[hotrodf1]

Guys,

Got a questions for ya:

Got a 68 camaro, nearing completion. I have a OEM style headliner from Classic Industries. BOught the glue in the bottle, the install tool too, just for good measure.

A coworker of mine was telling me that he always would throw the new headliner in the dryer on high for like 30 minutes. With the adhesive already applied, two guys would hurredly stretch the headliner and install in the front and rear.

Then insert the headliner bows , and stretch panel by panel to go side to side.

Do that sound right to you pros out there?

What might the success rate be for me buddy and I, and neither of us has done one before.

[OneMoreTime]

Sounds to me like a recipe for a disaster..what I do is to lay the fabric down an get it positioned where I want it then fold half of it back and lay down my adhesive..then i carefully take the folded half and lay it into the adhesive and working from the center rub the fabric in..that way I chase any bubbles or wrinkles out to the edge..then I do the other half fold it back lay down my adhesive and then lay the other half down..once it is glued then I can turn my edges and the headliner is ready to go..

Just my way..others may have a tip or two..

Sam

[428ho]

Never heard that one before.

Please post how your headliner install goes. I have one to do myself.

[nettio]

Hey, for once I may have an answer for installing headlined with bows.

I installed mine on a 66 Nova in about one hour with help of wife.

Used no glue.............

install bows carefully into slots in headliner.
start at front and install bows into slots one at a time
position headliner carefully (spread it)

Next (I purchased moulding (edging) from J>C> Whitney) Cut the moulding into 1 inch pieces. Use these to clip headeliner into fron and rear and side track. To do this:

Start clipping center front and then center rear. Then left and right side front and same rear. Use this clips to hold headliner as you work along the sides front to rear. Now clip across the front and then the rear.

reposition as necessary to smooth out the headliner.

Also clip the sail panels down the rear.

Once the headliner looks reasonably smooth (it will have wrinkles from packaging and slight loose areas from installing) STOP any more fooling around.

Let it sit for a week in warm weather.

Now......reclip as necessary to really smooth it out.

You will still have spots that bother you. Not to worry. If the car can sit in the sun for reasonable period the headliner will shrink perfectly into place.

Now you can remove several clips at a time and the liner will still stay in place all by itself.

Finish the edging as you wish. Glue or whatever.

I edged mine all the way around with the chrome faced edging from Whitney. I thought it would look a bit goofy...........it really turned out beautiful.

Then I put in new buckets, carpets, door panels etc, repainted the dash and column and put on a street rod wheel. Made a radio faceplate from ABS plastic with a bit of chrome. This is a street rod, not a restoration car

375 HP and one shot nitrous.. pure fun

Al..............hope this helps

[DanTwoLakes]

Originally Posted by hotrodf1

A coworker of mine was telling me that he always would throw the new headliner in the dryer on high for like 30 minutes.

Is this a vinyl headliner? If so, putting it in the dryer for a little while will soften it up and make it easier to handle, but I wouldn't leave it in very long, maybe 5 minutes, and I definitely wouldn't put glue on it first.

[hotrodf1]

Originally Posted by nettio

Hey, for once I may have an answer for installing headlined with bows.

I installed mine on a 66 Nova in about one hour with help of wife.

Used no glue.............

install bows carefully into slots in headliner.
start at front and install bows into slots one at a time
position headliner carefully (spread it)

Next (I purchased moulding (edging) from J>C> Whitney) Cut the moulding into 1 inch pieces. Use these to clip headeliner into fron and rear and side track. To do this:

Start clipping center front and then center rear. Then left and right side front and same rear. Use this clips to hold headliner as you work along the sides front to rear. Now clip across the front and then the rear.

reposition as necessary to smooth out the headliner.

Also clip the sail panels down the rear.

Once the headliner looks reasonably smooth (it will have wrinkles from packaging and slight loose areas from installing) STOP any more fooling around.

Let it sit for a week in warm weather.

Now......reclip as necessary to really smooth it out.

You will still have spots that bother you. Not to worry. If the car can sit in the sun for reasonable period the headliner will shrink perfectly into place.

Now you can remove several clips at a time and the liner will still stay in place all by itself.

Finish the edging as you wish. Glue or whatever.

I edged mine all the way around with the chrome faced edging from Whitney. I thought it would look a bit goofy...........it really turned out beautiful.

Then I put in new buckets, carpets, door panels etc, repainted the dash and column and put on a street rod wheel. Made a radio faceplate from ABS plastic with a bit of chrome. This is a street rod, not a restoration car

375 HP and one shot nitrous.. pure fun

Al..............hope this helps

Wow. that's pretty wild. Doesn't sound too bad either.

Hey - thanks for the descriptive reply. That definetely gives me some ideas. I don't quite understand what you used for molding - I guess I need to check out the JCW catalog some. If you had any pics to show, I would certainly appreciate that!

And what is this "chrome faced molding" that you got a hold of? Is it still flexible and all or what?

[hotrodf1]

Originally Posted by DanTwoLakes

Is this a vinyl headliner? If so, putting it in the dryer for a little while will soften it up and make it easier to handle, but I wouldn't leave it in very long, maybe 5 minutes, and I definitely wouldn't put glue on it first.

Yes, it's a OER brand vinyl replacement style headliner. i also went ahead and order the precut sail panels, and they are the waterboard type material. I guess I cover those separately and then clip then into place after the rest of the headliner is already done yes??

Okay, I thought the 30 min sounded crazy, the instruction that came with say nothing about that so I was a little leary of it. Plus, how would I get it up there while it's "hot" while still having to apply a couple coats of that weld-on glue? I think I'm going to scratch that idea. Would it be okay to gently heat with my heat gun to take out some of the wrinkles?

One thing that has me stumped is toward the top of the "sail panel", there is a metal strip that is held on with two screws, one at each end. This strips spans an open area in the inner sheet metal, and looks like something was glued to it. I'm thinking that I need to use these strips to glue the headliner material to. Is that right? It seems that is the only thing that makes sense, but then again I've never done this so ????

[hotrodf1]

Originally Posted by nettio

Hey, for once I may have an answer for installing headlined with bows.

I installed mine on a 66 Nova in about one hour with help of wife.

Used no glue.............

install bows carefully into slots in headliner.
start at front and install bows into slots one at a time
position headliner carefully (spread it)

Next (I purchased moulding (edging) from J>C> Whitney) Cut the moulding into 1 inch pieces. Use these to clip headeliner into fron and rear and side track. To do this:

Start clipping center front and then center rear. Then left and right side front and same rear. Use this clips to hold headliner as you work along the sides front to rear. Now clip across the front and then the rear.

reposition as necessary to smooth out the headliner.

Also clip the sail panels down the rear.

Once the headliner looks reasonably smooth (it will have wrinkles from packaging and slight loose areas from installing) STOP any more fooling around.

Let it sit for a week in warm weather.

Now......reclip as necessary to really smooth it out.

You will still have spots that bother you. Not to worry. If the car can sit in the sun for reasonable period the headliner will shrink perfectly into place.

Now you can remove several clips at a time and the liner will still stay in place all by itself.

Finish the edging as you wish. Glue or whatever.

I edged mine all the way around with the chrome faced edging from Whitney. I thought it would look a bit goofy...........it really turned out beautiful.

Then I put in new buckets, carpets, door panels etc, repainted the dash and column and put on a street rod wheel. Made a radio faceplate from ABS plastic with a bit of chrome. This is a street rod, not a restoration car

375 HP and one shot nitrous.. pure fun

Al..............hope this helps

haha. the more I read this the more curious I become. Who told you how to do it that way? You just reason it out yourself or ?

[nettio]

Just go for it.............forget the oven or micro

Dont know if your edging is the same as a 66 Nova........but

JC Whitney 1-800-529-4486.......call for catalog

Under "weatherstripping" Interior/exterior trim 1/8-3/16 style "D" flexible trim.

The Nova has "Raw" edges on the doors and around the edges where the headliner goes. If your car is not similar you will have to use your imagination a bit.

My headliner turned out perfect.........not a wrinkle.

beginners luck?

Al......in the biggest little city in the world

Also...have to brag to someone.........had a crinkled fender.....never done body repair.......bought a "shrinking disc" from a fellow in Washington State.
Fender turned out 98 percent....used a skim coat of putty. With a bit more patience could have avoided putty.

[hotrodf1]

What's a shrinking disc?? I do some paintwork, too. Just curious. Is it like a shrinking hammer with serrations or what?

[nettio]

Top O the Mornin

Shrinking disc.............use it on a 7" grinder........apply it to a stretched area for about 10 secionds.....then quench with a wet rag...........this thing works.

Do a google for (ghia specialties.com) or email (ghiafab@coastaccess.com)

or........call the man....John Kelly 1-360-276-0014

I bought his standard disc with a 15 minute instruction video for 40 dollars and free shipping.

I also tried to make a disc from stainless pot lid..........gave up on this idea, broke down and bought the real thing.

Al.........in the biggest little city in the world