Headliner for a skyroof car; need help
4 posters
Headliner for a skyroof car; need help
by bitterfitter Mon Oct 28, 2013 8:01 am
I am approaching the final painting stages of my '74 Chevelle and I am starting to look ahead.
One issue I need to work out is installing a new headliner. If it was a normal headliner with the bows, it would be no issue. My problem is that this car has the factory CA1 Skyroof option. When I purchased the car, the original headliner was gone and the last guy had used some material to make a very unique one. Looked like felt from a pool table. He had it held up here and there with screws and caps over the crew heads. It looked really bad, but better than nothing.
I have figured out that no bows were used because they can't go across the opening in the top. That is obvious. I am hoping you guys are familiar with what these cars came with originally and what I need to do to get a headliner back in this car.
One issue I need to work out is installing a new headliner. If it was a normal headliner with the bows, it would be no issue. My problem is that this car has the factory CA1 Skyroof option. When I purchased the car, the original headliner was gone and the last guy had used some material to make a very unique one. Looked like felt from a pool table. He had it held up here and there with screws and caps over the crew heads. It looked really bad, but better than nothing.
I have figured out that no bows were used because they can't go across the opening in the top. That is obvious. I am hoping you guys are familiar with what these cars came with originally and what I need to do to get a headliner back in this car.
bitterfitter- Donating Member
- Street Cred : 9
Re: Headliner for a skyroof car; need help
by Brainstain Mon Oct 28, 2013 1:06 pm
All the cars I've stripped have all just had the headliner glued in and the seams covered by the trim.
Brainstain- Donating Member
- Street Cred : 8
Re: Headliner for a skyroof car; need help
by bitterfitter Mon Oct 28, 2013 1:32 pm
Thanks for the reply. I thought maybe these cars had like a thick contoured cardboard form that the headliner was glued to. I guess I really didn't know what to expect. I just hoped someone on here could tell me from the past how these should be ...
bitterfitter- Donating Member
- Street Cred : 9
Re: Headliner for a skyroof car; need help
by Wallyuph Mon Oct 28, 2013 1:57 pm
Just take a peice of 1/8 luan plywood and cut out a square with rounded corners. Or make a template of the roof and the cut out hole ( I use clear vinyl so I can see through it to make the pattern), Then glue and cover it with a foam backed headliner fabric. They sell it in all kinds of colors. Tape off 1" in from outer edge so you can screw the board to the roof. Just use short little head screws so you don't go through to outer roof skin. Then pull and glue the extra fabric to out sides of car and trim off. There should be a trim ring in center of roof for the sky roof. If not Velcro it up around the sky roof.
Here is mine I did that way.
" />
[url=[url=https://servimg.com/view/17248508/252]
Here is mine I did that way.
" />[url=[url=https://servimg.com/view/17248508/252]
Wallyuph- Donating Member
- Street Cred : 31
Re: Headliner for a skyroof car; need help
by bitterfitter Mon Oct 28, 2013 2:10 pm
Very nice! Sounds like a plan. I will go shopping this weekend for materials. I already have the fabric you speak of for the headliner. -Thanks
bitterfitter- Donating Member
- Street Cred : 9
Brainstain- Donating Member
- Street Cred : 8
Re: Headliner for a skyroof car; need help
by driveit Tue Oct 29, 2013 7:45 am
Wally, how did you attach that after you had it finished?
driveit- Donating Member
- Street Cred : 15
Re: Headliner for a skyroof car; need help
by Wallyuph Tue Oct 29, 2013 8:48 am
Where you see the tape on the board edge in photo one is where you stop gluing the fabric to the board. Then you use screws all around that lip and your dome light area will hold up the center or for me I used screws under my over head console. Then the fabric will be hanging down like a skirt and you pull and glue it to the edges just like a bow style headliner finishes. My roof was double walled so I made sure to use short screws to not come through the top of the roof. If you don't want to use screws you could try 3m Duralock.
http://www.3m.com/product/information/Dual-Lock-Reclosable-Fastener.html
But scuff metal and put a layer of contact cement on metal before applying duralocks to both sides.
http://www.3m.com/product/information/Dual-Lock-Reclosable-Fastener.html
But scuff metal and put a layer of contact cement on metal before applying duralocks to both sides.
Wallyuph- Donating Member
- Street Cred : 31
Re: Headliner for a skyroof car; need help
by driveit Tue Oct 29, 2013 9:38 am
Thanks. I made a note of that!
driveit- Donating Member
- Street Cred : 15
Re: Headliner for a skyroof car; need help
by bitterfitter Mon Feb 01, 2016 11:25 am
So it has been awhile but I am ready to buy and install the headliner in my car. One last question before I place my order: So in reading the body manual, I see that these headliners must have been installed just as Brainstain quoted earlier. Just glued around the sunroof and then stretched and glued around the perimeter of the interior.
Do I need to buy a typical headliner since I do not need the bows and such for this car? I am thinking I just need to get a yard or two of perforated headliner material and install as stated above? Any ideas before I order the wrong stuff??
Do I need to buy a typical headliner since I do not need the bows and such for this car? I am thinking I just need to get a yard or two of perforated headliner material and install as stated above? Any ideas before I order the wrong stuff??
bitterfitter- Donating Member
- Street Cred : 9
Re: Headliner for a skyroof car; need help
by Wallyuph Mon Feb 01, 2016 12:25 pm
bitterfitter wrote:So it has been awhile but I am ready to buy and install the headliner in my car. One last question before I place my order: So in reading the body manual, I see that these headliners must have been installed just as Brainstain quoted earlier. Just glued around the sunroof and then stretched and glued around the perimeter of the interior.
Do I need to buy a typical headliner since I do not need the bows and such for this car? I am thinking I just need to get a yard or two of perforated headliner material and install as stated above? Any ideas before I order the wrong stuff??
Call Acme Auto headlining company and ask for Bob in the back. http://www.acmeautoheadlining.com/
Tell him you have a sunroof in your make and model to see if he has a pattern for it. The stock headliner in my car had sewn in cardboard strips or chunks that slid into perforations in the inner roof pattern. It was not smooth so I would see what they say first. Also the new Perforated vinyl headliner sucks and dose not glue very well. You may want to go with 1/4 foam backed material like we have in newer cars now days. It installs so much easier and is way more forgiving. Just my 2 cents here.
PS if you get one with swen in seams and cut out the opening around sun roof be sure to super glue the thread you cut and let it dry before you start pulling any wrinkles out.
Wallyuph- Donating Member
- Street Cred : 31
Re: Headliner for a skyroof car; need help
by bitterfitter Mon Feb 01, 2016 12:45 pm
Very good info and points well made. I never would of thought of gluing the cut thread and what a mess that would be!! I will call Bob before I go any further on this.
bitterfitter- Donating Member
- Street Cred : 9
Re: Headliner for a skyroof car; need help
by bitterfitter Mon Feb 01, 2016 1:51 pm
Just a quick update: I did contact Bob Westmoreland and he was very helpful. Seemed knowledgeable about the vehicle and willing to help. Sample colors coming in the mail and I am going to send some pictures of the inner roof just to confirm we are on the same page.
Huge thanks for recommending his contact info, WALLYUPH
Huge thanks for recommending his contact info, WALLYUPH
bitterfitter- Donating Member
- Street Cred : 9
Wallyuph- Donating Member
- Street Cred : 31
Permissions in this forum:
You cannot reply to topics in this forum|
|
|
» Roll Call and Car showcase
» Central Texas Noob
» Welcome Keith Seymore
» Wanted: Front park lamp assemblies
» 75 Hurst Olds T-tpos
» G3 Chevy rims- help ID these
» 75 el camino project.
» Have had a few questions
» vinyl top removal