Headliner Rant!!!

A lot of the members have dealt with the big name Interior vendors like:

http://www.auto-interior.com/index.html

http://www.automotiveinteriors.com/

http://originalauto.com/index.htm

http://smsautofabrics.com/

http://www.wlsheadliners.com/

http://www.stockinteriors.com/


My Mexican-built 1979 wagon came with a hooped/ bow type headliner. None of these big vendors describe their Moon Crater or Tier vinyl headliner fabric as having anything but a foam-backed liner. And most of the classic Ford owners all post regrets that the foam-backing dries up and becomes powder.

Really ticks me off.

Oh, I can get a bow-type headliner for it, from a guy on Ebay for $145 USD plus shipping, or buy the fabric from those big guys and make my own (yes I know how), but what's it made of?

http://www.newstalgiaparts.com/Catalog/ShortProduct?productvariantId=61711

The Zephyr sedan donor had both the hardboard version, and the owner added a replacement liner right over top, because the original broke, when a bodyshop tried to repair the hail damage on the roof. I kept the thin Tier vinyl for a pattern, but it has no backing. Its like a thick food wrap.

Anybody knows which one of those guys sells the cloth-backed headliners, or do I get some oil-cloth for granny's kitchen table and use that?

 

Norm, I know you are creative with coming up with some unique solutions, but perhaps this one to let the true experts handle. Contact an auto upholstery shop. Even if you decide to tackle it yourself, I'll bet a good shop would pass out some knowledge for free.

As I recall, those old bow type headliners had fairly thick (unbacked) material, similar to cloth seat fabric.

 

I kept the original, so I'll ask around the local auto-fabric vendors. Its only 4 yards. I've got the hoops, and I've done it before. I'd just like to get the good stuff, and do it once.

 

No help but just to show I still read your crap......

Oil cloth does work good. Back in the dark ages I made the headliner and door panels for my 49 Dodge from oil cloth material I got at the old fashioned hardware store. Now that I remember it looked like crap! But I was just a dumb kid back then. As a dumber adult I would use modern vinyl or heavy cloth.
My 1980 Malibu had that crappy very thin cloth over foam on cardboard. Came off while camped in Arkansas in humidity. What a mess removing that crap.
Best job I did was putting carpet material on a Chevy van as a headliner. Can't remember how it attached but there were wooden bows every so far so I could put it up in sections.
I used a precut kit in the wagon but there are still a few wrinkles after many years.

 

Might have found a source.

http://www.classicindustries.com/

 

Give it a Mexican theme on this re-do.............

 

Hey Norm,
There's a company near me that speciallizes in obsolete automotive materials.
I've got a call in to them to see if they have - or can get - what you're looking for.


The company is:

Allender & Company
615 Livernois St,
Ferndale, MI 48220

Tel: (248) 398-5776


It's one of those shops that is absolutely packed solid with stuff, floor to ceiling and wall-to-wall.


I've had great luck getting fabric and carpet there for a couple of prior projects.


If they have what you need, I can pick it up and mail it to you if they won't ship to Canada.


What color/colour do you need?

 

You are the man, Joe

 

That's more Californian than Mexican!

 

Stormin' Norman: PM sent.

 

Thanks!

The interior is primarily dark chocolate, so a non-orange tan or darker ivory color or medium beige.

Here's my current interior:

 

Yeah. I'm not a Ford purist, like Henry (Any color as long as its on the lighter range of brown/ivory, beige, even Tan.)

If he could give you a picture of his GM/Mopar colors. My big issue is that it has a cloth backing. It has to be glued to the roof perimeter above the windows. Foam backing won't work.

And the bows are held in place via cotton twill sewn into the cloth, so without a cloth backing, the thread would tear the vinyl apart.

I tried to dye the original, but the SEMS dye made it less flexible and failed:

 

Norman

If you have not yet tried these folks they are worth a try. A buddy has dealt with them and says they are excellent to deal with ......and Canadian based.

http://www.autorestorationsupply.com/

 

I can see why you like that site. Cargo Area mats for Nomads and Safaris. Now that has to be hard to find, especially in Canada. Neat site.

Seems like they aren't carrying headliner inventory at all.

I found a picture of the Moon Crater fabric. The preferred colors are the 6th or 7th from the left. If all else fails, then the 5th one (beige) or the chocolate one (second from the right.)

 

Same headliner install system as my Fairmont wagon video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0PayYCQcAg