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'67 GTX headliner installation

doctordodge

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I have the interior out of my GTX. I've laid out the headliner on the roof to relax the wrinkles out of it. Any advice from anyone who has installed one? I have the old one with the bows still in it for reference but am not sure on the procedure on this one.
 
I have the interior out of my GTX. I've laid out the headliner on the roof to relax the wrinkles out of it. Any advice from anyone who has installed one? I have the old one with the bows still in it for reference but am not sure on the procedure on this one.
I have the interior out of my GTX. I've laid out the headliner on the roof to relax the wrinkles out of it. Any advice from anyone who has installed one? I have the old one with the bows still in it for reference but am not sure on the procedure on this one.
Keep the children at distance, so they are safe from colorful language, and thrown objects! Also, plenty of alcohol to calm your nerves is a big help as well!
 
First, lay out the old headliner on the new one and trace the outline on the new one. Mark the center of the front and back for reference by folding the headliner in 1/2. Then, remove the rods one by one and install them in the new headliner, and cut the welting channel so at least 1 1/2” of the rod shows at the end. Use the spray can headliner adhesive and go around the outline you drew on the new headliner, and on the perimeter of the car. A piece of cardboard as a overspray shield will help keep overspray at a minimum.

Then, hook the tension rods to the rear bow and put them in the holes on the back of the window channel and stretch the bows forward one at a time. When you get to the front, use the center mark and line it up with the where the rear view mirror mounts, and hook it there on the teeth. The headliner will be tensioned down the middle, so it’s time to work the headliner out from the middle to the sides, starting with the front header.

Go to one corner and pull the tension tight and secure it on the teeth, the go to the other corner and do the same. One of the tricks I learned is to use some door jamb welting pieces to help hold things in place while you work. Stretch a little, slip a piece of welting on, and work your way towards the center of the front header until the headliner is smooth, and there are no wrinkles between the header and the first bow back.

Then start your way towards the back, over the doors, doing the same thing, pulling tight, but not too tight, and slipping on a piece of welting to hold the area and move on. I have the welting pieces about 6-8” apart. When you get back to the rear sail panel, skip over that and do the back window header the same way as the front. Pull each corner and secure it on the teeth and put a piece of welting there, the work back towards the center.

When all of that is done and the headliner looks smooth, it’s on to the sail panels, which are typically the hardest part to get wrinkle free. Work slowly and patiently towards the bottom, stretching from side to side. When all is said and done, remove the welting pieces and if there are small wrinkles, use a hair dryer on the heat setting and work them out. Elapsed time, probably about 2 hours.

Pics of my headliner, the spray adhesive I use, and the welting pieces I use, which came from an old Mustang door weatherstrip and push over the pin heels quite nicely.

85DE1084-E83F-4B44-AA2D-003EDE6DC946.jpeg A445C8E2-8680-4F11-96BD-9C69191962A8.jpeg 6119BF30-9D46-4F10-91A1-9408EF95F7F8.jpeg A704210A-A1ED-4961-A363-75B2D9F7B099.jpeg
 
Great reply. Thanks! I hadn't seen the headliner adhesive before and was going to use Permatex spray adhesive. I'm sure my local paint supplier can provide the right stuff.
 
Great explanation by cosgig.

I will add that I used a whole bunch of black metal binder clips to hold the edges. It might not be the "professional way", but it worked really well for me.

IMG_4465.JPG
 
Great replies above. Dealing with the channels that the rods slip into, they will be long and cut to length on the new headliner. Measure and cut them to the same width as the originals. This sets the curve from the roof to the edges.
 
Put the mirror, sun visor, coat hanger, dome light screws into place before you start the headliner. So you can feel, cut (just force a philips driver into the head) the headliner and work around the screws.

I will add, and I show it in my '69 Bee restoration thread, that I did the entire headliner pulled and clipped into place with zero glue. Once I was happy I simply used contact cement to glue only the outer lip on the sides and along the front and rear glass areas. I did so because someone sprayed glue doing my previous headliner and you could see and feel it's clumping along the sides. Headliner starts about here... http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,121731.msg1593105.html#msg1593105
 
You will need glue for the sail panels on a 66-67.

The 67 headliner and roof is different than 69. There are no cardboard sail panels to finish it off. The headliner material goes all they way down to the bottom. There are teeth around the back window, but it needs to be glued to the roof rail in that area.

The first headliner I did was a 70 challenger and it was very easy and smooth. Then a 67 B-body what a job that was, because of the sail panels. Then a 70 Charger and it was easy again because of the cardboard sail panels just go in over the top and. You are done there.
 
Good add, I forgot to mention that. And any side screws for the coat hooks, seat belt retainers and such as well.
Put the mirror, sun visor, coat hanger, dome light screws into place before you start the headliner. So you can feel, cut (just force a philips driver into the head) the headliner and work around the screws.

I will add, and I show it in my '69 Bee restoration thread, that I did the entire headliner pulled and clipped into place with zero glue. Once I was happy I simply used contact cement to glue only the outer lip on the sides and along the front and rear glass areas. I did so because someone sprayed glue doing my previous headliner and you could see and feel it's clumping along the sides. Headliner starts about here... http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,121731.msg1593105.html#msg1593105
 
Lots of great tips. I’m still letting it relax on the roof for now. I did both my ‘61 Valiants, one two door post and a wagon. Both pretty easy to get smooth. Did a ‘69 b body a long time ago. Figured the ‘67 would be tricky at the sail panels. Is there a favourite insulation?
 
Wow great write up on the install , on my 67 gtx hardtop , had it near complete , then had a miss cue and tore my new headliner and all glass was installed , no one wanted to touch it without removing the glass , so to heck with them , my wife and I installed it with glass in car , a job but doable!
 
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