[M5StudeGuy]

I have a 1946 Studebaker pickup (hence mu user name)
I have extended the cab 16 inches to have more leg room, and a storage spot behind the seats.
anyway,.. I am curious what material is best to make a brand new interior headliner.
Most of you probably don't know but just about NOTHING is 'flat' on a Studebaker pickup. The roof has a rounded top, the doors curve two directions, etc.
So I need to find something that is firm enough to hold the material and stay in place... yet pliable enough to fit the curves ( it has a few pretty tight corners.)

I was wondering if there might be something I could heat with a heat gun or hair drier so I could make the material it's "permanent installed' shape and then cover it.
Maybe I could cover the material OUTSIDE the truck when putting the upholstery on it.

A guy WAS nice enough to supply me with a pattern for the roof and sides
I DO have some support bars from side to side in the roof to mount a headliner to.

So here's a few other questions that come to mind.
1) what kind of material would be best I am hoping maybe I can find something I can heat until I get it to fix,.. then hold it in place until it cools, and when cool will hold the shape

2) what thickness is best

3) what size does it come in, and where do I get it. (I know I checked at out local Home Depot for ABS plastic, and they had no idea of what I was talking about..???)

4) any idea of the cost...

I HOPE I can get a lot of various ideas from some of you folks. I know many of you probably have first hand knowledge

(I'm still curious if I'll be able to get this inside the truck all in one piece??)

[DanTwoLakes]

I suggest you look at this thread. This is a '36 Ford pickup with a chopped top that got a new headliner: Custom Headliner for '36 Ford Pickup

To answer your questions: This is a "hard" headliner, but is finished off just like a regular headliner around the perimeter. It needs to be made from something stretchy like vinyl or Ultraleather.

1) PVC foamboard, which cuts and shapes with regular woodworking tools or a utility knife. If you drill large holes, do them with spade bits or Forstner bits, and go slowly.

2) 1/8" (3MM) is plenty

3) It comes in two main thicknesses, 3MM and 6MM thick and in 4' by 8' sheets. (I found a supplier that has it in 5' by 10' sheets) You won't find anything you need at Home Depot or any other home improvement store other than 1/4" luan plywood if you decide to make a base for the foamboard. PVC foamboard is available from most sign shops and from sheet plastic suppliers. It goes by the brand names Komatex, CelTec, Sintra, and Palight. A 4' by 8' sheet of 3MM foamboard sells for about $30. ABS is very expensive and a lot harder to work with.

[OneMoreTime]

I would take a splash with fiberglass to get the shape and then trim it to the size I need..might have to make it into a couple of pieces to allow for installation. then cover the splash with some sort of material to suit..

Sam

[M5StudeGuy]

thanks for the replier folks.
I'll have to look up some of this stuff.
I would like to do as much inside myself as possible.
I had a Trans Am back when I was in High School and I reupholstered it,.. but just the front doors, and read dash.

I know making a headliner from scratch is an entirely different animal.

I''l check out the thread you posted.

Anyone else. I'd like to get as much input as possible before I start.
Have a great day.

[DanTwoLakes]

Check out this thread, Centerline made himself a really nice one piece fiberglass headliner. Start at post #5: Fiberglass Headliner Inserts Then look at the finished product in this thread: Fiberglass headliner is done.

[M5StudeGuy]

Now THIS is really nice...
Wonder how dumb you can be and get away with doing a really good job (me)
I do like this idea just for the fact that most of the work can be done outside and not all cramped up in the truck.
Not sure I will be able to do this now that I think about it.
When we chopped the top, we put in some extra bracing from side to side so the sides wouldn't move while the top wasn't there to hold everything in place.. The outside of my roof isn't like the inside now... but maybe I can do this to make forms for the tight corners.. and for the front around the windshield.

Another reason I like this is because I want to apply some flames (or something) like he has done, and I can see where it'd be easy to do this way...

hhuummm I'm trying to think how I can get the inside fit and do this process (any suggestions)
I'm all ears.. don't think anything is too simple. sometimes I miss the obvious fix. (For some reason it just don't come to mind)
I'd LOVE to do something like this.. PLUS with winter here this is something I could work on and keep moving forward.
I'm on disability, and only get disability income, so if I can build the interior it should would help my finances, and help get the old gal on the road sooner.

[bentwings]

My car is 41 Willys (fiberglas). They come with nothing inside at all. These cars ar also all round with almost nothing straight. A "splash" would have been nice when the car was being built but not now after painting. I made 7 roof bows out of 3/4" premium oak planks. I also build giant scale rc warbirds (model airplanes) so working with wood is not real problem. I spliced most of them at least once using both epoxy and Good old Elmers woodworking glue. This was also an economy process for the same reason you listed. Oak cuts very nice and smells nice too, haha

I did make endless patterns both across the body and down the length. I finally settled on 1/8 in welding wire spliced together. A little duct tape and oak spacers positioned the wire stringers so I could make good posterboard patterns for the oak. I used a FatMan laser level to give me accurate lines to work to. I traced these with permanent marker onto the interior of the body. I installed the oak frame or bows with silicone sealer rather than resin as the resin can sistort the body. (found this out the hard way) From there i "upholstered the oak frame with .006 plastic sheet between each bow. I numbered each of these and cut fabric pieces to match and sew them together. I stapled the assembly to the bows starting from the front. It was just like installing a carpet only upside down.

Considering it was my first upholstery project I happy with it.

[M5StudeGuy]

thanks for the idea

[DanTwoLakes]

Originally Posted by bentwings

My car is 41 Willys (fiberglas). They come with nothing inside at all. These cars ar also all round with almost nothing straight. A "splash" would have been nice when the car was being built but not now after painting. I made 7 roof bows out of 3/4" premium oak planks. I also build giant scale rc warbirds (model airplanes) so working with wood is not real problem. I spliced most of them at least once using both epoxy and Good old Elmers woodworking glue. This was also an economy process for the same reason you listed. Oak cuts very nice and smells nice too, haha

I did make endless patterns both across the body and down the length. I finally settled on 1/8 in welding wire spliced together. A little duct tape and oak spacers positioned the wire stringers so I could make good posterboard patterns for the oak. I used a FatMan laser level to give me accurate lines to work to. I traced these with permanent marker onto the interior of the body. I installed the oak frame or bows with silicone sealer rather than resin as the resin can sistort the body. (found this out the hard way) From there i "upholstered the oak frame with .006 plastic sheet between each bow. I numbered each of these and cut fabric pieces to match and sew them together. I stapled the assembly to the bows starting from the front. It was just like installing a carpet only upside down.

Considering it was my first upholstery project I happy with it.

Next time (if there is one) use 3/4" hardwood plywood and you won't have to worry about the solid oak warping. You also need to connect the bows from front to back for the same reason. Also, if you would have sewn a listing to each seam, and slid stake wire into the listing you could staple the listing to the bow, leaving the headliner to hang down a little from the bows it would have resulted in a better looking headliner, easier to smooth out headliner.