Headliner question

[Deleted User]

Hi all.

I'm replacing the headliner in my -50 Commodore 6.

The old one was gone around the rear window (waterleakage), and I don't know how to fasten the fabrick betwen the rear window and the package shelf.

The body service manual mentions cardboard tacking strips and rear package shelf trim boards.

Everything back there is gone, and I don't know what it should look like.

There is no stepdowns here in Norway to look at, at the moment.

Anybody having some photos from a restoration ?

Uncle Josh

Ah, OK, I did my 49 Commadore 4 dr. You can get tacking strip from

http://www.restorationspecialties.com in Wimber PA or maybe at your local upholsterer.



Ideally the rear window should be out, but I guess with the right tool, like a plastic putty knife, you could push the fabric in behind. the window rubber. Be nice if you could get some adhesive in there without getting it all over your new headliner.



5 years ago already but seems like there are wooden strips around the edge of the shelf to tack into.



I got my headliner from Kanter and had to cut the loops back from the ends where the bows will meet the sides of the roof. If there isn't enough clearance here, the headliner will get to the end of the bow before it's tight.



I put a teakettle in the car for a while after it was done to shrink the wrinkles out. Some remained from being folded in shipping, but they disappeared after a while. BTW, this was my first one. Good luck.



'Nothing should ever be done for the first time'

Uncle Josh

Just took a pic of the finished product

[Deleted User]

Thanks, so it should be wooden strips around the edge of the shelf, ?

they are gone on my car :-(

Do you know what the tacking strips is made of ?

The glass and rubber is out, I got the headliner from SMS Autofabricks, it fits perfectly, almost no wrinkles (this is my first, altso)

Only the rear window part missing :-(

Clutchguy

No, there are no wooden strips in these. They used tacks[tacks into the rear window opening METAL] and glue. To properly install the headliner the rear window needs to be removed. You can do it without removal but much more effort and care is required.

Unknown

tiggy2 wrote:

Thanks, so it should be wooden strips around the edge of the shelf, ?
they are gone on my car :-(
Do you know what the tacking strips is made of ?
The glass and rubber is out, I got the headliner from SMS Autofabricks, it fits perfectly, almost no wrinkles (this is my first, altso)
Only the rear window part missing :-(

Also when you read the installation instructions in the Hudson body manual you will need to cut a strip off the excess to fit under the window. There is enough excess from SMS, that is where I got mine. When gluing around the rear window make sure you do not get any glue around the inner lip of the rear window. I used 3M spray adhesive and had to pull that part of the Headliner back off, tape it off if you are going to use a spray adhesive.

I set an ironing board in garage and ironed the shipping wrinkles out and when I do another one I will rent a drapery steamer.

[Deleted User]

Clutch guy wrote:

No, there are no wooden strips in these. They used tacks[tacks into the rear window opening METAL] and glue. To properly install the headliner the rear window needs to be removed. You can do it without removal but much more effort and care is required.

OK, the rear window are out, the problem is not to tack the fabric into the window opening, but how it is fastened to the bottom. (behind/under the package shelf)?

Uncle Josh

I have a good memory but it's short, therefore I don't remember what the tacks on the strip go into. Around the rear window, they tack directly into the metal so I guess that's what the strip tacks go into.



The strip is made of a heavy cardboard material.



I do remember that I used windlace I got for around the doors, but I thought it was too big for the shelf so slit it and took out the rubber tube and replaced it with a smaller tube.