HerbertFriedman
Member III
I have one headliner zipper on my E34 that is hopelessly stuck. The zipper is located on the starboard side very close to the outboard edge, just under the jib track. All the other zippers work fine with the exception of this one, and all the rest have only a single zipper pull but this stuck one has two, the pull next to the bulkhead is meant to pull aft while the other pull (with the pull tab missing) pulls forward, and that pull is stuck. Repeated application of vinegar, WD40 and Kroil (anti seize) do not free it up.
Some of the paint on this stuck pull has worn off and you can see that it is metal, probably aluminum and corroded. But this zipper seems to go UNDER the bulkhead and looking on the other side of the bulkhead, I can see more of the zipper and it too extends aft disappearing behind the electrical panel. I have not removed that panel to see where the zipper finally ends. But, as suggested, if I rip out some stitches to free up the zipper tape, I still do not have access to the end of the zipper. So even if I can remove (cut) the zipper pulls, I have no way to install a new one.
I probably can cut the zipper tape to expose the end, install a new zipper pull and hand stitch the zipper tape back into place. But it does appear that the headliner was installed BEFORE the bulkhead was installed, so while the bulkhead may be tabbed to the hull, it does not appear to be tapped to the deck. Is that normal?
Some of the paint on this stuck pull has worn off and you can see that it is metal, probably aluminum and corroded. But this zipper seems to go UNDER the bulkhead and looking on the other side of the bulkhead, I can see more of the zipper and it too extends aft disappearing behind the electrical panel. I have not removed that panel to see where the zipper finally ends. But, as suggested, if I rip out some stitches to free up the zipper tape, I still do not have access to the end of the zipper. So even if I can remove (cut) the zipper pulls, I have no way to install a new one.
I probably can cut the zipper tape to expose the end, install a new zipper pull and hand stitch the zipper tape back into place. But it does appear that the headliner was installed BEFORE the bulkhead was installed, so while the bulkhead may be tabbed to the hull, it does not appear to be tapped to the deck. Is that normal?