'82 Headliner

[wwundt]

Does anyone have any tips on how to remove the headliner to access the frame holding the moonroof?  The headliner in my Avanti-II is wrapped in white leather and I don't want to damage it.

[wwundt]

When fully closed, the rear edge of my Avanti-II’s moonroof on the passenger side sags, leaving a gap between the glass and the body that allows water to pour into the headliner (and a lot of wind noise).  This is generally a sign that the rear section of the moonroof frame has separated from the body.  Repair normally involves removing the moonroof glass, cleaning the frame and roof surfaces and re-gluing the frame to the roof,  clamping the surfaces together while the glue hardens.

I removed the glass and found that the moonroof frame was securely glued to the body all the way around.  I measured the distance from the lip of the roof to the rail below that the glass rests on and found the distance to be the same on both driver and passenger side.

I also discovered that the passenger side rear double hinge that unfolds when the window is fully closed to kick the rear of the glass up was frozen.  This may be the root of the problem.  I lubricated the hinge, "exercised" it, and hope that fixes it.

While the glass is out, I am replacing all the weatherseals with a new set from Dan Booth. 

A previous owner of my Avanti documented the replacement the moonroof motor, worm gear and block. That work necessitated the removal of the headliner.   I won't have to remove the headliner - hopefully - at this point.

 

Edited November 18, 2019 by wwundt
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[wwundt]

The gasket adhesive cured overnight and today the glass panel went back in. (Note: open the inner sliding panel before installing the glass.  A dab of the adhesive on the tip of a Philip screwdriver holds the screw and washers as you try to find the hole). The double hinges are attached to a springy plate that deflects a bit the first time the roof is closed; the rear of the glass slowly rises to level as the new gaskets compress. I now have a moonroof that closes perfectly and seals tightly. I took the car out for a late afternoon test drive and there is no wind noise.  I like the moon roof, but in the Southwest there is never any need to open it, because it is only for looking at the sky not for ventilation. In Texas, it's either too hot or too cold to open it.  Be happy that you got your moonroof to close and seal properly, now take out the fuse and leave it alone!

Our local car club is having an event this Saturday evening at an old fashioned drive-in to see the movie Ford vs. Ferarri, and I have a date...

[WayneC]

Good information, thanks for posting.

So, apparently you did not have to remove the headliner?

[wwundt]

Thankfully no.  

I found this posted information useful:

QUESTION:

 Anybody got any ideas on how to get the ceiling panel down without wrecking it.  My sunshade is so stuck due to the cold temperatures I can't move it. 

-----------------------------------

I'm not sure what you mean by "ceiling panel," but if it's the headliner, don't even think about taking it down. It's a major job involving glued leather and fabric, and you're almost sure to destroy something in the process. Besides, you still can't get to what you want!

Everything you want to do is done by removing the glass panel itself, a real easy job that takes just a few minutes. Basically you mark their position and then remove the glass stops on either side (I like to remove the deflector first- two screws and it's out, even though you can work with it in), put a towel over the roof paint in front of the opening, run the glass forward lifting the front edge as you go, til the glass is a couple of inches out of the opening, resting on the towel. Take the screws out of the hinges on each side, and lift out the glass. Then slightly bow the center of the sunshade up in the center til it clears the track on one side, and lift out.

Use penetrating oil on the screws for the stops and the deflector for a couple of days first- they'll be rusty, and they break REAL easily.

 

This is a good time to renew the front and rear seals, too, if you want to go that far- and inspect for separation between the glass of the roof panel and the steel bow that's part of the roof mechanism just under the rear edge of the opening (a major source of leaks).

<chuck.lampman@tuff.gatech.edu>  Nov 2000

 

[Bill Hanlon]

I performed this project in the spring of this year. You do the project from the exterior. When bringing up the one side the other started separating. I did it one side at a time and it is now in and does not leak.   

To prepare the metal edged and  get the old epoxy out I used a oscillating saw with a rasp tool bit  

https://www.lowes.com/pd/ROCKWELL-Sonicrafter-Carbide-Oscillating-Tool-Rasp/50188775

I built a jig out of thin ply wood and glued an old towel to to the bottom  to protect the paint and to spread the compression load from the clamps. See the attached photo. 

[wwundt]

Great job!