My 86 Aerostar's interior has seen better days. It looks to me like it has melted but I'm not sure. I was wondering if anyone could give me some ideas on how to repair it before I was to replace it. Thanks in advance.

Also, this wasn't really a problem for me until I finally found those awesome Eddie Bauer seats, now the interior is in my way of a clean curtain job and I really don't want to go without any interior.

 

I had a '86 too, the contact cement bonding the vinyl to the chipboard "mold" dried out and the same thing happened. you'll need to remove the entire upholstery panel, and using contact cement and clamps, reglue everything. you'll need heavy duty contact cement, the type used for bonding laminates to counter tops, and clamps, lots of clamps if you want it done fast. Do not clamp directly onto the vinyl or you'll leave permanent marks, use wood strips on both sides then clamp them for at least 2 days over the vinyl (front) and chipboard (rear). Use lots of contact cement on both the vinyl and panel, allow to tack dry, then clamp and forget about it for 2 days.

 

Thanks for the help, I'll definitely try that. I've seen other posts of 86's having this interior problem too so I guess it's quite common.

 

My `88's rear interior looked very similar and water getting inside was the reason.....

 

Nice score on the EB seating.
I've dealt with the delamination problem using urethane "gorilla" glue. Follow Jose's excellent advise on technique and beware that gorilla glue bubbles and expands voraciously. Benefits are that it works on plastics too and will last forever.

 

Thanks for the help. I'll have to get some clamps and try it out. But I do feel that water could've also been an issue because my drip rails did have a few rust holes.

But yeah I'll definitely have to see if I can get it to remold with gorilla glue or laminent glue. They both seem to be pretty strong adhesives

 

I've not tried Gorilla Glue because it is so expensive for the little amount you get, and now that RojoStar comments about it expanding and bubbling, I'm less inclined to use it. It also seems Ford used a bad quality adhesive on these upholstered panels, since my '92 Aerostar has the same problem, i.e., the vinyl seems to "shrink" and separate from the panel mold. It's a constant fight with the rear cabin panels.

I finally eliminated the problem by pressing "flexible edging" at the top of the panel's edges, running the entire top length of the upholstery panel, sort of a permanent "clamp" because the vinyl kept coming undone at the edges no matter what I did. Not the prettiest solution but the problem was eliminated.
you can also use this flexible rubber edging on curves and around the window openings of the panel. If anybody wants a picture of the "finished edging", I'll send one by e-mail, otherwise I have no access to host a picture here.

 

If you have rust holes letting in water, you might want to fix those first. That may require removing the glass panels so you can fix the metal from the outside. Since you're already removing the interior panels, you're sort of half way there. The glass panels are glues to their tracks with butyl rubber, so the best time to do this is when it's warm out, and the van's been sitting under the hot sun. Remove the nuts holding the glass to the frame, and apply gentle but steady pressure evenly around large areas at a time. Have someone outside ready to catch the glass, in case the butyl rubber decides to suddenly let go.

 

I already patched up the rust holes, however I only did it from the outside of the van, up on the roof. I'm sure there's probably some left on the inside above the headliner.

And Jose I am interested in your rubber sealer, does it stop the vinyl from shrinking completely?

Also at closer look at mine, the board like stuff that the vinyl is glued to is also deformed in some places, would contact cement help reform the board part too?

 

That's press-board backing, and it's been damaged by water. I'm not sure if there is an easy way to fix that. And since it's flaking apart, it's probably not going to hold the vinyl if you just glued to it. Maybe if you soaked all the flaky bits with glue before clamping, they will hold together. But re-forming the warpage of the panels won't be easy either.

 

here's some more tips:
you can use black silicone caulking (used in houses) to seal any rust holes from the inside or outside if removal of the glass is not an option.

the pressed-board backing or "shaped panel" can be reshaped using thin wood pieces glued to the deformed areas then clamped, and if wood doesn't hold the shape, then try thin metal stock that can be bent and cut to shape with tinsnips, then glued to the rear of the panel. If using metal, and you want to avoid any metal-to-metal contact noise afterwards, go to Joann's Fabrics to their Crafts Dept. and buy the stick-on sheets of Presto Felt to apply over the metal stock after it is glued to the panel. (and while you're there, go look at all the nice colors of Headliner material they sell there).

fmansfield444 the "rubber sealer" you are interested in is "rubber edging", the kind you use around door openings that is pressed onto the lip of the opening? Weatherstripping without the "weathering" part, (same rubber edging as the rubber edging used on car doors to prevent paint damage to the edges, but the larger size, I think it is ½" or larger). You can buy it at JC Whitney. Yes, it stopped the vinyl from shrinking or coming unglued from the pressed-board panel because the rubber edging acts like a permanent clamp. I'll try to get a picture of my repair.

 

I might just go ahead and velcro up some curtains around the damaged parts, until I find some in good shape at a junk yard or something. The only thing is that I've never seen any that are dark blue like mine, but then again those seats are tan anyway.

Anyway thanks a lot guys, now I know what to try at least. Although I think some parts of my pressed backing are too deformed to try and press back together. Especially the part between my back passenger window and my sliding door, it must have gotten snagged on someone trying to get in the back seat at some point because it is really bad.