Ever have one of those moments where you realize that things going smoothly, just perfectly flawlessly outstanding usually means there's a pile-up of problems building up? Guess I'm there. Everything with the interior restoration on the car has been pretty smooth sailing up until this point. Minimal issues. Too bad the headliner has become the one straw that breaks my camels back. I had this whole 'plan'....about putting in a substitute fabric since I dont want to drop $500 on pro headliner install (and they warned me that there is a chance the windshield will break, which would mean having to hunt down a new one, which means more money). Evidently, the universe doesn't like my sub-par 'plan'. I'll be darned if I havent glued fabrics up there FOUR TIMES now, and it keeps coming down. I've scrubbed the old glue off, been generous with glue, skimpy with glue, tried porous fabric, smooth fabric, light and heavy weight. Applied long term pressure, applied gentle pressure. You name it. Bought pricey auto glue, too...thinking surely, SURELY...that was my problem. Last week I went in for the fourth attempt, and it looked great. Seemed to be firmly in place. Had a momentary victory dance in my garage! That was premature. Went to pull it out this morning, and the headliner was just chillaxin' on the front seat like, "hey. Whats up? Gorgeous weather, huh? I love spring." You son of a biscuit. So, I'm done. I give up. You win, almighty gods of car restoration to whom I've clearly not given appropriate benediction. Guess I'll just spray the whole roof black and call it a day. (thank you, for letting me vent)
Is an upholstery shop on the agenda, now? It may alleviate your frustration... I had a shop do a headliner on a '72 Mustang in AL and it was OUTSTANDING craftsmanship.
I want the pro install...... someday. Right now, money has to go in slowly and in small portions. I started school in December, so I work about 1/4 the hours I used to. I squeeze by, but that means less fundage available for the poor, dear Maverick. My aim was to find something aesthetically pleasing that could hold me over until next year when I wrap school and increase cash flow. As the unfortunate female cat in the Pepe La Pew cartoons might say, "le sigh".
The fabric I'd put in actually looked pretty darn good. Ive been sewing for years, so I was pretty detail oriented. Too bad the adhesive had other ideas! I could leave it bare.....Im just fussy and don't want to. (imagine...a woman being fussy, eh? *giggle*)
So you are trying to just glue the front of the headliner to the metal near the windshield? Like right where it would have wrapped around the lip of the window frame but you dont want to remove the window? I can see how that might be tough. Could you put a hem on the fabric there to make it thick and strong enough to put a couple trim screws through? they make some nice screws with wide washers you coud use.
You never said what adhesive you're using... According to my buds at hotrodders.com, DAP Landau Top Adhesive is the best, but it's only available in 1 gal pails and up. The 2nd favorite headliner glue would be this one from Autotrim which comes in a spraybomb.
If you were closer, I'd put in a factory style headliner for you, for a small fee. I did mine, it was a job, but it turned out good. The best way is to remove the glass by cutting the lip off of the old gasket and then lifting the glass out. Of course, then you would have to have new gaskets, but that's the best way to do it. The glass re-install was the biggest problem for me, but then again, I did it myself. I think a few guys have had headliners installed without pulling the glass with good luck, but I've never tried it that way.
When i did my headliner i got a used one from Grabber71, i ended up putting the rods up with the material hanging, and then went to home depot and got a few plastic dry-wall mud speaders, diff sizes..then got a industrial spray adheasive (was like 15 dollars) i left my glass in and took off door weather stripping and every other thing in my way, i started at the front by soaking it with the spray and then working it up under the window seal with the mud spreader, did all along the front and then pulled it a little bit tighter to the back and kept working my way all along the sides, once the sides were done i put the door seals back on (holds the headliner there to dry) and then again same with the quarter windows..as you do it make sure you keep it snug and pulling it back so you have enough to go for the back window and so it does not sag, then once you reach the back window you will have to repeat what you did to the front window, be liberal with the adheasive make sure you spray under the seal and on the back side of the headliner, let it tack up and work it up and under. you can always remove the over spray of glue off the window or the headliner if you spray the wrong side..anyways thats how i did mine..looks good, driver quality not for a show car lol. but maybe you should just look at finding someone local with a parts car and buy it cheap and try that. i also used a hot glue gun for some hard places..but if you work it up under the seals with enough spray it should be fine. thats the way i cheaped out and did mine!
Try the contact cement used for rubber roofing. http://www.google.com/products/cata...a=X&ei=uEVyT4LtD8OT0QHfnIidAQ&ved=0CHYQ8wIwAA# You apply it to the two items you want to glue, let it get to the point where it is almost dry to the touch, and CAREFULLY put the pieces together. This stuff is extremely tuff, and you will not get to readjust your piece, but if you apply it just to the front, near the windshield, it should hold like steel! Other types of contact cement may work, but I only have experience w/ the roofing type! Jim P.
I found a compromise for the fabric roof aspirations. It's going to look a little rat rod inspired, but it will give a little dimension and appeal to the alternative of having positively nothing there for another year or more. Will post photos when finished.
Just some friendly advise. If you remove the old headliner and the supporting rods, mark or take pictures of their exact location (bow #/color, which hole upper/lower, etc) I found this out the hard way. Sure makes it easier going back in.
Not sure where you are in W. TN? If in Memphis, got a shop off US 64 in Bartlett that does Mustangs to do mine a few years ago for my 74 Comet. Great job, no broken glass, returned car clean, super job. I can't remember the price, but I might be also to look it up in the net. I got the headliner from ebay and they installed for just a few hundred.
You might also try the type of contact cement used to glue laminate tops to cabinets ("formica" some people call them, though that is just a brand name). You can get it in a quart at your local hardware store. Paint some on each side to be glued and let it dry till it's tacky but not wet, then join them together. However, just as with the rubber roofing cement mentioned above, you only get one chance! Once you stick it it's stuck and there is no re-positioning. Also, you will probably have to use a sander to get the glue off when you decide to remove it... i would try it on a scrap of material, maybe in center of the roof where it will be covered, just to see how well it will hold.
When something just will not stay where you put it.... CA glue on the trim piece.... Activator on the material....you get one stick and that is it.... Dries hard as concrete.
