fabric headliner issues

[miketyler]

I started installing my headliner this afternoon and it has come along pretty good so far. Using Resto Ricks recommendations and others on this site I have nice clean even bow seams and a pretty taught panel. However I still have slight creases at the fold lines running forward and aft. Why the hell can't they ship those rolled up nicely in a tube?

Anyhow I'm worried that they are not going to come out. I did take a blow dryer to the material for a moment to see if that would take care of them but little to no difference. The center creases running down the middle I am not too concerend with since the overhead console will cover it up but the ones on either side of center are farily prominent. To try and pull them out between the bows creates more dramatic pleating that I was trying to avoid. Any other tips and tricks out there?

[Mopar73340]

It takes a lot of time and paitence to get those out. Bottom line is the fabric needs to be pulled tight along the sides and front to back a little at a time. Start in the center front to back and work your way to the sides, and use a HEAT gun which makes the fabric easier to stretch. Once pulled tight time will cause the creases int he fabric to leave. Also some heat on the creases will help.

[miketyler]

Yes, thats the method I used. I took my time on the sides and worked from the back to the front. I checked the side-to-side seams so the bows were uniform and even.

Rick recommended using clamps and not pinning anything until the liner is almost done. What he doesn't tell you is that if you have the front and rear glass in, there is nothing to clamp the liner to along the front and rear! I had the front glass out and that made the front clamping easy but had to attach an angle along the rear glass trim area to be able to clamp the rear. I used spring clamps and sheet metal clamps and they worked reasonably well. However I think when you get it this close you have to have a better holding system because the clamps dont hold that well when you start tugging on the material.

I am a little reluctant of pulling or stretching heated material. I've installed a fabric headliner in an airplane once some years ago. The small wrinkes at the end of the bow loops easily disappeared with just a little heat. Not so with this material. I am going to start final pinning the edges today. Hopefully I can work the fold lines out so that the heat gun can take care of the rest.   

[Mopar73340]

Good luck, I hope you get it in ok. It took me several days and some sore fingers to get mine in. All of the wrinkles have disapeared now since it's been in for several months.

[70Challey340]

I never have done a headliner, but am going to restore my 70.  I will have to eventually do mine.  What about ironning with some steam before it goes in.  Sorry I'm new at this. 

[70Challey340]

Sorry duplicate post.

[miketyler]

that isnt a bad idea. I emailed Legendary and their technical guy called me the next day. Was very sympathetic to my plight. He told me I need to get the material very hot and to use a heat gun and not a blow dryer. Went by Harbor Freight and picked up ther $10.00 special. I tried it and while it did improve the depth of the wrinkle and made it look smoother, the fold line is still there.

I am going to contact them to see what they recommend. The worst thing is that the rest of the headliner looks great except for those creases. Here's a pic. Some of you may look at this and think it just needs more heat? I had the material so hot you nearly couldnt keep your hand on it. It isnt going to draw up anymore   

[Mopar73340]

Mine looked about the same or maybe had a few sharper creases, I also used a heat gun which helped. If the fabric is pulled tight then I wouldn't worry about them. As some time goes by they will disappear.

[purple1]

I used an iron first before installing. Just like my wife irons my pants with. (yea right) 

Then layed the liner on the roof for about an hour on a hot summer day and installed it.

I was dripping in swet but it came out great. HEAT BABY HEAT THAT IS THE ANSWER! 

[hemi71]

Get yourself a big pot of water and heat it to boiling, then put it in the car and let it steam up the inside of the car. The heat and steam will get those wrinkles out.

[Rough 71 RT]

I've put in alot of headliners, the secret to getting the creases out is to get a spray bottle with water, like a windex bottle and lightly spray the crease and then hit it with the heat gun, a blow dryer might work for you but a heat gun is better and don't sit in one spot with the gun because you will melt the vinyl, keep the gun moving.    Dave

[miketyler]

Thanks for all the great advice - I finished stretching and pinning the liner this weekend and it looks pretty good now. The fold lines are still distinguishable but hopefully will go away in time. I didnt try misting the areas with water but I may give that a shot after everything else is in.

The scary thing now is that I have to make a couple of cuts in the middle to mount the overhead console. Ron at Legendary said that I was "playing with fire" and to keep the cuts as small as possible. I hope to be doing this later today or this evening.

What do you guys use for sail panels? Just recover the old ones or ? The old ones are wavy but still conform nicely to the contour of the headliner   

[ukneil]

this is a real interesting thread, as I`m waiting for my white headliner to arrive and will be installing myself.

For sail panels, I`ve got some 2mm thick Millboard to cut new ones, rather than recover the old ones which are not in first class shape, having been recovered before.