The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Interiors 51 headliner

Any GOOD headliners that FIT out there? Finished installing one for a 51 Chevy and it lacks a little over each door being hidden in behind the rubber seal.

The back part of the headliner lacks even more reaching and I have no clue how to stretch it out.

Where did you get that headliner, Roy

The last cardboard headliners that I got from Jim Carter were very poorly cut/fit.

I recommend ordering a black one. That way you can hide the exposed gaps where the headliner is short with black touch up paint.
Even if you could find a good fitting headliner, once humidity gets a hold of it, it will warp, buckle and shrink, leaving gaps.
Think of it as replication of the original headliner in every detail.

Truck and Car shop in Orange, CA is where I got this one. A few years back I got one from LMC and same issue.

I've no regrets on the ABS headliner installed a couple years ago. Yep, it's not concours correct but it looks very OK to me, was oversized which allowed for an easy trim to fit and weather/temps don't affect it at all.

You think that the pickup cab headliner is a dissapointment, multiply that disappointment by about 3 times for a Suburban, especially after a little humidity (as Carl describes).

I did mine last year and it fit well in my AD truck. Maybe they are cutting them better, got it from classic chevy truck

I wondered if I got the little "S" shaped bow in right. According to the tech tip the lower recess went forward while the upper recess pointed backward.

That's the I installed it. But looking at the difference in height I'm sorely tempted to turn it around and see if the liner fits at least a little better.

I installed mine about 8 years ago and had a gap

...click...

I guess this has not been corrected by the vendors


...click...

Not any better, mine is worse than yours. On both sides.

OK, sstock

Classic Parts of America (formerly CHEVY DUTY)

** It was a lot of hair pulling work but I purchased 4 sheets of ABS plastic and made my own head liners for my 52 Chevy 3100 & my 53 Suburban {5 pieces for the Suburban} like it would have been in 53. Did a frame off restoration on both vehicles. Then covered the abs with the same material that all the seats were covered in. Both vehicles turned out really nice {no gaps anywhere{ all pieces fit probably better than they would have been in 53. I would suspect the abs to last many years without an issue. Getting to old to do it again. **

Roy Rodgers,

I purchased a brown 2 piece headliner from, Chev's of the 40's. I was able to install it in a couple of hours, by myself. The only real alterations that I had to do it, was where it ran down into the front posts. I had to trim some of it off. Also, had to cut the holes out for the right side sun visor, mounting bracket. I live in the Arizona heat. My garage it over 100 degrees, a number of days, during the summer months. Now, it has only been a year. But, so far so good. No gaps yet. Hope this helps your project.

Rugo

This one makes the second headliner I have put in. One was in a 50 Chevy the other this 51. Both have the same problem even though almost 5 years apart.

The instructions said I would have to pull back the rubber seal of the windshield to let the liner go behind it, didn't even touch the seal.

Should be hidden behind the door trim/seal.... and in places not even close.

If I do another I will check with other places to see where they get theirs.

Thanks for the suggestions folks.

Is ABS the way to go? I would like to cover it in leather.

If you can find coated and embossed panelboard and cut your own making certain to allow at least 1 inch extra over the door openings you should be in good shape. It is a
leather grain look and a good match for what was originally used. The panels are 39" x 65" as I recall. They're black and must be painted unless you want black. The last time I did this I removed the windlace, painted the headliner after it had been installed and reinstalled the windlace after it was good and dry.

30 years ago this stuff was sold by auto upholstery suppliers here in Dallas but they've all gone out of business now and I haven't found anyone who has it locally. You can use it to make new glove boxes, door panel insets, etc. Here is one online supplier: http://www.perfectfit.com/15347/Chipboard-Car-Panelboard.html
Jon

Hi--need to get a headliner for my 51 5 window that is enroute. Where did you get that beautiful black wind lace around the windows? Does it glue in? Thanks Bill

Does anyone have a pic of the center bow? I just installed my headliner and the PO had a sunroof that is now closed off
The cardboard headliner has cutouts for screws but the center bow does not have holes and looks like it’s from a car
Also, who carries original cab windlace? My 49’ Suburban has cloth ones that are sewn