[oldred]

I have some foam backed headliner material that I intend to use to cover the insides of the doors on an early Mustang to cover that phony textured surface on the exposed metal. I bought this stuff from an upholstery shop several years ago and they are no longer there so I could not ask them what they used but they did these replacements quite often with this same material. It has been packaged the entire time and is just like new but the problem is I need to know what to glue it with. I tried stretching it over the door and it laid down nicely and formed to all the curves without wrinkling and I at first though this would be easy until I tried to glue it and the foam dissolved! I am using 3M Super headliner adhesive and it is supposed to be for this very purpose but the solvent in the glue (spray can) attacks the foam backing of the material and completely ruins it, it even soaked through the material in one small place where I accidentally got it on a bit too heavy. I have enough material left to do this job but I wont if this happens again so I have only one chance to do it right. What am I doing wrong here and what kind of adhesive should I use for this (preferably in a spray can)?

[DanTwoLakes]

You have a problem. Your alternative is to use a foam to foam type glue so that the contact adhesive won't destroy the foam backing on your material. This will not, however, hold up to high temperatures, so it will fail in a car.
Does this car have door panels, or are you trying to glue the material right to the metal door? If it doesn't have door panels, make some and staple the fabric onto the back side of the door panels. If I were you, I'd try some DAP Weldwood top and trim adhesive (spray grade) in a bulk can. Obviously you'd need to test it to see if it destroyed the foam backing. You'd have to brush it on, or buy a cheap spray gun, but that may work for you.

[oldred]

I have several old spray guns with tips that would almost shoot mud so bulk glue would not be a problem. I think I have seen that DAP glue at Lowes so I will go over there today and pick up a can of it, I guess I can just brush some on a small corner and see what happens. I don't know what those guys use to glue this stuff to the headliner board with but if it don't hold up any better than factory glue it will only last a couple of years anyway. I think the way they do it is to scrape the remains of the old liner foam off of the headliner cardboard, or whatever it is, and then glue the new liner onto the board before re-installing it in the car, I just don't know what they use for glue. If you are familiar with the first Mustangs they have just a bare metal door with phony grain pressed into it on the inside panels. They have an upholstered panel that clips to the center but most of the door is just painted metal with that phony grain texture, this is what I am trying to cover. The material easily conforms to the shape of the door and was surprisingly easy to install without any wrinkling but that wont matter much if I can't get it glued on, due to the shape of the door it will have to be glued and making a panel would probably require something like a fiberglass shell.

[DanTwoLakes]

You will not find DAP top and trim adhesive at Lowes. That is DAP contact adhesive for attaching laminates to countertops, and will not work for your door panels. All you would need to do is cut some waterproof panelboard to make full door panels.