I've just been offered a 1984 Jaguar Sovereign S3 - wasn't looking for one, 
but it just came up....

Major problem is that the headlining is bubbling and sagging, probably due 
to water ingress through the sunroof.  It's not a "proper" 
cloth-over-stretchers job, just cloth glued on to cardboard panels. 
Research so far indicates that it's a pretty major job to refit with new.

I vaguely recall tales of boiling kettles placed inside with the doors shut, 
softening the original glue and shrinking the cloth so that it all goes back 
together as if by magic.  Seems unlikely to me, but anybody had any 
experience of this, or any other ideas?

Thanks,

Geoff

Geoff Mackenzie ("Geoff Mackenzie" ) gurgled
happily, sounding much like they were saying:

> I've just been offered a 1984 Jaguar Sovereign S3 - wasn't looking for
> one, but it just came up....

"It just followed me home, dear, honest..."

> Major problem is that the headlining is bubbling and sagging, probably
> due to water ingress through the sunroof.  It's not a "proper"
> cloth-over-stretchers job, just cloth glued on to cardboard panels.
> Research so far indicates that it's a pretty major job to refit with
> new.

Depends...

> I vaguely recall tales of boiling kettles placed inside with the doors
> shut, softening the original glue and shrinking the cloth so that it all
> goes back together as if by magic.  Seems unlikely to me, but anybody
> had any experience of this, or any other ideas?

Complete and utter bollocks.

The headlining is (usually, no specific Jag experience) foam backed cloth 
glued to a rigid backing board. The cheap crappy foam padding 
disintegrates over time. Since the foam is what's actually glued to the 
board, that leaves the cloth billowing freely. No matter what you do, it 
ain't gonna stick back. Because all you're doing is sticking more 
disintegrating foam to the disintegrating foam that's already stuck 
firmly.

The material's easily available (Woollies - the specialist car trim 
people, not the pikey pick'n'mix people - do a wide range, plus glues) 
and not expensive. I got a big roll with enough to do my Saab 900 and a 
mate's, with a big tin of glue, for about £70 or so.

How big a job it actually is depends on how big a bastard the backing 
board is to get out. On my 900, it's easy to get the board out - mine's a 
3dr, so it just comes out the hatch. On a 2dr 900, you can _just_ get the 
board out the front door. On a 4dr, you might, perhaps, depending on who 
you believe, be able to get it out the boot after removing the parcel 
shelf and back seat. Or you may need to remove the rear window glass. 
Somehow, I suspect an XJ will fall into that last category.

Once the board's out, rip the cloth off, and wire brush the remains of 
the old foam off. Then glue the new foam on and Haynes provides the 
refitting instructions...

Geoff Mackenzie  wrote:

> I've just been offered a 1984 Jaguar Sovereign S3 - wasn't looking for one,
> but it just came up....
> 
> Major problem is that the headlining is bubbling and sagging, probably due
> to water ingress through the sunroof.  It's not a "proper" 
> cloth-over-stretchers job, just cloth glued on to cardboard panels. 
> Research so far indicates that it's a pretty major job to refit with new.

The biggest problem will be getting the old, moulded board out. After
that it's not too hard to stick a new headlining to it.

I need to do the same with my Alfa 75, but I'm absolutely dreading the
removal - apparently you can get it through the passenger door if you're
careful.
-- 
SteveH 'You're not a real petrolhead unless you've owned an Alfa Romeo'
www.italiancar.co.uk - Honda VFR800 - Hongdou GY200 - Alfa 75 TSpark
Alfa 156 TSpark - B6 Passat 2.0TDI SE - COSOC KOTL
BOTAFOT #87 - BOTAFOF #18 - MRO # - UKRMSBC #7 - Apostle #2 - YTC #

"SteveH"  wrote in message
news:1i8rjca.12ub738ig0e3wN%steve@italiancar.co.uk...
> Geoff Mackenzie  wrote:
>
> > I've just been offered a 1984 Jaguar Sovereign S3 - wasn't looking for
one,
> > but it just came up....
> >
> > Major problem is that the headlining is bubbling and sagging, probably
due
> > to water ingress through the sunroof.  It's not a "proper"
> > cloth-over-stretchers job, just cloth glued on to cardboard panels.
> > Research so far indicates that it's a pretty major job to refit with
new.
>
> The biggest problem will be getting the old, moulded board out. After
> that it's not too hard to stick a new headlining to it.
>
> I need to do the same with my Alfa 75, but I'm absolutely dreading the
> removal - apparently you can get it through the passenger door if you're
> careful.

S3 jaguar would need the rear window removeing,
or i,ve seen my local trimer do it in the car just like papering the ceiling
> -- 


> SteveH 'You're not a real petrolhead unless you've owned an Alfa Romeo'
> www.italiancar.co.uk - Honda VFR800 - Hongdou GY200 - Alfa 75 TSpark
> Alfa 156 TSpark - B6 Passat 2.0TDI SE - COSOC KOTL
> BOTAFOT #87 - BOTAFOF #18 - MRO # - UKRMSBC #7 - Apostle #2 - YTC #

Accompanied by the sound of a chisel on slate Geoff
Mackenzie, managed to produce the following
words of wisdom
> I've just been offered a 1984 Jaguar Sovereign S3 - wasn't looking
> for one, but it just came up....
>
> Major problem is that the headlining is bubbling and sagging,
> probably due to water ingress through the sunroof.  It's not a
> "proper" cloth-over-stretchers job, just cloth glued on to cardboard
> panels. Research so far indicates that it's a pretty major job to
> refit with new.
> I vaguely recall tales of boiling kettles placed inside with the
> doors shut, softening the original glue and shrinking the cloth so
> that it all goes back together as if by magic.  Seems unlikely to me,
> but anybody had any experience of this, or any other ideas?

Jags, Range Rovers, Volvos, Saabs and a few other things all did this.

I've had a multitude of Range Rovers like this, and a couple of XJ-S Jags.

Tried everything in the past, easiest way is to attack it with a staple gun.


-- 
Pete M -  OMF#9
"Save your breath for cooling your porridge!
W&P Range Rover V8 Turbo
Scorpio Ultima 24v
Tatra 805

In article ,
   Geoff Mackenzie  wrote:
> I've just been offered a 1984 Jaguar Sovereign S3 - wasn't looking for
> one, but it just came up....

> Major problem is that the headlining is bubbling and sagging, probably
> due to water ingress through the sunroof.  It's not a "proper"
> cloth-over-stretchers job, just cloth glued on to cardboard panels.
> Research so far indicates that it's a pretty major job to refit with new.

> I vaguely recall tales of boiling kettles placed inside with the doors
> shut, softening the original glue and shrinking the cloth so that it
> all goes back together as if by magic.  Seems unlikely to me, but
> anybody had any experience of this, or any other ideas?

Owning an SD1 from the same stable and the same age - possibly even the
same fabric - the answer is not a chance. What happens is the fabric is
foam backed and glued to the compressed fibre (hardboard) former, and the
foam disintegrates. But you can buy a near match from Woolies for about
30-40 quid and replacing it isn't too bad a job - once you've got the
former off. That's time consuming on the SD1 and I can't see the Jag being
any easier. But the end result is well worth it if the rest of the
interior is ok.

BTW, you never got back about those tapes you wanted transcripted?

-- 
*OK, who stopped payment on my reality check?

    Dave Plowman        dave@davenoise.co.uk           London SW
                  To e-mail, change noise into sound.

In article <K0g6j.2881$1j1.2012@newsfe7-gui.ntli.net>,
   susan  wrote:
> > The biggest problem will be getting the old, moulded board out. After
> > that it's not too hard to stick a new headlining to it.
> >
> > I need to do the same with my Alfa 75, but I'm absolutely dreading the
> > removal - apparently you can get it through the passenger door if
> > you're careful.

> S3 jaguar would need the rear window removeing, or i,ve seen my local
> trimer do it in the car just like papering the ceiling

Ah - never occurred to me. The SD1 has a nice convenient hatchback for
getting the former out. But I'd guess it would come out through a back
door if you removed the seat?

-- 
*I love cats...they taste just like chicken.

    Dave Plowman        dave@davenoise.co.uk           London SW
                  To e-mail, change noise into sound.

Dave Plowman (News) ("Dave Plowman (News)" ) gurgled
happily, sounding much like they were saying:

> But I'd guess it would come out through a back door if you removed the
> seat?

You'd be trying to turn it damn near 90 deg, without bending...

Not a chance.

"Dave Plowman (News)"  wrote in message 
news:4f4dbc0889dave@davenoise.co.uk...
> In article ,
>   Geoff Mackenzie  wrote:
>> I've just been offered a 1984 Jaguar Sovereign S3 - wasn't looking for
>> one, but it just came up....
>
>> Major problem is that the headlining is bubbling and sagging, probably
>> due to water ingress through the sunroof.  It's not a "proper"
>> cloth-over-stretchers job, just cloth glued on to cardboard panels.
>> Research so far indicates that it's a pretty major job to refit with new.
>
>> I vaguely recall tales of boiling kettles placed inside with the doors
>> shut, softening the original glue and shrinking the cloth so that it
>> all goes back together as if by magic.  Seems unlikely to me, but
>> anybody had any experience of this, or any other ideas?
>
> Owning an SD1 from the same stable and the same age - possibly even the
> same fabric - the answer is not a chance. What happens is the fabric is
> foam backed and glued to the compressed fibre (hardboard) former, and the
> foam disintegrates. But you can buy a near match from Woolies for about
> 30-40 quid and replacing it isn't too bad a job - once you've got the
> former off. That's time consuming on the SD1 and I can't see the Jag being
> any easier. But the end result is well worth it if the rest of the
> interior is ok.
>
> BTW, you never got back about those tapes you wanted transcripted?
>
> -- 
> *OK, who stopped payment on my reality check?
>
>    Dave Plowman        dave@davenoise.co.uk           London SW
>                  To e-mail, change noise into sound.

Thanks, all.  Sounds like a bugger of a job!  Definitely don't fancy taking 
the rear window out - I'll have another look and see how practical it would 
be to replace the lining with the former still in the car.  It's worth 
doing - the rest of the interior is pretty well perfect.

Dave - thought I emailed you about the tapes?  Will dig them out - 
eventually.

Geoff MacK

In article <475a7e39$0$47138$892e7fe2@authen.yellow.readfreenews.net>,
   Adrian  wrote:
> Dave Plowman (News) ("Dave Plowman (News)" )
> gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:

> > But I'd guess it would come out through a back door if you removed the
> > seat?

> You'd be trying to turn it damn near 90 deg, without bending...

You'd have to bend it too to get it out of the rear window? They will bend
to a certain extent before breaking.

> Not a chance.

OK. Mind, on a Series III Jag the likelihood is the screens are leaking
anyway, so do two jobs at once?

But I suppose it could be done inside the car although would be a
dreadful fiddle.

-- 
*Consciousness:  That annoying time between naps.

    Dave Plowman        dave@davenoise.co.uk           London SW
                  To e-mail, change noise into sound.

"Dave Plowman (News)"  wrote in message 
news:4f4df763d7dave@davenoise.co.uk...
> In article <475a7e39$0$47138$892e7fe2@authen.yellow.readfreenews.net>,
>   Adrian  wrote:
>> Dave Plowman (News) ("Dave Plowman (News)" )
>> gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:
>
>> > But I'd guess it would come out through a back door if you removed the
>> > seat?
>
>> You'd be trying to turn it damn near 90 deg, without bending...
>
> You'd have to bend it too to get it out of the rear window? They will bend
> to a certain extent before breaking.
>
>> Not a chance.
>
> OK. Mind, on a Series III Jag the likelihood is the screens are leaking
> anyway, so do two jobs at once?
>
> But I suppose it could be done inside the car although would be a
> dreadful fiddle.


No leaks at all from the screens, only the sunroof.  In fact, the whole damn 
car is well-nigh perfect - one owner, 80k miles, full main dealer history, 
the lot.  But it has been standing outside for two years since the owner 
shuffled off the plate, hence the water damage.  Don't want to disturb 
anything which doen't need fixing.  Looks like a Japanese Strad job to me.

GMacK

Pete M wrote:

> I've had a multitude of Range Rovers like this,

Last one I scrapped must have been owned by a builder. The entire 
headlining was rigid with pink plaster finished with a tasteful 
Artex-like stipple.