I posted on another forum looking for the correct name or part number but no help. I'm looking for a piece I call, "trim" which is probably not the right name. If anyone knows the right name or part number, it would help me source it. Since a "picture is worth a 1,000 words, maybe these pics will help.

This is the plastic (I'll call it trim) that is at the leading edge of the sliding roof shade. It has an indetation for fingers to manually slide it bback. Vents let in air if the back back of the sun roof it tilted up. When the sun roof is closed or the back tilted up if you slide it back manaully, you see the glass roof with the sun shining it or stars at night. When you open the sunroof with the switch the motor slidethe roof part and pushes the shade back. Wirh it completely open, you could stick your hands up to wave or even raise up and poke you head or body out. The headlione fabric is tucked under this "slider-back-holder-trim-thing.

On my 1999 A6 it was broken in several pieces. Not having a part number or real name, I drew a blank trying to find a replacement. If you look close at the upper side that doesn't show, it has epoxy with thin wire reinforcement. In this area, the epoxy or wires don't interfere with when it would be in place. There used to be clips to hold it but they're gone. My plan was to drill little holes through the plactic into the fabric and headliner backer and use small, short screws to hold it.

Unfortunately, I can't get the slotted back edge of the "trim" to go over the stiff headliner backer. There doesn't appear to be anything interfering. I'm afraid if I put too much pressure it will break and I'll have to epoxy it again.. This has happned several times just handling it. The pictures show it from several angles including a close up of the slot which is supposed to go over the headliner backer with the ffabric tucked into slot.

Does anyone have ideas?

 

Great description and pics. ( I removed them for expediency.) Yes, the bain of old plastic that is previously broken and dries out. Read through all of my post and see what you think.. If it makes sense, gently sand off the previous repair and let it break apart. Sometimes the old epoxy works against you, especially when you try to install the part again.

Find some fine mesh like tape to act as a new base for the epoxy you want to use. I believe the tape use by drywallers might be good for this (a fiberglass mesh). Use an epoxy with long cure time (6 to 24 hours) as this is always the strongest bond type. JB Weld makes great products, the strongest is the long cure with the metal powder, but it remains a dark grey colour. You could use a bit of fast cure hot clear super glue (it flows like water!!!) to initially hold together pieces (both smaller and big) to get a complete part to start the restoration. If there are fine cracks in the plastic the hot super glue can actually flow into some cracks that are slightly open. Get a box of disposable nitrile gloves that fit you well. You will likely go through a few if you have to hold some pieces together with some pressure with the super glue sets up. I always seem to get some epoxy ( fast or slow cure ) on my gloves and change them often as to not get epoxy on skin or on other things. If using fast cure hot epoxy and holding parts for together, you might glue the glove to the piece. Just pulling away let the glove break. You can sand that glove piece off and / or pull off with a tweezer or small plier. Once you have what you need, then cut the tape to the width and length you need to place on the part. If the tape doesn't like to stick, then hold it in place with gloves on keeping the tape in place with a toothpick and using the fast flowing (Hot) super glue.. You can hardly see the 'hot' water like super glue, so use a good light above you. It does not take much hot glue to hold down the tape. You can use small bits of tape to create your new base and move across as it will make it easier it you need to super glue it down. If the tape sticks by itself that would be great. Cover as much of the part you can on the unseen area with this tape. Hopefully an area that the headliner doesn't touch as you install it. But I think you will have a very strong part at the end of this.

Once you have the tape installed (its like you are are about to be a drywaller and using drywall mud to cover taped joints) then you have a choice. You could apply the super glue over the mesh tape (a couple of layers dying in between) and forgo the JB weld. The super glue or other epoxy is the "drywall mud" and the mesh tape holds it in place. But you don't have to use a bunch of glue or epoxy to hide the tape mesh, you are simply creating a new thin layer of plastic to hold the part together like new.

The person who repaired it the first time was thinking, and using the wire somewhat like the mesh tape to create longer stronger bond. If the part is under great stress, you could add a very thin but hollow solid brass or aluminum bar (the type you can buy in hobby shops that supply parts for remote control model planes that people fly) and use some JB weld to secure the bar over any joints that you have repaired with tape epoxy system. Practice on some other broken plastic if you think you need to. Have patience and walk away and let the epoxy dry thoroughly after each thin layer you add. You can sand down any lumps that appear if they get in the way of next layer or install. Use a 120 or finer sandpaper to get a relatively smooth surface trying to avoid removing too much. Use you fingers to feel for relative smoothness. The sandpaper will clog up quickly with epoxy dust so change that often too if you need to sand a bigger area.

Trust your repair and try to install. You could use a very small amount of bar soap to help the install over the head liner and then remove the soap with a damp cloth afterwards knowin that headliners don't like too much moisture. You will then see how you might use some small screws. If the head of the screws will show a lot, decide what colour the screws should be. Silver or brass? White or Ivory? Or a bit of artist acrylic paint in the colour you choose? Anyways. Practice this ahead of time on some scrap material and see what you think. Getting the right material together can cost a bit, so don't buy too much of anything unless you think you've got this.

Please ask for any clarification. Teaching like this is not the best., but it is a start.





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Great answer. It's refeshing to have a reply from someone who actrually read all of my post. At this point, with super glue and epoxy, it is strong enough, I had a problem using spay glue to hold the fabric so I used "goop" and held it to the backing with spring paper clips. I still couldn't get the grrove to go over the fabric and resin backer. The goop made the edge too thick I then used a dremel with a cut-off wheel to remove the upper part of the groove and the "air duct openings?. See pics.

At this point, it looks like crap but it's the upper part and doesn't show. There are a couple "whoops" where the cut off wheel went too deep and show on the face. Epoxy and paint will hide them before final put together. Messing with the glue, dirty fingers, etc also darkened the fabric. I used some fabric spray, but will have to repeat before I'm done.

With groove cut away, it fits into place b ut th flat place. Of course there's no groove or clips to hold it. My plan was to drill small holes and use screws to hold the trim to the resin fabric back but the flat overlap of the trim isn't wide enough for screws to bite into the backer. The trim didn't shink so maybe there wasn't much overlap on the fabric/backer and relied on the groove and clips to hold it in place.

Placement of the screwes "missed" a point there they'd bite into the resin backer. They wouldn't go into the backer because my holes were didn't mate withthe backer. I couldn't move to edge which would have cracked off the edge. The trim overlaps the opening but only an 1/8" so I have to figure a way to hold in place. Using drywall as a reference, if the back extended over the air ducts, I might be able to screw into the center of the trim but might need to jerry rig something. Looking at the flat side showing holes, i marke a thicker line between the air duct opening, Behind (above) this are thin sections of resin backer. They would hold it but are too thin to screw into. Maybe if I glued a wooden popsicle or tongue depressor stick to bridge aross two of them and used a drywall toggle fastener. Since the wood would be above the headliner and get sunlight. maybe I can find thin metal.

There are three pics.
1. End view of the trim showing the butch job removing upper groove and air ducts. It also shows the width of the flat part.
2, View looking up at the slide back shade and opening for trim. This pic is not as clear but hopefully gets the idea across.
3. Flat side of trim where I drilled holes for the screws. I have since filled with epoxy and will smooth paint. This close up also shows the original break points that are crappy, Epoxy and paint will hide them.

 

It is refreshing to see someone read the full post! And refreshing to see you doing such a valiant effort. The headliner is a tough piece to deal with. You will know the imperfections, but likely no one else will if you don't tell them.. With old but solid running cars, we have to accept a few things that are not quite perfect, but good enough to not cause further inconvenience. You have to decide what you can live with. My cars have few small bruises and paint issues, but at this point not worth spending a lot of money on.