As the screename suggests I have a 50 Chevy G***er. No headliner in it right now. I really do not want to spend $400-$500 on a stock headliner because of the money and "stock ****s". I'm thinking of cutting the trim rails, smoothing down the posts and painting. Beyond that are there any other ideas out there you guys have seen, maybe pictures. Right now its wide open with surface rust. Thanks!
I'm ***uming that your price is one for a new headliner, and installation. If you're that handy that you are considering doing what you say, why not just install the headliner yourself? If I remember correctly, you should be able to buy one for under 100$. Even JC whitney sells them! If you dont' like stock, the more custom alternative, back in the day, was a perforated vinyl headliner. The cloth ones are a pain to keep clean, but the vinyl ones are harder to install, as they don't stretch/shrink as easily. Have a boiling teapot on hand when you install it!
You are correct that includes material and installation. As far as my skills I am more suited both in skills and equipment for metal fabrication than upholstery. But, again I'm just getting ideas. I'm not ruling out fabric all together though. Who knows maybe this is my chance to learn upholstery! thanks!
i watched/helped my neighbor put one in his car,he used a hair drier..i was his first vinyl headliner install-mine too.i wasn't as hard as we thought-but was warmer than it is now! P.S ya might wanna paint the bows before you install em-so the rust doesn't bleed threw.
I wouldn't like attempting an everyday h/lr in cold temps. The only one I did was a pretty straightforward transfer from a wreck to my car- a Falcon.
It looks like a lot of work, but I saw a magazine article somewhere on making a fibergl*** headliner shell. They used the roof to lay up a shell, then trimmed it to fit the underside of the roof. Then they glued on that foam backed headliner material. I don't recall what they used for clips to hold it up or how they finished the trim, but is was smooth, lightweight, and seamless. I suppose you could just paint the fibergl*** as well, or use other materials like vinyl or leather.
i was thinking of doing something like that since i have giant roll of fibergl*** mat,but i was wondering how to hold it up? 'cause that stuff is kinda heavy. that way i could put lights,switches/panel in it,
Nah...it's not a lot of work. I'm mostly a body/paint guy, secondly a mechanic. never did upholstery, and I've done a few of them. Just to save time, and not have the car leave my shop, and sit waiting in the upholstery shop. You just string up the headliner on it's bows, then working from the center, zigzag forwad and back, stretching, attaching the material to the tack strips on the roof rails. When the sides are done, do around the windshields. Simplified, but that's really all there is! It does help to have a partner help, though. AND really clean your hands well, if doing a light color! Dont' ask how I know!
Ive done hundreds of the bow type headliners. I always started at the front center and worked my way out making sure to keep it tight. Then move to the back and do the same. Pull it nice and tight. At this point you should be tight like a drum. Dont be afraid to pull it very tight front to back. Then start at the center of one side at the seam and pull it tight enough to be wrinkle free. Then move to the other side and do the same working your way back and forth. If you have wrinkles at the seams you probably didnt get it tight enough front to back. Making a fibergl*** shell will require alot more work. You will need to make wooden bows to attach to the roof to give you the shape of the headliner. Then you will need to staple polyester fleece to the bows, glueing it around the window openings. This will give you the shape of the headliner. make sure it is wrinkle free and has the contuor you are looking for. Next is the messy part. Apply epoxy resin to the fleece. then a layer or two of fibergl*** cloth. From ther you could sand it smooth and paint it or cover it with material. The fleece can be purchased at fabric stores. Yes its that fuzzy stuff.
The article I saw used the roof itself as the mold. They covered the roof with plastic and then used a layer or two of gl***. When done, they had a shell with the same contour as the roof. I still think it's a lot of work, but it was an ingenious solution.
I've only done two headliners, and the first one was a pre-made I bought. I used those little heavy duty paper clips that are about 1"-1.5" wide to mock it up and hold things at the edges. Then I used contact cement to tack the edges in place working from the middle out on each side. It came out nearly perfect, and as good as any I've seen professionally installed. On my Austin I couldn't find a re-pop headliner, so I used butcher paper to tape to the inner roof and made patterns. Once I had a pattern for each section between bows I numbered them and took them down. The Austin has wood ribs instead of bows, so I had to staple the headliner to the ribs. My wife took my paper patterns and with the material we found at the local fabric store, she used the patterns to make a headliner, adding 2" at each rib. Once it was all sewn together I bought some small rod like the bows are made from and slid it into each loop she had added. I wanted the rods to be above the staples so it would reinforce the loops and keep the material from ever ripping. Started at the middle bow center and stapled out to each edge. Then moved forward and back until all I had was the front and rear window. Front was super easy as the Austin has a wide hard metal cover that I just covered with fabric and spray glue. At the rear I covered the window and got the headliner attached, then simply used a razor to cut out the window and install the trim. The back area around the window has a few small ripples, but good enough for a g***er type car, so I'm OK with it. Grand total for materials was under $25, so well worth having a finished looking headliner in the old Austin.
Some screw on and some just have holes the wire bows slide into... usually they have several holes so mark their location and put them in the same hole.
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