Question (about headliners)

[Lee]

Anyone have any preferences/suggestions/recommendations for a shop (TN, AR, MO, MS, AL) to replace a headliner? [Southern Pro Av'n mentioned in the last 170 News] Ditto for repairing/buying a new cylinder ass'y? (will know for sure later but, I may have a leak between the barrel and cylinder head) Regards, Lee

[jwmcgu]

Lee,
Save some money and put it in yourself. It is fairly easy to do. I order mine and all they required was the distances between the bows.
John

[Lee]

I wondered about that ... even talked with Airtex and, I am willing to give it a go. Did you use vinyl or wool? R/Lee

[blueldr]

I prefer vinyl because it's easy to clean. However, wool can be lightly sprayed with water after installation to shrink it into a really professional looking fit.

The headliners I've ordered from Airtex have always been a perfect fit. If you ask, they will also send you enough extra matching fabric to cover the visors.

[CraigH]

I had a professional upholstry shop re-do the interior on N3477D. They had never installed an Airtex headliner before (they make their own) but said it fit beautifully. Turned out costing less than what the shop would have charged to do it themselves. Originally had vinyl, but put in a wool on the re-do. Liked the wool a whole lot better.

[Joe Moilanen]

Ditto om Airtex. I installed the wool one myself and it came out great.

Joe

[cfiatzph]

Remember measure twice cut once! I am having the one on the '56 172 (same exact one as the 170) put in by A&P friend that loves interior work. I'll do side panels etc, but no way for me. I guess I am too ADD. The guy thats going to do my seats told me that he'd show me how to do it because it was easy, so I guess it is. Pat Bartone and my father did the one on the 170 and it came out great, but Pat has some serious attention to detail. From what I hear it is pretty easy just make sure you have it the way you want it before you start cutting off the excess. (if there is any) I'd have Pat and my father do the one for the 172 but my father died and Pat is up in CT not FL now.

Take care.

[Lee]

We are having a couple of couches recoverd and it turns out they do auto, marine and aircraft interiors and their shop is ten minutes from my hangar. I showed them the -170 and they gave me a reasonable price using the Airtex headliner ... for ease of cleaning I decided to go with vinyl which is what the bird had when I bought it. The company I am using does not advertise ... word of mouth only. A friend of mine had them look at his 182 and I gather they now have two jobs! I'll keep you all posted ...