<VV> Fwd: late model headliner install??

[Matt Nall]

Matt Nall
Charleston, Oregon
http://mysite.ncnetwork.net/reswr0kp/





-----Original Message-----
From: Matt Nall <patiomatt at aol.com>
To: corvairgrymm <corvairgrymm at gmail.com>
Sent: Thu, May 26, 2011 8:53 am
Subject: Re: <VV> late model headliner install??


Posted on the Corvair Center's Forum  by Don B.


Matt Nall
Charleston, Oregon
http://mysite.ncnetwork.net/reswr0kp/



LATE CORVAIR HEADLINER REPLACEMENT
Disclaimer: This is in no way a step by step method of installing a Headliner and receiving professional results. I do not consider myself as a professional trim expert with all the answers. The following are simply guidelines and things to consider before attempting this type of job. For professional looking installs, seek a professional.
1. Before starting the project take a look at the old headliner and mounting locations, I.E. mirror, dome light, coat hooks, windless, sun visors, front and rear plastic filler pieces etc. a digital picture maybe helpful.
2. This project is more than a one day operation since much time is spent buffing, sanding, cleaning and painting various items. So give yourself some extra time and if possible find another set of bows and prepare them ahead of time. This will aid in speeding up the process.
3. Items required: In-addition to a New Headliner, Check the Front and Rear Top strips, Rear Window Trim Strips, & Plastic Windshield Pillar trim. These items are usually deteriorated and need replacement. Used pieces can be repaired and painted as needed. Check the condition of the chrome plastic dome light base and lens and Rear Coat hooks and get new and don’t forget some 3M trim adhesive. Spray glue is too messy for me.
4. . May want to order them as well. Also primer, Paint and Vinyl spray paint should be on hand. Maybe some new Windless for the sides since it does fade over time. Disconnect the Negative battery cable.
5. Remove the rear seat???? Maybe... If you need the room..
6. Remove the right and left Sun Visors, bag and tag the screws. Another thought might be to place the screws back in their respective holes to aid in finding them later on.
7. Remove the Rear View Mirror, if it needs replacement now’s the time. Bag & tag the mirror and the screws.
8. Remove the Left and Right Windshield Plastic Pillar trim, check for cracks, Fill, repair, and paint as needed. Bag and tag screws. Or replace with new or reconditioned trim.
9. Remove the Front and Rear Top strips. The (plastic piece) along the front pinch weld. Clean and paint with vinyl spray paint.
10. Remove center brackets & plastic filler surround on rear window (backlite). Clean and paint the surround and brkts if needed. Again, use vinyl paint, color of choice.
11. Remove both the left and right side Pinchweld Windless. Windless helps hold the headliner in place on the sides.
12. Remove both Rear Side Coat Hooks. Tear open the old material and replace the screw, this will help finding the mounting hole when new headliner is installed.
13. Remove the Dome light lens, remove the attaching screws. Tear open the old material a bit and replace the screws. Again, to help finding the mounting holes when new headliner is installed.
14. Remove the dome light connector clips from the dome light, remove the dome light.
15. Remove the screws at the ends of the headliner bows on the left side. Bag and Tag. Disconnect the bow end from the holes, noting the location they are removed from on both ends. Note: In some cases there may be as many as three holes for the bow ends to enter on a given side, so mark which holes that were used.
16. Remove the old headliner and Bows.
17. Clean old adhesive from the front, rear and sides of the metal roof along the edges.
18. Note: The dome light is attached to a center metal brace that goes from one side of the top to the other. On the back side of that brace is a length of straight round rod rapped with paper. Metal teeth are holding it in place as well as the center section of the headliner. Bend the teeth out a bit so as to give enough space to remove this Bow. This straight piece of rod or bow does not have to be cleaned and painted. The paper aids in not transferring rust to the pillow openings sown into the top.
19. With the straight Bow removed, remove all other Bows. Keep in mind that each has a curvature to each. Usually starting with the most pronounced at the rear and moving forward.
20. Buff, sand or both the rust from the curved Bows. Clean, Prime and Paint each bow.
21. Lay the New headliner finished side down. Find center at the Front and Back and draw a line connecting the front and rear dots. Or fold the new headliner in half and make a mark at the front and rear. Either way it’s center.
22. Measure up from the end of each pillow case two or three inches and make a cut in the tunnel of material, that’s where the bows will exit. The pillow case as I call it, are the gathered and sown long tunnels of material that the bows go into. These tunnels are too long for the bows to exit properly. Hence, the measuring and cutting into the tunnels to create and exit point…. Don’t cut the finished Headliner material.
23. Install the dry freshly painted bows into the tunnels remembering the proper order they go in.
24. Gather up the Headliner and bows and that them to the car.
25. Start by installing the long rod with the paper around it. Using the center line that was drawn in step 20, locate a half moon cutout in the metal just behind where the Dome light was removed (at least on a 1966, no sure on the others). This a half moon cutout is the center of the roof, there’s also a half moon cut out at the front and rear of the metal top). Install the rod and headliner tunnels of material back into where it came and bend the metal tangs or teeth down onto the rod. The teeth will bite into the material as well and hold it in place. Make curtain the material it’s pulled Farley tight to remove any wrinkles…. Before pushing the metal teeth down.

26. With the bows in place, the most difficult part by tucking material into the open end at the front by the windshield. A tucking tool is used to push headliner material onto the slot with sharp barbs along the front and of course keeping the wrinkles out or at lease to a minimum. You will get tired of the word wrinkles before you’re though with this project.

27. Note: For some reason I could not get the material onto the sharp barbs. My method was to use a generous amount of trim cement, pull it tight enough to remove wrinkles and install a new piece of windless across the front section. It Looks and work for me.

28. Note: Use Trim cement along the front strip across the bottom. When the old material was removed it’s easy to see where glue was used on the front rear and sides.

29. Work your way back and across the new headliner, by pulling every direction possible to remove wrinkles and keeping it tight front and back.

30. Like the front, the rear edge also has a slot with the metal barbs, so use your tucking tool to push the material all along the edge. With a bit of luck, the material will find its self attached to the barbs. If not, use trim cement and cap off with some windless to hold it down.

31. Cut and fit the bottom edge of the headliner to the rear pillar area and use some 3M trim cement to hold it.

Happy headliner installing