The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Interiors DIY Headliner!

Put in a Chevy Duty two piece cardboard headliner this weekend. Also bought the floating center piece, good thing I read some archived threads cause I definitely needed and extra set of hands. There would have been no way I could have put the headliner in by myself without recking the headliner. So a buddy of mine helped me out and we were done in 30 minutes with only one little crease in the back above the drivers head. Looks 100 times better with a headliner in. Only complaint was that the rear section didn't fit totally to specs, was a little small.
But as I said it looks so much better having a headliner in.

Well, I don't see any pictures on your site...did you 'wet' the cardboard before installing it? I am trying to decide witch way to go....original, fiberglass or have a shop put put one in.
You got it done quickly...any pointers???

Sorry haven't had a chance to add them to the sight.

I did not wet the cardboard. My buddy and I basically sat in the truck put the piece that fits above the windshield on first. Then put on the floating bar. Proceeded to place the rear cardboard in the bar and then using a small flat head screw driver we manipulated the weather stripping to over lap the cardboard.

We had to redrill some holes to hold the back metal bracket in place. While I applied forward pressure making sure the headliner and bracket were connected my buddy inserted the retaining screws one at a time. It was pretty smooth with the extra set of hands and it looks good. I didn't add any noise deadener and it still quieted down the noise a bit.

I will take pics today and post them this afternoon(8-10-04).

Headliner Pics are now on my website along with the beginnings of my wiring harness pics.

Thanks,
Chris

The headliner came out great Chris! Thanks for your work to post the pictures. Makes me want to give it a shot.
Your PO sounds like my PO! Everything...everything...was painted a metalflake blue... what was left of the rotten bed wood; each square inch of the interior, sans windows that were broken; what looked like 3" shag carpet and big old alluminum wheels that didn't fit correctly on the drums so it wobbled BAD down the road. That was just the first impression. Not complaining...to each their own...and I bought it!

Well, I (we) finally got our headliner in...came out pretty good!
Picture of our headliner!

Bad news the link isn't allowing me to see the headliner. Did you have any trouble?

[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v374/55chevy/floatingbarheadliner.jpg[/img]

[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v374/55chevy/frontheadliner.jpg[/img]

[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v374/55chevy/PassengerHeadliner.jpg[/img]

Here are some shots of my headliner.

Thanks,
Chris

Russ,
I sure would like to see those pics. If only the link worked.

Let's try this: My Pictures

I had a shop install mine with cloth material over the cardboard and it lasted about 7 months before some of it came down,,,,,,,Fred

Russ,
That is beutiful! A real nice job.

Thanks!
I think I'm happier about the url link working......

Hey great looking pictures. Can you help me, what is the difference betwean the water and ammonia headliners and the die cut ones. I have a 41 1/2 ton.

Nice job with the headliner. Let me ask you about the rubber trim around the doors. Mine was harder than heck to slide through the cnannel and ended up being bunched up at the corners. Yours looks nice and smooth. Did you have any problems?

Scott: I think they are the same...mine was "die-cut" cardboard and some people use an ammonia and water mix to spray on the headliner to make it easier to work with in the corners.

YVEHC: I did one side on a Saturday and the other side Sunday...(took a long time and did a job on my arms) I made sure the channel was open and clean all the way. I used silicone spray on the rubber and in the channel. I started at the front-top corner (opening in the channel) and worked the first section of rubber down towards the front of the door. Then I took the longest section and worked it thru the opening towards the back. It was literally a an 1/2" by 1/2" job!
I found out the next day that it REALLY helps to leave the silicone spray on the rubber overnight!

yvech,

Prior to installing my door rubber I cut a small piece roughly 3 inches long and ran that through the door channels. Anywhere that was crimped I used a flat head screw driver to uncrimp it. That help eleviate the binding at the corners.

Chris

The shop manual has some really good pictures and instructions for installing the weatherstrip.

The shop manual has some really good pictures and instructions for installing the weatherstrip.

Hey Guys,
What do you mean when you say to use water on the headliner? How does that work? I need to install my new one.

GEC52,

I didn't use water and not really sure I would want to. I had a buddy help me, I advise and extra set of hands. We sat in the truck and put in the headliner, I also recommend a dull butter knife to help tuck the weatherstripping over the headliner. Once in place I held the headliner in place and my buddy screwed in the back retaining bar.

Chris

Russntustin: Good pics, not to derail the thread, but I like your ladder rack/tent type thing you've got, did you build it or buy it somewhere, I'd love to see some more pics of it if you have em. Maybe in a new thread.
MONGO

I sent pix to your Email.