Home made burb headliner

[HO455]

Originally Posted by Hart_Rod

Thanks for reposting. I got my rear panel made last night. I'm debating on whether or not I want to combine the 2 center panels into one. In theory, it seems like it would make the installation easier. Here's a couple of crappy pictures. Will try to take some better ones today or tomorrow.

Looks good! Did you have a factory deadener above the front seat? If so did the Fat Mat stick to well?. Thanks HO455.

[Hart_Rod]

Originally Posted by HO455

Looks good! Did you have a factory deadener above the front seat? If so did the Fat Mat stick to well?. Thanks HO455.

Mine had the factory stuff over the front seat and the Fatmat stuck to it with no problem.

[HO455]

Originally Posted by Hart_Rod

Mine had the factory stuff over the front seat and the Fatmat stuck to it with no problem.

My has that too but it seems oily or greasy to the touch. I'm worried about not being able to get anything to stay in place against the unrelenting pull of gravity. Which seems to fight me harder everyday.

[Hart_Rod]

Originally Posted by HO455

My has that too but it seems oily or greasy to the touch. I'm worried about not being able to get anything to stay in place against the unrelenting pull of gravity. Which seems to fight me harder everyday.

Interesting, mine was very dry to the touch.

[Hart_Rod]

Got the front one cut

[LockDoc]

Originally Posted by Hart_Rod

Got the front one cut

Lookin' good so far Rob. Keep up the good work. I have to do that to my Panel Truck this spring. I don't know if I can use them but I have a set of stock Suburban bows and headliner panels.

LockDoc

[HO455]

Like everything on your Burban, it looks great. Did you have a pattern or did you use Port Headlights drawing?

[Hart_Rod]

Originally Posted by HO455

Like everything on your Burban, it looks great. Did you have a pattern or did you use Port Headlights drawing?

Thanks! I used Portheadlights drawings and he was kind enough to send me the patterns. Just keep in mind every one of these trucks are different and you may have to make adjustments to the patterns and measurements.

[HO455]

Did you mock it up with poster board or something else? Or did you just dive in with the FRP(?) material?

[Hart_Rod]

Originally Posted by HO455

Did you mock it up with poster board or something else? Or did you just dive in with the FRP(?) material?

Jumped in head first!

[HO455]

No guts no glory!

[pwdcougar]

Looks great!

Paul

[5150]

Looks great Rob, I really need to do this to my burb.

[Hart_Rod]

Originally Posted by HO455

No guts no glory!

Originally Posted by pwdcougar

Looks great!

Paul

Thanks!

Originally Posted by 5150

Looks great Rob, I really need to do this to my burb.

It takes some time, but is not to bad of a job. Really finishes off the inside of the burb.

[WannaBe68]

Originally Posted by Hart_Rod

Got the front one cut

When you get things situated, I'd love a play-by-play on how you get the panels into the bows. Do you bend the headliner and insert that way or what?

[Hart_Rod]

Originally Posted by WannaBe68

When you get things situated, I'd love a play-by-play on how you get the panels into the bows. Do you bend the headliner and insert that way or what?

I assume you are talking about the metal bows. It's a very tight fit, but if you cut the panels correctly you can make it happen. I think the key is letting the FRP material "relax" to fit the curve of the roof. A heat gun will hurry up this process, just be careful and don't melt the material.....

[Hart_Rod]

UPDATE: I have all my panels cut and installed. The fit is good and the satin white is similar to the factory original. I have been trying to find some nice plastic headliner bows, but that is starting to seem like an impossible task. So I got in contact with a company about manufacturing some new ones. I sent them a couple of pieces to use as samples. I think this will probably happen. They won't be chrome like the originals, but they will be paintable. In the meantime, I took the 3 nicest bows that I have and color matched them to the headliner material. This will have to do for right now.

[Heliarcn]

Looking back through this old thread. Nice job on the headliner, looks amazing. I'll bet it takes about a week for your arms and shoulders to recover after that.

Definitely interested if you have the headliner bows reproduced. Have you made any progress on these lately?

Bret

[vectorit]

Looks great Rob!

[Beach-Burban]

Originally Posted by PortHeadlight

Re-posting these dimensions from earlier posts on headliners...

I know this thread is a couple years old, but I really like the results I saw here! My original headliner is actually in really good shape except for a little sagging of the front panel, so my dilemma is whether or not to pull it down so I can insulate/sound deaden and fix the sagging. My actual question is for PortHeadlight or anyone that might know trucks as well as Suburbans: Is the front panel area of a '72 truck close to or the same size/shape as the front panel for a '72 Suburban? I saw a '67 to'72 ridged headliner panel sold by Brothers that's made to hold 4 speakers, but it specifically says "Truck"...and thought that if it was close, maybe??? Thanks PortHeadlight for the dimensions...I saved them to my desktop in case I screw things up when I remove the originals!
Woody

[HO455]

Just a couple of by the ways. The plastic bows that hold the panels up are fragile and won't take much force when you try to remove them. I have heard that heating them with a hair dryer can help but the fiber board will singe easily.
The sagging of the fiber board is caused by moisture getting in the board and gravity pulling it down. I have never heard of anyone successfully reversing this process. But there may be a interior restoration shop out there that deals in high end cars like Packards or Rolls Royce from the 30's and 40's that could do it. One of the side effects of the sagging is the area of the headliner is increased as the thickness is decreased in areas. So to get back to normal you would somehow have to compensate for that.
I had to source two partial factory headliners to get enough dimensions to build a replacement for mine. The thing I noticed is there was a difference in the dimensions of the pieces between the two sets. Enough to say I don't believe they were die cut but hand cut for each truck.
And finally the front panel was the first panel installed then they worked their way to the last panel in the back. I was ignorant of this fact and started at the back so the front panel was quite difficult to install. It also has the compound bends in the corners which I found difficult to keep from breaking when I removed the original.
All in all it is not a difficult job but the factory materials are quite fragile and replacements are not available through the aftermarket.
I hope this helps and good luck!

[Beach-Burban]

Originally Posted by HO455

Just a couple of by the ways. The plastic bows that hold the panels up are fragile and won't take much force when you try to remove them. I have heard that heating them with a hair dryer can help but the fiber board will singe easily.
The sagging of the fiber board is caused by moisture getting in the board and gravity pulling it down. I have never heard of anyone successfully reversing this process. But there may be a interior restoration shop out there that deals in high end cars like Packards or Rolls Royce from the 30's and 40's that could do it. One of the side effects of the sagging is the area of the headliner is increased as the thickness is decreased in areas. So to get back to normal you would somehow have to compensate for that.
I had to source two partial factory headliners to get enough dimensions to build a replacement for mine. The thing I noticed is there was a difference in the dimensions of the pieces between the two sets. Enough to say I don't believe they were die cut but hand cut for each truck.
And finally the front panel was the first panel installed then they worked their way to the last panel in the back. I was ignorant of this fact and started at the back so the front panel was quite difficult to install. It also has the compound bends in the corners which I found difficult to keep from breaking when I removed the original.
All in all it is not a difficult job but the factory materials are quite fragile and replacements are not available through the aftermarket.
I hope this helps and good luck!

Thanks HO455...I have shaped some types of fiberboard a long time ago using steam and heat, but this might be different type stuff, so I appreciate the heads-up! I am very leery of removing the panel and trim-pieces as they look pretty good and don't want to make it worse, but I do want to insulate/sound deaden as so many others have relayed the benefits for these vehicles. Any chance you know the answer to my "truck vs Suburban" question with regards to the size/shape being close or not? Yes, it helps...and thanks again.
Woody

[Killer Bee]

Originally Posted by Beach-Burban

Thanks HO455...I have shaped some types of fiberboard a long time ago using steam and heat, but this might be different type stuff, so I appreciate the heads-up! I am very leery of removing the panel and trim-pieces as they look pretty good and don't want to make it worse, but I do want to insulate/sound deaden as so many others have relayed the benefits for these vehicles. Any chance you know the answer to my "truck vs Suburban" question with regards to the size/shape being close or not? Yes, it helps...and thanks again.
Woody

no idea but I have two burbs here without headliners you can test fit if brothers will take your return if doesn't fit..

worth their while to let you check cuz I'd buy two if they do

[Beach-Burban]

Originally Posted by Killer Bee

no idea but I have two burbs here without headliners you can test fit if brothers will take your return if doesn't fit..

worth their while to let you check cuz I'd buy two if they do

Thanks KB...something to think about? Never bought anything from Brothers before so I'll look into their return policy...but hopefully somebody with both a truck and a Suburban will chime-in on this one?
Woody

[CG]

Im just speculating but I believe the only thing different about the headliner area you are talking about is the actual height of the roof skin. Its taller on the burbs. The doors are the same except the door frame is squared at the rear on burbs. Wing windows, windshield all that stuff is the same. So maybe if its mounted via the perimeter it should work. Or if its partially glued to the roof you could make some spacers?

Show pics if you do it.