, you need to remove the rim for the vinyl liner before you attempt to put the hardshell liner in.

Removing the hardshell from the GTL might be a bit tricky.
You need to start with prying it over the rim in one of the back corners. And make your way to the front until it is completely loose and leans over to the one side.
Only then you can take it out through the backdoor.
Do not attempt to undo both sides at the same time.
These hardshells can become brittle and break when under stress.

Thanks for the advice . I will try to remove the hard roof liner from the GTL first . I'll keep my fingers crossed and take it slow .
Regards

 

[bigoldboy]

Thanks for the advice . I will try to remove the hard roof liner from the GTL first . I'll keep my fingers crossed and take it slow .
Regards

Just quick question . My 4s is the off white colour and I've been looking for a touch up spray but without any luck . Which is the colour code on the plates or can you advise the name of the colour .
Thanks again .

 

[edwin]

somebody on the forum was doing a complete list of all the colours. There are companies here in the UK that will scan your vehicle and work out the colour, make it up in cans, sprays or touch up. So it picks up the faded aged colour rather than the brand new colour. My local one is Turners Trade Paints in Cannock. If you have a bit of the painted car, old wing etc that you can cut a bit off and post it to them, then you can get the exact match. I expect there may be a company in spain that can do it.

 

[harbourseal]

Just quick question . My 4s is the off white colour and I've been looking for a touch up spray but without any luck . Which is the colour code on the plates or can you advise the name of the colour .
Thanks again .

There should be a colourcode Sticker on the righthand inner wing.
But it being a Spanish build car It may be somewhere else.
Or it is stamped Stamped somewhere underneath the bonnet.

 

[laxeian]

My Spanish built van has it spray stencilled right top front of inner wing, same place as harbourseal suggests.

 

[bigoldboy]

My Spanish built van has it spray stencilled right top front of inner wing, same place as harbourseal suggests.

My car is where we live in Spain and does have " SW" stenciled on the top of the left inner wing under the water bag . Now I need to work out how and where to buy one or two touch up Spray cans .
Thank you for the advice (expat )

 

[laxeian]

No probs, may also be of help in the future to you ( if not already sorted) here in Spain is this insurance company, all through the internet:- seguroscea@segurocea.es you will be looking for a policy in the ‘coche classico’ heading. Through this company I have insured my van for €145 a year from what I was paying through brokers a saving of over half! Also as an expat if you have got health insurance here don't go through a broker go direct, my English broker from Gibraltar was charging me three times the actual price of going direct to company, sometimes the language problem is a lot cheaper to deal with than, although a little more trouble......

 

[bigoldboy]

No probs, may also be of help in the future to you ( if not already sorted) here in Spain is this insurance company, all through the internet:- seguroscea@segurocea.es you will be looking for a policy in the ‘coche classico’ heading. Through this company I have insured my van for €145 a year from what I was paying through brokers a saving of over half! Also as an expat if you have got health insurance here don't go through a broker go direct, my English broker from Gibraltar was charging me three times the actual price of going direct to company, sometimes the language problem is a lot cheaper to deal with than, although a little more trouble......

Hello again . Thanks for the info on insurance because I will need to be covered when the car goes for an ITV but that's another story . My car has not had an ITV since 2017 so I believe that it has to be trailered to a test station . This is where it gets complicated because our local garage is struggling to book tests and I still need to do a few jobs on my car (Betty) so it's a case of getting the timing right with repairs , insurance , booking a trailer and having a test booked . Our nearest test station is 40 minutes away so don't want to repeat this trip to often . My wife and I are pensioners and don't pay for any health insurance .

 

[edwin]

Nice looking car. Is that an original arrangement of fittings, or have you added things and details that you liked?

 

[bigoldboy]

Nice looking car. Is that an original arrangement of fittings, or have you added things and details that you liked?

It was quite a mess when I bought it so I've been trying to tidy the car up aswell as things like new steering rack good service etc . I'm in the process of changing the door window frames from metal to plastic from a car I can take bits off .

 

[bigoldboy]

It was quite a mess when I bought it so I've been trying to tidy the car up aswell as things like new steering rack good service etc . I'm in the process of changing the door window frames from metal to plastic from a car I can take bits off .

I actually put it up for sale a couple of weeks ago because I was getting fed up with it but didn't get any serious interest . 2500 euros maybe a bit expensive ?

 

[laxeian]

If your car is insured and you book a test you are able to drive to any ITV inspections legally, for booking an appointment go on google, enter ITV cita previa and you will get a list come up, go to your nearest test centre ( the google map will show), click on the site you choose,hit the bar to make an appointment, you will then be asked to enter reg. no, then you pick a date/time slot that suits, email and phone no., you will then receive a confirmation email, it s easy if you just follow each test centres site. Here in Galicia once booked you can drive yourself to test legally, only if you fail seriously will you need a trailer........if its 40mins away it would be a good test drive, by halfway you should feel if the journey is to be a good one or not by how the car is behaving, feels bad return home and rebook, might save you quite a bit in transport fees.

 

[bigoldboy]

If your car is insured and you book a test you are able to drive to any ITV inspections legally, for booking an appointment go on google, enter ITV cita previa and you will get a list come up, go to your nearest test centre ( the google map will show), click on the site you choose,hit the bar to make an appointment, you will then be asked to enter reg. no, then you pick a date/time slot that suits, email and phone no., you will then receive a confirmation email, it s easy if you just follow each test centres site. Here in Galicia once booked you can drive yourself to test legally, only if you fail seriously will you need a trailer........if its 40mins away it would be a good test drive, by halfway you should feel if the journey is to be a good one or not by how the car is behaving, feels bad return home and rebook, might save you quite a bit in transport fees.

That's great advice thank you so much . Regards