Headliner removal for Moonroof work

[Zedman]

If there is anybody out there that provide any guidance / advice om removing a headliner (on an '1981 model or thereabouts) and / or getting at the bulk of the 'Moonroof' , I'd really like to hear from you.  My Moonroof .   I feel that I need to dive into investigating the Moonroof Before I get involved with repainting the body in 2025.  I've already fished out some rusted sheetmetal from up there and  know that I'm in for heartache if i don't investigate it now. whehter I repair it or delete it- only investigation will determine that path.  The sliding panel in the ceiling is stuck and had to be pushed back forcefully just to gain a small opening, so far.

[mfg]

The moonroof glass, sliding panel etc. are all removed from the top… I’d go as far as possible from outside your Avanti… and at that point headliner access should be a lot better.

[Zedman]

5 hours ago, mfg said:

The moonroof glass, sliding panel etc. are all removed from the top… I’d go as far as possible from outside your Avanti… and at that point headliner access should be a lot better.

Thanks MFG- not quite what I expected but wilco on that....

[ronmanfredi]

On 12/19/2024 at 9:08 PM, Zedman said:

If there is anybody out there that provide any guidance / advice om removing a headliner (on an '1981 model or thereabouts) and / or getting at the bulk of the 'Moonroof' , I'd really like to hear from you.  My Moonroof .   I feel that I need to dive into investigating the Moonroof Before I get involved with repainting the body in 2025.  I've already fished out some rusted sheetmetal from up there and  know that I'm in for heartache if i don't investigate it now. whehter I repair it or delete it- only investigation will determine that path.  The sliding panel in the ceiling is stuck and had to be pushed back forcefully just to gain a small opening, so far.

I removed almost all of the moonroof on my 82 to repair the separated frame from the fiberglass roof.  You have to open up the sunroof itself and you will see a removeable stop on each side down in the track.  Mark the position and take out the screws and stops.  Next, put a couple of layers of 2" wide masking tape at the front of the moonroof on the painted roof.  Then run the moonroof to the closed position and as it gets within a few inches of being all the way close, then lift the front of it out of the channel so it passes over some of the masking tape.  You can now get to the back of it and disconnect it from the drive motor connection.  Once you have it out, then you can remove the headliner panel.  Now it's time to clean the guide tracks, the sunroof assembly, replace any seals (available from Nostalgic Motors) and then reassemble.  If the sunroof frame has separated from the roof skin, then that's another topic on how to repair that.

[Zedman]

23 hours ago, ronmanfredi said:

I removed almost all of the moonroof on my 82 to repair the separated frame from the fiberglass roof.  You have to open up the sunroof itself and you will see a removeable stop on each side down in the track.  Mark the position and take out the screws and stops.  Next, put a couple of layers of 2" wide masking tape at the front of the moonroof on the painted roof.  Then run the moonroof to the closed position and as it gets within a few inches of being all the way close, then lift the front of it out of the channel so it passes over some of the masking tape.  You can now get to the back of it and disconnect it from the drive motor connection.  Once you have it out, then you can remove the headliner panel.  Now it's time to clean the guide tracks, the sunroof assembly, replace any seals (available from Nostalgic Motors) and then reassemble.  If the sunroof frame has separated from the roof skin, then that's another topic on how to repair that.

Hi Ronmafredi-   Much appreciated. Thank you for the detailed procedure to remove the Glass Panel- that will help.  I assume the "Headliner Panel" is the Sliding portion and it's removal isn't problematical... mine is pretty well stuck.  Because I have pulled out some wisps of very corroded mild steel, I daresay some surgery is required to rectify the innards.  I hope I will have enough space to do this without major removal of roof lining et-al.

[ronmanfredi]

12 hours ago, Zedman said:

Hi Ronmafredi-   Much appreciated. Thank you for the detailed procedure to remove the Glass Panel- that will help.  I assume the "Headliner Panel" is the Sliding portion and it's removal isn't problematical... mine is pretty well stuck.  Because I have pulled out some wisps of very corroded mild steel, I daresay some surgery is required to rectify the innards.  I hope I will have enough space to do this without major removal of roof lining et-al.

Once the glass is out, the sliding portion of the head liner will lift right out.  You'll find some corrosion, pieces of extra headliner material that has fallen down into it's tracks, etc.  Before you do anything else, get some plastic, etc, and some tape and block off the interior so no trash falls into the inside of the car.

I had to reglue all of the headliners overlapping edges around the sunroof frame once everything was out, which wasn't a big deal.  I used a scotch brite pad to clean the metal tracks, etc.  There was a lot of small trash on top of the headliner base, below the roof panel, so I took my air compressor and a vacuum cleaner to get all the trash out.  I placed the a compressor hand held air nozzel on one side of the gap (passengers side)  and the vacuum on the drivers side so as I blew the stuff around, it hit the vacuum cleaner as it exited the gap. 

My frame had come loose from the roof panel.  If yours has too, then I know exactly how to fix that too.  The attached photo shows you what to look for. 

[Zedman]

On 12/27/2024 at 1:31 AM, ronmanfredi said:

Once the glass is out, the sliding portion of the head liner will lift right out.  You'll find some corrosion, pieces of extra headliner material that has fallen down into it's tracks, etc.  Before you do anything else, get some plastic, etc, and some tape and block off the interior so no trash falls into the inside of the car.

I had to reglue all of the headliners overlapping edges around the sunroof frame once everything was out, which wasn't a big deal.  I used a scotch brite pad to clean the metal tracks, etc.  There was a lot of small trash on top of the headliner base, below the roof panel, so I took my air compressor and a vacuum cleaner to get all the trash out.  I placed the a compressor hand held air nozzel on one side of the gap (passengers side)  and the vacuum on the drivers side so as I blew the stuff around, it hit the vacuum cleaner as it exited the gap. 

My frame had come loose from the roof panel.  If yours has too, then I know exactly how to fix that too.  The attached photo shows you what to look for. 

Hi Ronmanfredi- Thanks heaps for your advice and the photo. This will be a great help moving forward. My Frame is, thankfully, still attached to the roof. Sounds like the difficulty moving the Blind is the result of muck jamming it all up.

[ronmanfredi]

15 hours ago, Zedman said:

Hi Ronmanfredi- Thanks heaps for your advice and the photo. This will be a great help moving forward. My Frame is, thankfully, still attached to the roof. Sounds like the difficulty moving the Blind is the result of muck jamming it all up.

Yes, don't be surprised to see headliner material and other junk in there.  The headliner edges on the top side of the sliding piece may have come loose as well.

[Geoff]

This is an interesting subject for me to follow for future reference (a handful of years down the road), though in the immediate future (Spring '25) I actually want to separate my moonroof frame from the roof panel. How best shall I go about performing said operation? I have no headliner, that step is clear. I see what appears to be putty clumps at the seam. Shall I grind those with a rotary tool, or oscillating multi-tool?

[ronmanfredi]

On 12/29/2024 at 2:25 PM, Geoff said:

This is an interesting subject for me to follow for future reference (a handful of years down the road), though in the immediate future (Spring '25) I actually want to separate my moonroof frame from the roof panel. How best shall I go about performing said operation? I have no headliner, that step is clear. I see what appears to be putty clumps at the seam. Shall I grind those with a rotary tool, or oscillating multi-tool?

It's epoxy so you can try and scrape it off the roof panel with a putty knife first (use a light duty hammer and see if it will pop off.  If not, try the same thing on the frame side of the roof)  If either works, then you'll just have to grind off what's left on the roof.  If not, then an oscillating tool might work or a hacksaw blade if it will fit in between the roof and frame.

[Zedman]

On 12/31/2024 at 8:55 AM, ronmanfredi said:

It's epoxy so you can try and scrape it off the roof panel with a putty knife first (use a light duty hammer and see if it will pop off.  If not, try the same thing on the frame side of the roof)  If either works, then you'll just have to grind off what's left on the roof.  If not, then an oscillating tool might work or a hacksaw blade if it will fit in between the roof and frame.

Geoff , whenever you tackle this job, would you mind posting a few pics so we can see what things look like behind all the coverings- everything helps.

Edited January 4 by Zedman

[WayneC]

In case you haven't seen this, it may help some... https://studebaker-info.org/Tech/lampman_moonroof.html

[Zedman]

5 hours ago, WayneC said:

In case you haven't seen this, it may help some... https://studebaker-info.org/Tech/lampman_moonroof.html

Thanks Wayne-  Looks like I need to spend a bit more time poking about my project.  Yes, I've seen it but maybe I oughta be more diligent reading it, especially where it sez... Except for access to the rear support feet, all work is done from the outside of the car- removal of the headliner is not necessary.

 

Edited January 6 by Zedman

[Geoff]

On 1/4/2025 at 6:06 PM, Zedman said:

Geoff , whenever you tackle this job, would you mind posting a few pics so we can see what things look like behind all the coverings- everything helps.

I sure can. I'm in the northeast US and only have a driveway available so maybe by late March but more likely mid-April is when I'll return to my project. She's got a nice heavy duty outdoor car cover on her now.

Ultimately I'm going to remove the factory inbuilt moonroof and find another car's spoiler moonroof to install. The spoiler type vent at rear (as do many) and slide open but the panel slides above the roof. I was advised by ASC sunroofs & leather interior this change could give as much as 1.5" additional headroom. I kinda like the notion of that.