The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Panels 'N Burbs Headliner???

Most of the glued in headliner material in my 1956 Panel has fallen out and disappeared over the years. All the replacements that I find are for Pick-ups. Anyone have any suggestions for a replacement? It appears to have been a cross between cloth and cardboard with a "waffle" pattern. Barring finding an original type material, what have other folks used? Thanks in advance for any information.

Les

I doubt you'll find anything close to original, it was a jute backed vinyl .... the TF panels only had any 'headliner' over the front section, back to the first rib, which is about the same space as the pickup .... I've thought one of those would work, but eventually I may get an upholstery shop to make something to cover the whole thing

Bill

I have a 54 panel and used heat shield insulation material on the roof and side walls. I liked the roof ribs and decided that whatever I was going to put up as a headliner would fit between the ribs and fasten to the rib flanges. This may sound weird but I used thin gauge gavalume sheet metal (like galvanized steel but with some aluminum in it for a nicer finish) I cut stiff paper templates and then cut out the sheet metal with hand shears and pop rivited it in place one panel at a time. I also used this material on the door panels and side walls. It is a different look and rather impressive when you realize that it is steel. If anyone wants a picture I will try to figure out how to post pictures (I'm an idiot with technology).

Bill,

My truck had the headliner material glued to the roof all the way back! There is still some left. It also has the same material glued to the sides between the ribs and behind the package wooden bars.
One I looked at in a junk yard was the same. I thought they all had it. Also, the one in the junkyard had a curved metal filler panel
that went all the way around at the top. It looked like the inside of the cab. Mine doesn't have that.

Les

http://www.stovebolt.com/gallery/garrett_pee_wee_1958.html

This guy knows quite a bit about those trucks and has discussed upholstery before on here.
Also SMS Fabric has the upholstery and may have headliner material. They are pretty resourceful people. They take their time, but when you get the right stuff, what was time anyway?

http://www.smsautofabrics.com/

I bought a suburban for parts just to get those curved metal fillers. I don't think they were a panel item just on suburbans.

yes, the metal valance pieces were only installed on burbs, panels didn't get them, they make it easier to do a "real" headliner that covers the ribs .... I've never seen a panel that had the vinyl covered stuff all the way back, but they did have a tar sound deadener stuff on the back area roof to prevent drumming - it was the same as the tar paper-y stuff glued to the firewall under the 'dash mat' ... here's a pic of an original 2 piece glue-on headliner, backing and waffle pattern face [clic on 'full size' to better see the pattern, pardon the stains ]

the side area had gray colored "boxboard" panels captured under the vertical ribs that was to prevent the sheet metal from rattling

Bikk

Hi all, I'll have to go back and see if I can get a picture of the inside of that panel. The yard owner told me that the whole truck had been sold and not to mess with it, but there is no question in my mind that what I saw came that way or has been there a long, long time.

Bill, the headliner in your pictures looks very much like what is/was in my truck but the pattern is different. Mine is more like squares. It did not go all the way to the sides, but did go almost to the rear doors. It was held in place by the roof ribs and glue.

Thanks for the replies.

Hello,
I'm really not 100% sure about the correct headliner pattern used on the 55-59 Chevy burbs but I think they are more of a square pattern/design... our GMC suburbans used a rectangle design. Here is the correct headliner for a 1958/59 GMC suburban.
CLICK HERE Go to LugoParts.com, grab the phone from there and give them a call... he has the correct chevy headliner for both Chevy & GMC suburbans and trucks. SMS is another good source too.

Be safe,
Pee-Wee.

Oh WOW! Pee-Wee that is a beautiful picture! I suppose it is of one of your trucks. The material shown is what Bill (red58) shows as being correct for Chevy as well as for your GMCs. Mine has a lot of dark green paint brushed on it, but it well may be the same as you show after I took another look. What I have is only partially still in place, but it goes down the middle of the roof and out to about 8" from the sides and back. So the material is still/now available. That's great!

This information will be a big help to a lot of folks doing TF panels and 'burbs. I doubt my panel will ever be as nice as your trucks, but I'm getting there slowly. Thanks very much for your tips and advice!

It appears there several variations to how the inside of the TF panels were finished in the back.

Pee-Wee,

I'm not familiar with "SMS." I googled SMS, SMS parts, and SMS truck parts and came up blank. Could you give me a steer in their direction?

thanks, Les

Hello
I have a 58 GMC Civil Defence NAPCO and it has the curved Panel and the Waffle head liner all the way back.Sam T

http://www.smsautofabrics.com/
If you were to reread my original post, you would find the identical link at the bottom of my reply. Woulda saved a bunch of time !

K10,

I did check your link, I just didn't make the connection. My apologies. I really appreciate all the replies and information.

Les

Hello all,
Thanks for the compliments & cool email! Sorry this has taken so long to get back but SMS is located up in Oregon http://www.smsautofabrics.com/ Send them a sample (if you have any) and tell them what color you want. They'll search for original or reproduction vinyl with your correct pattern and send you a sample of what they have.

Be safe Guys,
Pee-Wee.