Targa Top Headliners?

RZSR X

RZSR X

True Classic
First I have to say redoing an interior is soo much more enjoyable without a roof over your head!

Speaking of the Targa top, did it come with a headliner?

Is there black vinyl material out there that someone on here knows of that would make for a nicely padded headliner? And where I could find it?

Any pics of your nice headliners...

Thanks,

Carl
 
headliners

pretty sure they only came on the cars with a/c. I have a couple here if you want to see them.....or.
actually you can probably go to any upholstery shop and they will have what you need.
mikemo
oh yea there is a car show tomorrow in downtown Pinole.... only American cars.....but if a few fiats show up and take a prominent and tactical parking spot......;)
mikemo
 
Head liner

My 79 when I purchased it new in 79 did not have a head liner.
8 years latter I purchased a 1980 as a parts car and it had a liner in off white. The car did not have A/C. The 87 I own had factory A/C and came with a head liner.

TonyK.

Grimsby Ontario Canada.
 
What year is your car?

Early cars did not have a headliner (perhaps I'm wrong, but then again I've never personally seen an early car with AC), 1980+'ish do regardless of AC or not.

Other differences, 1974 roofs have a slightly different profile at the rear IIRC. 1975-79 probably are all very similar with few minor engineering changes here and there.
 
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Why is the roof on??? ;)

Just kidding. :)

The headliner will make the roof heavier and reduce headroom. I weighed all the tops I had on hand while I was shuffling cars one day back in 2006.

Saratoga top = 16lbs
78 Stock top - no headliner = 20lbs
86 stock top - with headliner = 25lbs

I rarely drive with the roof on, but then again I don't daily drive my cars. I can see where a little more refinement might be enjoyed if you were in there everyday in weather that occasionally requires a roof.

If you are just looking for a nicer look, I wonder what it would look like with a coating of spray on truck bed liner?
 
Off White headliner is on my '78, and it was a factory A/C car. Truck bed liner paint is a good idea (if it doesn't spray too thick).

There are other textured paints out there too, so if anyone's used any of those and want to report results...
 
The X is a '74 and the underside of the Targa top just looks a bit unfinished to me.

Not a fan of more weight so the textured paint idea is a good one. I could also glue down a single layer of vinyl that matches the area behind the seats and door cards. I do know of an upholstery shop near by that will sell me the vinyl material. But hadn't thought of that until now...

Not to worried about thickness as I would hope to have the top off if I'm wearing my helmet but then there was the auto x on Mt. Bachelor in my VTEC Mini in a light snow storm that I definitely needed a roof over my head for! I actually won my class but only because of the snow! It allowed my sticky tires to slip just enough that I could floor it in 2nd without the tires catching and causing the front end to hop.

Thanks guys. Hey are there any female X owners?

By the way are you all aware that not all car forums are this civilized?
It's good to see that X owners can all get along. :thumbsup:
 
79 with AC here and it has a headliner in off-white.

It appears to be covering something like corrugated cardboard as an insulator. I can say that on a warm sunny day the headliner does reduce the re-radiated heat in the interior.
 
RZSR X said:
The X is a '74 and the underside of the Targa top just looks a bit unfinished to me.
Click to expand...

Who looks up? I don't think I've ever even noticed the underside of my '74's roof - now I'm going to have to look and have you to blame if I find it inferior. Thanks Alot :hrmph:
 
pic

The factory one's I've seen are an off white color like others have said. It's a perforated vinyl:

 
Sorry Zonk, It's not that I look up either but where my X resides the garage is open on one side where there should be windows so I always lay the targa back on top of the car when I'm done for the day.

And as such I see the underside of the top 2x a day!

Now I'm wondering - if all the factory headliners are a shade of white they must have done that to lighten up the inside and make it feel roomier?

Would that be your impression Alex?
 
My 86 had a black headliner

RZSR X said:
Now I'm wondering - if all the factory headliners are a shade of white they must have done that to lighten up the inside and make it feel roomier?

Would that be your impression Alex?
Click to expand...

My 86 had a black headliner, so the late model cars were not all white.
 
RZSR X said:
Sorry Zonk, It's not that I look up either but where my X resides the garage is open on one side where there should be windows so I always lay the targa back on top of the car when I'm done for the day.

And as such I see the underside of the top 2x a day!

Now I'm wondering - if all the factory headliners are a shade of white they must have done that to lighten up the inside and make it feel roomier?

Would that be your impression Alex?
Click to expand...

I'm guessing the color has to do with Fiat doing all in it's power to help the A/C performance, and if adding insulation and the color white to the inside, then so be it.
 
TOP? This car came with a top? If so...

I firmly BELIEVE the perforated foam backed vinyl was installed for these three reasons.

1. A bit of Insulation...
2. Sound deadening...
3. A "finished look..."

When and what year??? Always remember this as well... "There are no TWO x1/9s alike... not even within a model year!" - Tony Natoli, 1948 -

p.s. The next REAL '74 I come across I will see how that top fits on my car... just to see what differences there are, if any. I firmly doubt there is... and might pick up a top one of these days myself... you know... just in case it might rain...
 
Seems to be at least one difference

Black-Tooth said:
p.s. The next REAL '74 I come across I will see how that top fits on my car... just to see what differences there are, if any. I firmly doubt there is...
Click to expand...

You are correct about no two Xs being the same. Even accounting for the mix'n'match activities that happened early and late in model year changeovers, a lot happens to a car over 30-40 years of its life. There does seem to be a least one subtle difference in the early tops. If you can believe MWB anyway:
This is a front weatherstrip for 1973 to early 1975 Fiat X1/9 Targa tops. These fasten to the windshield frame and provide a tight seal to the leading edge of the targa top.

1976-on cars used a different weatherstrip to support a different contour on the leading edge of the top.
Click to expand...

Note that even here the is some model year slop with the front seal extending into "early 1975". Those wacky Eye-talians! (Of course my buddy's parents had a brand new Pinto wagon in 1980 that somehow got an entire Bobcat interior complete with Bobcat badges on the dash. So it isn't just Fiat.)
 
top

zonk, you crack me up.
there are some difference's.
early rear lugs were rubber covered and late ones, the rear receivers had the rubber inside . also the a pillar front molding was different.
I have about 4, 5 targas here and all with the headliner are white .
can of dupli-color can fix that.

papa t.
you might appreciate this, as you probably also skirted the law and common sense.
was being chased down highway 80 by a coulpa of thugs that were not happy I was dating one their x girlfriends (hell probably both).
as they were attempting to ram the back of my x, I hit the latches, punched the top off and into the air it flew. last thing I remember were screeching tire and tail lights.
aaaah to be young and stupid. still stupid tho:excited:
mikemo
 
Thanks everyone for the headliner input.

Since I will need as much clearance as possible (I'm 6' 1.5" with Corbeau seats) I picked up very thin black perforated headliner material which I can use spray glue to mount and it will stay.

So now when I take the top off and on each day it will look a bit more finished! :headbang:
 
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