Saved. I don't know how much $$ they give for these but I need it desperately.
BUILD THREAD Sweet Johnny & Gina: A Love "Two Large" To Fail
- Thread starter Sweet_Johnny
- Start date
I didn't have the time or patience. That foam is such an incredible problem for me that I refused to try and mess with it in the car because there's nothing like the rainstorm that occurs if you so much as touch it. This is the most dilapidated, disintegrated headliner I've ever seen, to the point that I tried cutting the fabric that was hanging down with a brand new razor and it tore 12" away. Not because the razor sucked or I don't know how to use one, it's that rotten. Scissors worked since they put 0 strain on the fabric to foam relationship. The worst part is that the foam is literally ALL there, just waiting to ruin your day.
A single particle of that junk blinds me painfully until I remove my contacts and clean them, so I settled for gently vacuuming the ceiling using my finger to keep a gap. If I were to rip it all down I'd be absolutely covered, the interior would also be covered, and I had just vacuumed the whole thing. It would also require a breathing apparatus because the foam is 100% powdered cancer, and I work with enough of that as it is. It's so bad that if you were to try and remove the rotten foam you'd better get absolutely all of it or you'll go blind driving to work, and there's no way I'd get it all. It's also quite difficult to do that while not stepping through rotten floorpans or continuing to rip sun faded seat upholstery- I tore the hell out of the rear seat. At this stage of the game containment was a better option than remediation.
However, your prescribed technique is exactly what I have planned for when I'm not fighting gravity and making a God-awful mess right above my eyeballs. In fact, I've done it before. Please remember that this is my daily driver, I'm in dire straits, and this is not a project I took on for fun. It may not be pretty but I'm doing what's necessary to get by.
Also, I promise I don't have an attitude and I don't mean to be disrespectful in any way. I apologize if it seems like I'm being defensive.
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I don't think anyone is accusing you of being disrespectful. But I offer some free advice, take it or not.
Anytime you drop $$ for cars and get into project status, it's now YOUR problem to solve as the previous owner transferred those problems to you. Rarely do you find cars parked under a tree that don't need any medical attention. I mean, you need to ask yourself, why did they get parked there to begin with? Being enamoured with a particular project sometimes clouds the eyes and realization that you just MIGHT be biting off more than you can chew. You needed to find some transportation for work, and wanting this particular car for whatever reason. So it's up to you to meet that deadline to get it ready for reliable drives to work and back.
We've all been there. Car poor, no extra money, and still needing a little help figuring out how to fix our cars. Cars eat money if you throw any amount at it. Some more than others. The good thing is, once they're paid for, they only eat insurance, fluids, and repair parts, your time, and bits of your flesh and blood, literally, from time to time. If you can't afford to play the game this week, park it and wait until next week. It's about budgeting and prioritization of the project. I get that you are in a pickle with needing it for transportation, and you're getting there. But keep your expectations in reality.
You can keep the headliner boogers out of your eyes if you take your vacuum cleaner and suck off most of the dead foam as you go. Wear some goggles for eye protection, and a Covid mask for nose/mouth. DO NOT go straight on and suck the styrofoam board to the hose. Always at an angle. Pull the fabric away from the headliner and suck up the dried foam bits as you go. Use a gloved hand to gently rub across any dried foam that doesn't fall off with the hose ready to suck up the falling crap. It will fall off when you rub it. Believe me, I've done this and it works. Quit being a pu-ss. 🙂 Once you get the fabric off and most of the foam boogers off, then you can take out all the inside trim and commence removing your headliner from the car. You can actually drive it like that for a while if you have to without ANY chance of foam or fabric drooping down on you. Then recover the headboard as you get time and $ to do so.
Anytime you drop $$ for cars and get into project status, it's now YOUR problem to solve as the previous owner transferred those problems to you. Rarely do you find cars parked under a tree that don't need any medical attention. I mean, you need to ask yourself, why did they get parked there to begin with? Being enamoured with a particular project sometimes clouds the eyes and realization that you just MIGHT be biting off more than you can chew. You needed to find some transportation for work, and wanting this particular car for whatever reason. So it's up to you to meet that deadline to get it ready for reliable drives to work and back.
We've all been there. Car poor, no extra money, and still needing a little help figuring out how to fix our cars. Cars eat money if you throw any amount at it. Some more than others. The good thing is, once they're paid for, they only eat insurance, fluids, and repair parts, your time, and bits of your flesh and blood, literally, from time to time. If you can't afford to play the game this week, park it and wait until next week. It's about budgeting and prioritization of the project. I get that you are in a pickle with needing it for transportation, and you're getting there. But keep your expectations in reality.
You can keep the headliner boogers out of your eyes if you take your vacuum cleaner and suck off most of the dead foam as you go. Wear some goggles for eye protection, and a Covid mask for nose/mouth. DO NOT go straight on and suck the styrofoam board to the hose. Always at an angle. Pull the fabric away from the headliner and suck up the dried foam bits as you go. Use a gloved hand to gently rub across any dried foam that doesn't fall off with the hose ready to suck up the falling crap. It will fall off when you rub it. Believe me, I've done this and it works. Quit being a pu-ss. 🙂 Once you get the fabric off and most of the foam boogers off, then you can take out all the inside trim and commence removing your headliner from the car. You can actually drive it like that for a while if you have to without ANY chance of foam or fabric drooping down on you. Then recover the headboard as you get time and $ to do so.
If I removed anything from the car I'd have to find a place to put it, and this would be the 5th vehicle to have random parts rambling about my father's property. Furthermore, I'm completely unfamiliar with Oldsmobiles, any vehicle with a back seat, or anything with a sunroof. I'd have to find every screw and clip and remove them without breaking or scratching anything, store or replace anything I removed, and have a helluva mess to clean- while not stepping through a missing floor or tearing more upholstery. All of that would've taken much longer than the 10 minutes I invested in putting up the plastic, cardboard, and tape.
Removing all of the trim and cleaning the headliner outside of the car is the proper way to do it, a way to do it inside the car has been posted, and I went with the fastest solution at the time because time was a major factor. I stand by my choice.
Removing all of the trim and cleaning the headliner outside of the car is the proper way to do it, a way to do it inside the car has been posted, and I went with the fastest solution at the time because time was a major factor. I stand by my choice.
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I just did what I suggested to you about 2 weeks ago in my Grand Prix. I ripped off the hanging headliner and used my shop vac and a body filler spreader to clean off the foam. Then I vacuumed the interior. Interior is nice and clean in these pics.
I also did the same thing in my Malibu. I fought to try and keep the headliner up. One day I was sick of it and I ripped the fabric off and vacuumed it off.
I also did the same thing in my Malibu. I fought to try and keep the headliner up. One day I was sick of it and I ripped the fabric off and vacuumed it off.
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In the last few days I've managed to accomplish a couple things, but nothing too major. Aside from the now rumbling exhaust I also have brighter headlights thanks to Sylvania SilverStar. Here are the old low/high beams at night with the engine running.
This is a SilverStar on the driver's side and the old light on the passenger side.
And these are the new beams all finished.
I'd say it's a vast improvement and money well spent.
I also polished the headlight bezels and the stainless rings that retain the lights. Once I moved on to polishing the bumper I decided I'd make use of my little air compressor setup and just fly through that, the rear bumper, and all the other shiny bits. Well, that didn't happen. Apparently the foam of my brand new Finesse pads had deteriorated quite a bit over the last 15 years, and they all instantly fell apart.
Here's a comparison of the old bezel vs. after a little Mother's Chrome Polish.
And here are the pads that crumbled in my hands. The odd part is they almost felt a bit sticky inside.
This is a SilverStar on the driver's side and the old light on the passenger side.
And these are the new beams all finished.
I'd say it's a vast improvement and money well spent.
I also polished the headlight bezels and the stainless rings that retain the lights. Once I moved on to polishing the bumper I decided I'd make use of my little air compressor setup and just fly through that, the rear bumper, and all the other shiny bits. Well, that didn't happen. Apparently the foam of my brand new Finesse pads had deteriorated quite a bit over the last 15 years, and they all instantly fell apart.
Here's a comparison of the old bezel vs. after a little Mother's Chrome Polish.
And here are the pads that crumbled in my hands. The odd part is they almost felt a bit sticky inside.
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Down here scrap price around 100 depending on the buyer and if it's got all the sh*t inside still
I would have to look at current Kitco price, but those carry about 3 grams..., so worth about 150 platinum.
