The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Interiors Chevy Duty Headliner

I just finish with trying to install the headliner in my late 1949 I got from Chevy Duty. After reading all the treads on how to install a headliner, I found out that the headliner was 1 inch to short(front to back).
Can someone tell me who sells headliners for AD that fit?
thanks for your help

Might try Jim Carter. I like their products.
Cecil........

Lonnie,
just finished installing a Chevy Duty headliner on my 50....mine was too long, I had to trim a little off mine to make it fit.
late 49 and 50 should be the same...does yours have the "floating" center strip?
I put rear section up first with the center strip on it. then worked the front section on. it was definitly a two person job and we had to take several frustration breaks....finished product sure looks better...glad I did it. have you considered the new one-piece ABS headliners they are now selling?

Chuck

small tip:
Just a suggestion b4 the headliner fitting. That a possible sound deadening 'dynamat' product to help from roof noise and /or a quality double sided gute insulating material spray glued in situ. Then the liner. Driving is so much quieter.
enjoy

It seems like every "headliner" post I see in this forum mentions Chevy Duty's items being too short or too long. Has anyone ever mentioned this to the supplier, or is it assumed the customer installed in incorrectly or just doesn't know what he/she is doing.

Wasn't there a Bolter that was a rep for Chevy Duty...is he still around?


Stuart.

Two out of five Jim Carter suburban headliner panels were too short. One was too long. One suburban rear side panel had holes drilled in the wrong place.

It is, or course, easier to deal with a panel that is too long than dealing with a panel that is too short. The hole drilled in the wrong place was not a problem, because the side cardboard-panels were recovered to match the seat material (Jim Carter did not have the correct 1954 side-panel color).

Tim

I read on one thread that the AD trucks weren't perfectly uniform and that many of the body pieces were still handmade. The writer cautioned that replacement parts should therefore be thought of as an approximate fit only and we should anticipate having to work to get things to fit. I wish I could remember the thread I read it in - I think it was about patch panels for the cab.

Given that, I would imagine that the headliners are the same, but the trucks vary from (ideal) spec. It would be more difficult to manufacture products today that weren't uniform because the dies and set ups would have to change every time, adding cost to the manufacturing process.

That's my male answer syndrome take for the day (see Click and Clack for fuller discussion of male answer syndrome).

Kimberly,

Because of the way the AD cabs were assembled there did seem to be differences, but I think the disparity in the headliners is a quality control issue with the manufacuturer.

Stuart.

Kimberly,

I just read about Male Answer Syndrome and I think I have an advanced case of it...NO, I'm sure I do!


Stuart.

I am in the same boat with you all here. I'm on my third headliner from from Chevy Duty and each one has been different and inaccuratly cut (all too short, leaving me with no alternative, no even trimming). This is starting to #$%^ me off. Why not give us a couple (in my case 5) of bulk sheets and let us do the patterns and cutting!?

Sanderson,
I'm working with my headliner right now too and I looked at some alternatives before going with the "off the shelf" headliner. Have you thought about using some alternative material and cutting your own based on your 3 bad headliners?

I looked at some flexible 4x8 plastic paneling from the home center (used in bathrooms and high-humidity environments). It was flexible enough to bend to fit and inexpensive. I purchased headliner material (foam-backed fabric) with that intention.

However, I eventually ordered a cardboard headliner from American Classic and mine fit great. I made that choice because I didn't want to try to create a pattern from scratch. Since you have the pattern (the bad headliners) it might work for you.

I covered my cardboard headliner with headliner upholstery material since I'd already purchased it. I finished the edges with motorcycle trim molding from JC Whitney and I'm really happy with the results. I've got the back piece in, but I'm waiting for a "helper" (either my husband who is out of town hunting, or my sister) to give me the extra hand I need to install the front piece.

I'll take a photo and post a link here 54 Project Pics for you.
Sorry about your bad luck - I had a great experience with American Classic.

Kimberly,
I saw that plastic idea on a "follow the rebuild" page someone once had up about their suburban. I'm going to try it on my dad's '51 GMC 350, then maybe make all of the headlining and paneling for my '54 1-ton panel with it. I like the texture, it has that 50s feel to it.

Cool! Let us know how it works out. I'm planning to use the plastic paneling or 1/8" plywood with the upholstery fabric on top for my door panels. That's next after I get the headliner up and the new sun visors and rear-view mirror and bracket installed.

Kimberly, I used 4x8 pvc panel to cut door panels
and covered with closed cell foam. Then Covered them with auto upholstery fabric. Just a thought.

Kimberly, while the 1/8 inch plywood shouldn't be real stiff, will it give enough to allow the felt washers around the door handle and window crank, and will it clear the control link without binding?

I have thought about using flooring vinyl if it can be found thick like old linoleum. Cover it with fabric and it should look fine. It might even work for headliner material.

i made panels for my 54 out of 1/8 inch oak plywood mounted on a "home made" wood frame that is appoximately 1/4 inch thick. glued the plywood to the frame and used the original mounting holes but with longer screws. just enough room for the door and window handles to fit after a little creative sanding. i tried to do the same for the headliner but gave up on it - curves are two sharp in the corners etc.

That's a good point, Windy. My handles have been flopping loose so long, it seems hard to believe there would be clearance problems - but you are right - it is a concern. I have spare lumber in the garage, so I thought I could burn a bit of it up experimenting.

In addition to the much thinner 4x8 plastic paneling at the home store, I've also thought about cutting the door panels out of fluorescent light ceiling tiles (for suspended ceilings) and covering it with the foam-backed fabric. The plastic is thin and flexible and the 2x4 squares would be a nice size to work with. Hopefully I can give some better answers than "I think," and move to "I did" in the next few weeks!

Here's what has happened. With a suburban you have five pieces of material to install and must start at the rear. CD sent me five pieces front most and rear most pieces were die cut in approx. pattern but three middle pieces were large (72"x59") sheets. Doing a dry run with the two cut pieces I found they were not as advertised "cut for exact fit", but a bit off at best. I decided after talking with tech dept at CD to go ahead with makeing my own patterns for all of the pieces and cutting material to those shapes. Stupidly I made patterns (with gridded poster board and masking tape) for all but last installed piece (above driver/passenger at windshied). These I used to cut and install headliner, rear to front. When I got to last section I found that the suppliers piece did not fit and was short. So I have three days labor in a 4/5 installed headliner with no choise but to get same material from same supplier and hope for the best. Good news is that the tech at CD has maybe figured out the snag. Suburbans have a screw in bow above driver not floating and as mine is a '51, it may need the pickup part from the screw in style not the floater as model year would indicate.

Most places sell center bows but what about end brackets do they sell an end bracket headliner fits into. Does anyone know where to get these