This headliner is driving me nuts

[dans67]

Hello folks, haven't been on here in a while, so hello again to all. Anyway, I'm close to finishing up this 53 that I've been working on, and the headliner is making me crazy. I got a new set at Carlisle last weekend, Looks decent, except for where the peak on the front got a little crushed in transit, just a stock style replacement. Anyway, I'm guessing that the front section should go in first, lined up with the sunvisor holes and tucked up under the door rubber, but should I put the center "S" channel on the headliner before I put the front section in the truck, or is struggling with the center section easier with the first piece in place? I had to trim about a quarter inch off of each side, it seemed to be way too wide to fit in the truck without bowing downward in the middle alot. I made 5 attempts at it today, lol, should have had breakfast first I guess, and left it alone before I accidentally broke something. Any pointers or suggestions?

[entourageguy]

What brand headliner?

[Kid]

its been over a year since I did mine, but if my memory serves me, the metal channel that seperates the fwd. & aft panel needs to be fit onto the aft edge of the fwd panel before you place into truck, also need to take a semi pointed chisel & "stake" the strip or pinch it onto the card board panel. That keeps the channel from coming off the panel. Then position the fwd panel assy. based on locating the visor mount holes. Then position the aft panel by sliding into the groove on the center channel. (the center channel is a form of an "S"). The fwd panel slides into the fwd upper groove, the aft panel slides into the lwr. aft groove. The final operation is to install the aft metal strip that holds the aft edge of the aft panel. As you are probably learning, the card board is fragil & easy to tear or kink.

[dans67]

I've managed to not kink or tear it, but I left it alone when it was starting to annoy me, lol. Rust repair all over the thing, body work for black paint, painted and cleared, buffed out nice, and never a problem. I enjoy metal work, lol. This silly piece of cardboard is angering me though. I'll put the channel on the front piece and then try to get in in the truck, I attempted that yesterday, but I think that I wasn't getting the channel punched back onto the cardboard well enough so it didn't want to stay.
I'm really not sure what brand it is, I picked it up in Carlisle from a guy that had a lot of NOS, used parts, and new repro parts. It looks great I guess, I've had it flattened out on a table with the curved ends hanging out for a week to get rid of the boxed up roll shape, maybe Monday will be kinder to me!

[55dude]

don't feel bad the fit on most oem parts were fair at best. imagine the poor basterd that was putting them in on the assembly line.

[dans67]

Lol, I can only imagine that. I should hope that after one or two that I will have the trick down to it. If I'm lucky I'll have a few minutes tomorrow to go at it again.
Thanks,
Dan

[cajundragger]

is there anyway you can get pics?

I'm trying to figure out if I want to order a stock style replacement, and if I do, how do I install it.

what else do you need besides this...

http://www.classicparts.com/1947-49-...info/21%2D353/