I just did this on my '87 coupe. Removing the headliner is a real pain the first time you do it, but it's pretty easy if you do it again.
First, remove the seatbelt loops (need a Torx driver...don't remember the size, but fairly large), follwed by the coathangers, brake light cover [86-88 only], visors, and dome light (the dome light has two screws above the lenses). Take out the screws holding the rear door frame moldings, and pull the moldings out a few inches. Use a flat screwdriver to gently work the upper door frame moldings loose. Once all of this is removed, the headliner comes right out.
From: Gordon Rogers
The biggest problem (as I see it) when replacing the Fiero headliner is the glue. The aerosol cans you buy at an autoparts store, like 3M General Purpose Spray Adhesive WILL NOT WORK SATISFACTORLY.
I have replaced a pile of headliners on GM cars and trucks. I KNOW the proceedure following works from personal experience.
J.C. Whitney (yes) has matching headliner material by the yard. Order one yard of Foam-backed Nylon Tricot Material, catalog number 78CR5664NF, for $13.95. The Med. Gray is a PERFECT match for the Fiero gray. I never bought the Buckskin Tan and cannot comment on the closeness of that color to those interiors. An interesting note, while looking around Richmond, I could not find the right color of gray for the 87 SC in local shops and their price of material was much higher than Whitney, even with shipping. I found this strange, because Richmond is a big city. so, I took a chance on Whitney's material and was pleasantly surprised to find the color correct! Anyway, DO NOT BUY JCW's REPLACEMENT HEADLINER KIT. It is a waste of money and will NOT give you O.E.M. type look. I ordered one of their kits for an Oldsmobile Firenza we put a sunroof in - we used it, but it was no where near original looking.
This part is extremely important!!!!! Find a friendly upholstery shop, take a empty CLEAN pint or quart can, and buy some of the adhesive they use. They buy it in 5 gallon cans, which is why you need the clean container.
or
If you do not have a friendly upholstery shop, buy 3M contact adhesive for FORMICA COUNTERTOPS from a hardware or building supply store. This is an acceptable substitute for upholstery glue. Buy the old smelly, highly flammable type - not the new latex type.
From a marine supply store, or perhaps WalMart, buy a cheap 2" paint brush and quart of polyester fiberglass resin. Working OUTSIDE on a warm day (70 F or above) COMPLETELY saturate the headliner board with the resin. Let cure overnight. Oh yea, get some rubber gloves too and be prepared to smell the polyester for several days in your car. DO NOT leave the car in the hot sun with the windows rolled up for at least a week. Failure to follow this advise will result in a very offensive, long lasting odor in the car.
Tape the headliner material to a flat, clean surface with the foam side UP. Using a small, close nap paint roller (4" width) roll adhesive on the fiderboard shell for the headliner and on the foam side of the headliner material. (A brush will not work and spray guns are almost impossible to clean). Let it dry completely and carefully apply the material to the shell. Apply adhesive to the top (roof) side of the shell along the edge for about 2" as well.
Trim excess material, leaving an inch of material all of the way around the headliner shell. Fold the excess over onto the top of shell to cover the edges.
If you have a sunroof, cut out the center opening leaving 4" of material all around. Prepunch and mark location of coat hooks and sunvisor mounts.
CAREFULLY Reinstall. This is best done with two people.
If you have a sunroof, use an old credit card or "bondo spatula" to press material into groove all the way around, replace plastic trim and carefully trim away excess with a single edge razor blade.
Take the excess material to your "friendly uphlostery shop", along with your sun visors, so they may recover them as well. I paid $10 each for this the first few times, the last time it was $15 a pair.
From: Randy Agee