Headliner Installation

Q: Headliner Installation

I am about ready to install a headliner but I wonder how to approach this and have a few other quesitons … How many bows should I have? My old headliner is missing but there are four bows in place on the roof. Is there no center bow? My new headliner has a bow pocket in the center. But the car (67) looks like no centerbow existed. The interior light is there and there is a wide rail running across the roof at that point. Also there are some pointed barbs along side this rail. Do I connect the center bow pocket to these barb-hooks somehow?

A: Yes there should be a bow in the center. It’s different than the others (shorter) and does not hook into the side roof rail. Those barbs hold it (center bow and headliner) in place and give you a starting point. The center bow threads thru that pocket in your new liner. Installation is impossible without this bow.

Tips:

Strip the interior(yes, everything) windshield and back glass, package tray and all weather moulding retainers etc..

Mark and number the bows to so they go back in original holes. Mark which hole they come out of too.

Put small screws in place before installing headliner. It makes it easier to find the holes after the headliner is installed. You dont need to do this for the visors, mirror or shoulder belt anchor bolts if you have them. But, make sure to cut a big enough hole for them or you could break them when reinstalling like I did. That’s a bear!

Start in the center and work your way out, forward, and then to the back. At front and rear, start at the center and work toward corners.

The glue is very forgiving of mistakes even though it sets up quickly. You will need more glue than supplied with the kit. You can take your empty can to the local auto upholstry shop for a refill, their’s come in 3 gallon cans.

When done, either steam it or spray water on it to shrink it up tight as a drum.

A: Just thought I’d pass along a success story… this weekend I installed a new head liner in my 69. Whew!!! What a job. ( I feel like the guy in the commercial who holds up a sign in front of the camera at the football game).

This is definitely a job that was made easier by having an extra set of hands. A buddy came over to assist but neither of us had a clue how to start. What we decided to do was to start at the front middle and pull it tight toward the corner (I applied a thin coat of 3M adhesive in the areas to be pulled) and slipped on the pinch molding as we went along.

We then started on the side at the second rib and pulled out. At each point we would slip the pinch molding on to hold it tight while working toward the front. When we pulled at the corner from the side we pulled out and toward the front again slipping on the pinch molding to hold it in place.

We then moved to the back middle, pulled it tight and moved toward the corner. We moved to the next to last rib and pulled it down tight. We used the tack strip that is located behind the sail panels to hold the fabric tight. At the last rib we pulled it tight under the tach strip and used a screw and washer to secure it tight.

After both side were complete the results were great. Not perfect but very nice. The car is coming together and I hope to have the interior completed in a couple of weeks. By the way, I can’t imagine how this is done with the windshield and rear window in place.

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