Reversing sunvisors?

[jawn101]

I have heard that on later VINs, the sun visors were reversed so that the black side faces out while they are folded up to the roof. I am planning to re-cover my headliners but the fabric won't be a good match (lighter) to the sunvisor fabric, so I'd be open to the idea of reversing mine to hide the darker original fabric.

Is this true? Can any visors be flipped or does it require a different part that actually has a different covering? I only see dark grey or light grey visors on DMCH's site so I assume it's the same parts.

If it's true, what do you do, swap them left to right or just remove and turn them upside down?

Can the fabric on the visors be replaced with scraps of the same stuff we are using to do the headliners so they will match instead?

[kajcienski]

I have heard that on later VINs, the sun visors were reversed so that the black side faces out while they are folded up to the roof. I am planning to re-cover my headliners but the fabric won't be a good match (lighter) to the sunvisor fabric, so I'd be open to the idea of reversing mine to hide the darker original fabric.

Is this true? Can any visors be flipped or does it require a different part that actually has a different covering? I only see dark grey or light grey visors on DMCH's site so I assume it's the same parts.

If it's true, what do you do, swap them left to right or just remove and turn them upside down?

Can the fabric on the visors be replaced with scraps of the same stuff we are using to do the headliners so they will match instead?

I actually just went through something similar. On my 83, the visors are vinyl down and fabric up. The PO had put a nice greasy smudge on the fabric but since you never see it, I didn't care at first. After a few months of cleaning up the rest of the interior, the smudge started to bother me. DMCH only carries the DARK grey sun visors and they are out of the light grey. I decided to just order the dark grey assuming the fabric was face up. It turns out that they only have the fabric face down in stock... I tried to figure out a way to reverse them and because of the shape of the stiffener, this is impossible. I ended up switching out the fabric in the original sun visor instead - no easy task. Since these are vacuum molded right onto the stiffener (a cheap way to make these), there is no stitched seam to sew in new fabric - it is bonded together. I had to use a razor blade to carefully cut out the original fabric and then pry the molded vinyl off. After that, I took the new material and stretched it over the stiffener taping it on the other side. I then used super glue along the edges to secure the fabric flat to the stiffener, cutting away the excess where I had taped it. I then had to get the molded vinyl back on and then carefully glue the vinyl down to the fabric to create a seamless look. A ton of time and careful hands! But it looks great. Hope that helps...

[jawn101]

Ah, crap. You of all people know firsthand my ineptitude with vinyl.

No idea what I'm gonna do with this.

[kajcienski]

Ah, crap. You of all people know firsthand my ineptitude with vinyl.

No idea what I'm gonna do with this.

Hahaha... ;) My suggestion is if the fabric is clean, leave it until a stash of the "fabric up" visors comes along.

[TTait]

I was 100% sure they were reversible, just swap the drivers unit with the passengers unit - thought for sure I did this on 1 of my cars. No?

[dmcnorway]

If the sunvisors are going to be remade at some point in time, I think it would be great if you could have a mirror-option (preferably lighted too) on the passenger side sunvisor. I guess it would be possible to get electricity from the dome light. However, such a design should be carefully considered so that a new mirror-option will look like it came straight from the factory.

Best wishes
Stian Birkeland
Norway

VIN # 06759

[kajcienski]

I was 100% sure they were reversible, just swap the drivers unit with the passengers unit - thought for sure I did this on 1 of my cars. No?

The stiffeners are "cupped" to fit the headliner contour. When I tried to switch them (pass/driver) to reverse the fabric/vinyl sides it would not seat properly at all. Unfortunately.

[jawn101]

The stiffeners are "cupped" to fit the headliner contour. When I tried to switch them (pass/driver) to reverse the fabric/vinyl sides it would not seat properly at all. Unfortunately.

See I had heard it was totally possible too, but when I looked more closely this afternoon it looks like Matt is right. I will still give it a shot (hey, it's just 2 screws) but I am not sure if it will work our.

[vwdmc16]

Wow jon, having those match your headliner is pretty important to you huh? Just give me one visor and ill go get material that matches it. The material is only like $30 and I can get it in one day.

[jawn101]

Wow jon, having those match your headliner is pretty important to you huh? Just give me one visor and ill go get material that matches it. The material is only like $30 and I can get it in one day.

I just figured I'd ask, since I'd heard about the flipping trick elsewhere. Can we run out and get it same day or do you have to order it? I can work on your electrical jobs and you can run to whatever store if they'll be open on Saturday :)

[Jonathan]

Jon,

I was about to say I swapped mine around, but on second thought, I might have tried to do this and found it wasn't doable.

My car didn't have visors when I bought it. Another owner gave me his old set as he bought new ones. There were a couple small burns on the fabric side, so I figured I would swap driver to passenger and we'd be good to go. I am looking at photos of my car and it seems I didn't swap them afterall. I think it has to do with there being a slight curvature to the outside edge of the visor such that when it is in place it hugs the A pillar (so to speak). If you flip them, it curves the wrong way when in place.

Here's a copy paste from the Concours manual on the visors with a couple photos.

10441

[kajcienski]

I just figured I'd ask, since I'd heard about the flipping trick elsewhere. Can we run out and get it same day or do you have to order it? I can work on your electrical jobs and you can run to whatever store if they'll be open on Saturday :)

If you guys figure out an easier way to swap out the fabric than what I described above, please let me know. The problem with them is the way they are constricted without stitching (vacu-formed). You basically have to slice it open and there is no way to really replicate how it was originally put together. Be sure you want to mess with switching out the fabric because once you cut it, there is no turning back! I have some pictures of the construction and fabric swap I did if you want me to post them. Let me know - and good luck!

[jawn101]

Jon,

I was about to say I swapped mine around, but on second thought, I might have tried to do this and found it wasn't doable.

My car didn't have visors when I bought it. Another owner gave me his old set as he bought new ones. There were a couple small burns on the fabric side, so I figured I would swap driver to passenger and we'd be good to go. I am looking at photos of my car and it seems I didn't swap them afterall. I think it has to do with there being a slight curvature to the outside edge of the visor such that when it is in place it hugs the A pillar (so to speak). If you flip them, it curves the wrong way when in place.

Here's a copy paste from the Concours manual on the visors with a couple photos.

10441

See that's weird as my VIN is well outside the range for the fabric-down visors according to that manual. But they are identically faded to the headliners, so they must have been in the car for quite some time. Hmph.

Edit: Ah, I guess it's "acceptable" to have this style. Why even put VIN restrictions if there's a 3000 car gap where either way is OK? :) I don't care about keeping it concours, I just want it to look nice :)

[TTait]

I guess you could try cleaning the fabric, and then dyeing it... As long as the cloth is in good shape you have little to lose by trying.

[mluder]

Jon,

I was about to say I swapped mine around, but on second thought, I might have tried to do this and found it wasn't doable.

My car didn't have visors when I bought it. Another owner gave me his old set as he bought new ones. There were a couple small burns on the fabric side, so I figured I would swap driver to passenger and we'd be good to go. I am looking at photos of my car and it seems I didn't swap them afterall. I think it has to do with there being a slight curvature to the outside edge of the visor such that when it is in place it hugs the A pillar (so to speak). If you flip them, it curves the wrong way when in place.

Here's a copy paste from the Concours manual on the visors with a couple photos.

10441

My VIN is 4456 - My visors are installed with the vinyl side facing up when stowed and as far as I know they are teh originals. This does not match the Concours Manual... Hmmm?

Cheers.
Steve

[vwdmc16]

I just figured I'd ask, since I'd heard about the flipping trick elsewhere. Can we run out and get it same day or do you have to order it? I can work on your electrical jobs and you can run to whatever store if they'll be open on Saturday :)


The place is a mon-fri 9-5 place so could only get it if I got time off from work and had your visor in hand. So maybe next week. But hey I have plenty of spare material, we should atleast practice doing your door headliners, then you arent missing one for the show this weekend.

[jawn101]

The place is a mon-fri 9-5 place so could only get it if I got time off from work and had your visor in hand. So maybe next week. But hey I have plenty of spare material, we should atleast practice doing your door headliners, then you arent missing one for the show this weekend.

Sounds fair enough. I already have the driver's side board mostly stripped anyway.