how to repair a sagging headliner?

i tried searching a few different ways and still couldnt find anything. i have a 50 chevy coupe and the headliner is starting to sag. i thought about getting some spray on glue stuff from work but im not sure if it will bleed throught or not. the headliner seems like a cotton meterial.

thanks, rob

 

the headliner in your car has 'bows' like a covered wagon

the material has loops on the back and doesn't touch anything it can be glued to

 

Kind of not related, but this reminded me of a 68 cougar I had when I was younger. If you went over 70mph with a window down the headliner bows would pop down and bow twords the floor. It was Kind of hard on the neck if you know what I mean!

Spay glue should work fine, just use light coats and let it set up between coats. Coat both sides and when tacked up, stick 'em together. (***uming its a custom liner of some sort)

 

I used hog rings on my '56 headliner. Just squeezed a few through the fabric (well, vinyl, anyway) around the bows, and voila. Sure, it looks kinda raggedy having some hog rings holding up the headliner, but it looks a helluva lot better than a half-collapsed headliner. And right now I don't have the disposable income to replace it.

 

Take it to the upholstery guy.

 

as far as i know its a original style head liner, lowkat are you saying the loops tore off or came loose and cant be glued back? is there no foam behind the headliner?

 

when I bought my 50 pontiac it had a red velour headliner in it but I noticed it hung down a little low - when i ripped it out there was about 50 lbs of that tarpaper insulation **** that had flaked off the roof and fallen into the headliner in big chunks - and several of the headliner bow pockets had rotted through. the bows themselves were rusted - now they're all sanded and painted and a new headliner will go in.

 

There is no foam like in more modern ('70s) cars. If there was you could use thumbtacks. You're going to have to remove what you have and see what it takes to fix it. It sure sounds like the fabric loops have rotted away.

 

your headliner should be sewn to the headliner bows. if it is sagging it has ripped where it was sewn over.

you may be able to re attach it to the bows from underneath for a no buck "just don't look up" repair.

 

Sell some beer and coke cans. Take it to the shop.

 

if it isn't torn ,open at the seams,could be the bows turn enough to lay over or go thru the mounting holes.we used to do work for cheap car dealers,when this happened we would put aluminum sticks to hold them up,ala belair,nomads.[not the real thing] jack

 

thanks guys

 

The headliner on the 50's cars have a sewn loop on the back side of the headliner material and metal bows that slide through and attach to each side of the roof.

Age has a way of rotting the material and the metal bows can sweat and rust which adds to deterioration of the loops.

You might be able to use a fish hook needle and thread and put a few s***ches and sew around the bows in the areas you have that are sagging.

Odds are it's about time for a new headliner. HRP

 

This is the answer to your question. ^^^^^