The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Interiors One piece cardboard headliner installation on 1939 truck. Help!

I've been reading all the posts on headliner installation, but never found anything on the exact steps to install a one piece cardboard one? My questions are do I start from the front, the middle or the back? What are the next steps? How do you put in the three screws in the middle?
Thanks
Tom

Tom,

I purchased a one piece die cut cardboard headliner from Jim Carter Truck for my 1941 Chevrolet. The sales representative stated that the headliner was cut to fit without alterations. Well to make a long story short, the installation attempt was horrible! The vague instructions to spray the cardboard with a 50/50 water/ammonia solution made the cardboard limp and very prone to creasing. Making the complex bend in the rear corners will be tough to make presentable. I think the originals were steamed and formed in a press, something a hobbyist would not be able to do. The fit/finish of the cardboard headliner is terrible. I asked the Jim Carter representatives for more information on installation and they gave me a link to a Stovebolt site. In that site, the guy stated that after attempting (and ruining) the cardboard headliner that he went with the formed ABS or fiberglass version. When I asked the representatives at Jim Carter about this, and if anyone had ever successfully installed a one piece cardboard headliner, the reply was that they had sold hundreds of cardboard headliners. They did not state that they know of anyone that has satisfactorily installed one. The ordeal dealing with Jim Carter and their refusal to offer real advise or to credit the cost of the junk cardboard headliner towards one of their fiberglass versions has made an ex-customer out of me. There are other vendors, and I will spend my money elsewhere from this day forward. In my opinion, Jim Carter (and others) are selling a product that is useless and they won't admit the fact.

All I can say is good luck, and let me know how the fiberglass or ABS headliner fits.

Good afternoon.
I tried the original headliner and went through a couple of trying days of attempting to make it fit. End of second day I ordered the fiberglass headliner and installed it. My vote is to not mess with cardboard headliner unless you want an original truck. Mine is for fun and not show. Mileage may vary for different people.

Thanks for the replies!
Tom

Tom,

Sorry that my story was not what you wanted to hear, but unfortunately the sad reality. Let me know how you make out with your installation. JC said all you need is ammonia/water mix and patience.

Paul

For anyone reading this thread I just want to state that I had no problems installing my 2-piece cardboard headliner (without dampening it), but heed the advice here if yours is one-piece.

I am going to install a two piece cardboard.

For a one piece, I would put a sheet on the top of the vab (outside, on the roof) 'form it' be laying the headliner on top of the cab's roof, then wet it down till it sags a bit, let it dry, wet it down etc etc etc.

That should form the rear corners well enough to get the trim up.

That might work. I would think you would still get kinking though.

Even with the 2-piece I had to be careful how i bent it so it didn't kink. It was frustrating at times, but slow and steady worked well and it turned out great.

I have done it the one piece head liners. It took three to get it right. I'm going to have to do another one for my new '39 project. I did save the one that was in there and am thinking of an elaborate plan to salvage it. It would be worth the time I think. If you do buy a new cardboard one don't get it too wet. Start from the back. Then the front. Then the sides. I let mine sit damp in a plastic bag over night. Have a helper. Put the trim pieces on first on the back. Leave a big space between the screws and trim. Then you see the holes have slots. You slide it between the trim and get it just right and start screwing the back trim tight. But make sure its square. The next time I will make a prop to help hold it up. Like we use for dry wall. Basically a big TEE. Good luck.

1946GMCDAN,

So you trashed two cardboard headliners before getting one to fit and look acceptable? Wow, that exactly fits my hypothesis that the aftermarket companies are knowingly selling restores soggy junk cardboard at $40-50 at a clip. Sorry state of affairs especially when they offer such terrible installation advise. I am going to go with either the ABS or fiberglass. Does anyone have any experiences with these products?

It's just a skill that you need to learn. I don't think anyone is to blame. If you ever hung drywall you would understand. Sometimes you need to break a few sheets to get the hang of it.

Exactly. It's not that the product is flawed, it's just the best they had for that purpose in those days, and we choose to use the same as what was originally used. I bet the guys on the production line had no problem putting them in.

I have done quite a bit of sheetrock installation, but don't see the similarity. Joint compound can hide many installer errors that can't be hidden on a cardboard headliner. I suppose everyone has their own threshold for waste, but ruining 2 headliners before having a successful installation would not be acceptable to me.

My point is the discussion is that Jim Carter Trucks did not provide adequate instructions for a product they claimed was die cut and would fit my application. Google "Implied Warrantee as in Warantee of Merchantability or Implied Warantee of Fitness for a Particular Purpose". The companies knowledge of the fact that most buyers ruin one or two cardboard headliners before being successful is not very ethical. A detailed instruction sheet "could" have remedied the situation. Personally, I don't think anyone at their company actually knows how to install the headliner.

Unfortunately in our consumer society, we have been conditioned to accept products that do not perform as expected. There is currently a very parallel discussion of new parts that don't fit. Coincidence? I don't know about you all, but I got interested in old iron so that I could avoid the low quality Chinese junk out there today. Unfortunately US vendors are following the off shore business model of "low price" race to the bottom in quality.

I have finally finished the headliner installation. I ended up throwing the one piece cardboard one away and went with the ABS. Here is how the install went.
1) painted it brown with plastic paint from NAPA. Pretty easy, scuffed with 600 grid, wiped it down with Windex and used two cans of paint.
2) I centered the rear trim piece on the headliner, while it was out of the car, and marked the holes. Then drilled them. This made it easier to get screws started in the truck.
3) After screwing it in, took one of the screws and ground the head off to a sharp point and screwed it into the middle hole of the center support. ( On a 39 there is a center support that takes three screws and rubber washers.) I then pushed the headliner up against the sharp point of the screw and marked where it made impression. then drilled it. I did this for all three points on the center support.
4) I next installed the front trim starting from the center and going right and left. This was a little harder because the headliner needed to be trimmed. It was suppose to be an exact fit, but you know how that goes. Anyway after the front was secured the sides were next. Trimming was done with metal cutters and also a dremel in the hard to get spots.
5) It took a lot installing and then taking the trim pieces back off to get everything just right, but it looks great! Hope this helps !

All this sounds just like a local friend's experience with the one piece headliner in his 41, tore up the first one and went back in the house. Later I believe he took #2 to an upholstery shop, didn't hang around to watch, it's in there and looks great.
Also some 41 owners have searched out the 42-46 center bow and two piece cardboard.

Tom,

Thank you for taking the time to write up an installation description as it certainly will help me and hopefully others with the same questions. I particularly liked your novel method of creating an impression in the headliner with a pointed screw, very clever.

Perhaps you could sell your installation instructions to Jim Carter.

I think my creased JC cardboard headliner will become fodder for target practice.

Thanks again,

Paul

Paul
Thanks for the reply. You would think that the parts company's would offer some instructions on how to install one!
Anyway, I decided to sell my truck and have put it on ebay. It's Also listed for sale on stovebolt with a link to ebay.( someone put that in there for me). There are some good pictures if you care to look!
Good luck with your truck!
Tom