Headliner Progress

[Beach-Burban]

After getting news about an upcoming show, I got renewed motivation to make progress with my headliner project. Although not 100% completed yet, I was able to reassemble the interior enough to feel good about entering the show (In-Progress Category, of course). I had carefully removed the original headliner and bows a few years ago, but still needed to scrub the interior metal with isopropyl alcohol so that the butyl would adhere well. This meant removing the center and rear benches to concentrate on the back four sections, and left the front bench in for driving purposes. I know a local vendor that sells the Butyl/Aluminum sound deadening sheets as well as Butyl/Felt type mats for heat insulation, so I picked up what I needed from him. With everything clean and dry, I used contact cement to fix a small spot of the factory sound deadener that had never been adhered (see second picture). I then started applying the Butyl/Aluminum sheets to the section of roof above the rear A/C (with the unit removed, obviously) and continued rolling down those sheets until the back four sections were complete.

[Beach-Burban]

I repeated the same process with the Butyl/Felt mats, then started the repair process on the original headliner panels. Knowing that the original panels were only going in for temporary purposes (the car show and to be a pattern for my interior guy to follow), I patched holes then painted the panels an Almond color that looks real close to the color I found in some protected areas. After adding new dome lights (one for each bench), I installed the panels using only the metal portion of the bows to hold them up better than nothing at all. As the plastic portion of the bows are very brittle, I didn't want to snap them in place just to have to remove them again...so I was fine with this level of completeness. With the back four sections complete, I removed the front bench and installed the three layers (silver/black/headliner) onto the factory sound deadener that is found only over the front seats of Suburbans. The last section of headliner has a small (but very stiff) warped section (see second to last picture) that the metal bow would not confine, so that edge is below the bow. The sound deadening/heat insulation results are terrific...and the headliner doesn't look horrible, so I'm okay with it if it takes a while to move on to the next step. The last picture is "somewhat" close to how I imagine the new "Beach-Burban" headliner will look...but that will be more dependent on how my interior guy needs to proceed.

Woody

[pontiacvince]

That looks really good! I did the same with the butyl sound deadener/insulation, then on the panel side, I added a 1/2" of regular seat foam and sandwiched it between the panel and butyl. I had some stainless strips made to do away with the factory plastic pieces that clip on. I shaped the strips by hand, and drilled 5 holes to hold the stainless strips up and it looks pretty good, and I won't have to worry about the plastic getting brittle and breaking like some of mine have. Here I have the rear stainless strip on, and the others still waiting to be done.

[Beach-Burban]

Originally Posted by pontiacvince

That looks really good! I did the same with the butyl sound deadener/insulation, then on the panel side, I added a 1/2" of regular seat foam and sandwiched it between the panel and butyl. I had some stainless strips made to do away with the factory plastic pieces that clip on. I shaped the strips by hand, and drilled 5 holes to hold the stainless strips up and it looks pretty good, and I won't have to worry about the plastic getting brittle and breaking like some of mine have. Here I have the rear stainless strip on, and the others still waiting to be done.

Thanks Vince...I really like what you've done as well! I wouldn't mind avoiding the re-use of the original plastic pieces, but for the look I'm going for, I might have to follow your lead with wood strips? As for the 'Dark" material...what did you use?

Woody

[pontiacvince]

This foam-backed headliner material I found on Amazon. Looks and feels good. Used 3M Super 90 spray adhesive to attach it to the panels.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[Beach-Burban]

Originally Posted by pontiacvince

This foam-backed headliner material I found on Amazon. Looks and feels good. Used 3M Super 90 spray adhesive to attach it to the panels.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Thanks for the link, Vince...I already have a roll of the material that I'm hoping to use (not actually headliner material but if my interior guy (Amadeus) can make it work, I'll be happy). I don't know what adhesive Amadeus uses but it could be the same as what you used, only his comes in the "industrial size" container. In order to use my original panels, I'd have to spend more time repairing them...but they would still be 50 years old and brittle so I'm hoping he uses them as a pattern to make new ones.

Woody

[HO455]

PM sent.

[Beach-Burban]

Originally Posted by HO455

PM sent.

Got it...in the mail tomorrow!

Woody