The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Interiors Headliner from Hades, 1954 3600

Yeah, all those posts about headliner installation being challenging and also suggesting you have a helper are all true, true, true. So I purchased a headliner from Chevy Classic Parts, part number 21-457. Read the Tech tip ( good article by the way). Read several other bolters post on headliners. Laid the pieces out and weighted them down for a week to flatten them out, attached them to the center bow ( per tech tip and others recommendations) used gorilla tape to secure both halves and then had my grandson help me position and "install" the sides under the cab windlace. What a chore that was. Thankfully the front window and window seal are not installed , so that helped. The headliner had gaps, photo's below. Very unhappy with quality of the product. I suppose I should have purchased from one of the other suppliers whose product detail says that their headliner " set is manufactured with fiberboard and die stamped from original GM patterns. Headliners are embossed and coated brown. Made in the USA!" ? Anyone have any suggestions or can report where they got their headliner that "fits" ? Guess I can chalk that up to trial run, lessons learned, excuse for Crown Royal on the rocks................

That is really a poor fitting product. I have never done a ‘54, hopefully someone can recommend a better product, downside is you are out more time and money. I have to question the claims of original GM patterns some make, I would translate that as we have a set of NOS headliners, and a copy of a copy well...

Brad Allen - yes, time and money! I'll have to get it corrected though as I can't let that be the end of it. Hey, by the way, thanks for putting up the recent and previous files in your library. I really enjoy them and they provide so much knowledge.

I will make a wild guess that the original cardboard headliners were made in a press which pre-formed all of the proper and complicated curves in them.
I say this with a modicum of confidence, as I cannot imagine an assembly line worker fighting with a flat piece of cardboard like we are forced to do.

I fought the fight with my '50 Chevy COE and I thought I won. No gaps or creases and it looked good. A year later the cardboard headliner had shrunk and I had gaps like Dusty has posted above. I give up.
Kent

I used my cardboard template to draw the pattern on Formica. Once heated, it bent easily and went right into place. Only one gap due to a mid cut!

Chris

He, he. Pickups.

Another reason I will never own a burb!🤪

Headliner cardboard - the hard ones to fit are the front and rear.
The front is no more difficult than in a pickup.
The rear is easier than the front.
The middle two have no double bends.

Owning a burb allows seven friends & relatives to join you, compared to two passengers in a pickup.

Best dumb-luck purchase I ever made. I bought it in 1971 for its price ($200) and it was running and it was available.

I'd own a "burb" , if I could afford one ! The pics MnSmith posted look good to me. I'm still hoping that someone has purchased and installed a headliner, for a pickup ,"that works" and can tell me where to buy my next one. Enjoying reading the "barb's over the "burbs" , thanks for the entertainment Tim and Brad!

I purchased my headliner (for a 53 one ton) from Jim Carter and it worked very well, no gaps. It went in more easily than I was expecting, although it was still a bear to get done.

I've been a believer in Formica for a good while now. I've also come to believe some of the gaps/shrinkage are caused by lack of insulation. Originally there was a piece of insulation which was a nasty tar/fiber mixture applied across the top of the cab. Sun, heat, time generally reduced that stuff to more garbage than it was to begin with and I'd be surprised if any of it still exists in original form and thickness. It was about 5/16 or 3/8" thick and if it isn't there, the center bow goes up to hit the roof metal unless something like it replaced it...meaning it now has a different arc. The headliner panels will by nature follow that bow, and I think that's what makes some (if not all) of the difference.

Y'all are going to hate me. I do all the work on the Suburban by myself. Haven't asked for help yet!!

I have not seen here any mention of damping the headliner a little to help it to form better...............seems I remember someone posting to this effect some time ago but saying it definitely took two people. I am testing my memory here so don't yell at me.

Alvin,

I remember that also.

Chris

The headliner fit into the center bow fairly well without much effort after having had the headliner pieces laying flat on the floor for a week weighted down with boards and books. Using folks suggestions I taped the two halves to the center bow and then had my grandson help me "install" it. I noticed that the bottom edge of the center bow rested on the ledge on both sides above the door opening. Next time I'm going to take the individual pieces and test fit them in the front and back of the cab to see if having insulating material would help with the fit. Thank you to all who have provided advice, it is appreciated.

I gave up on those crappy cardboard headliners years ago.

The only way to go is with the molded ABS liner from Jeff & Bowtie Bits.

They do require a little trimming here & there, but this headliner eliminates the problematic center bow.

Once you get this thing in you will never have to worry about it again.


https://www.bowtiebits.com/store/st...amp;Category_ID=2&Sub_Category_ID=27

https://www.bowtiebits.com/store/st...amp;Category_ID=2&Sub_Category_ID=27

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Hate is a strong word.
I will call your solo burb headliner install, and raise you a repair and rebuild of an entirely frozen up and worn out door latch.
Hate that!

Carl

I cheated and found some NOS versions! You win this hand!!

WOW! NOS cardboard? Did they appear to be preformed to the correct contours like the original cardboard firewall covers?

Lol! No, NOS latches.

Way too fat, old, blind, and lazy for headliner work so just take them to my upholstery guy and say "make one". $300 later he's happy and I'm happy.

[img]https://i.postimg.cc/yJ2c3Xvn/Dar-s-headliner-004.jpg[/img]

OK. I'd say that we owe each other a beer then.

I purchased mine 10 years ago from LMC. It came in a huge box because it was pre-formed. Left in a hot Florida attic for 7 years. If it shrank I would know on a trial fit. Fit and form are beautiful. I would call them and ask if they still sell them that way. Eklers may also have them but they are very proud of there products. If it fits it is worth the extra price. Everything I ordered for my 58 and 62 Vette fit well and high quality, that was back in the day when no-one carried Vette parts. Doc

I'll give it a try, thanks Doc.