64 Valiant Headliner

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RustyRatRod

I was born on a Monday. Not last Monday.
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I've decided to install this headliner myself. I feel sure I can do it, but I have a question or two. When I removed the old one, I really didn't pay attention to how it was installed. I get the little pointed teeth. That's easy. My two areas of concern are, how does it cover the inside of the B piller, or the sail panel? I cannot remember if I had some cover boards there, or "what". Also, directly over the door opening, I have some metal strips with little plastic brackets in them. How does this interact with the headliner? Or does it? Pictures would be a plus. Thank you. Drive through.
 
I did the headliner in my 65 Dart. It was my first one and I did a "fair" job. I had wrinkles in it....most flattened out but some remained.
I had pictures of the headliner somewhere but can't find them...Sorry.

Dart 9 A.jpg
 
I can't say for the early a. But I did my 69 valiant. I started at the front. There are no plastic panels on a or b pillars. You make a neat fold. My sail panels were trashed I used the old ones as templets to make new one out of 1/8" board I bought from home Depot. I wish I had pictures of this however I sold the car about 6 years ago. I also bought a cheap HF heat gun to use while I was installing it. Make sure you keep it going the whole time or it will burn through. And keep it in low.
 
I have never done a headliner on an of m early A's, that said, I just cleaned the surface rust and sprayed a good rubberized unrcoat or Bodt Schltz. But I had done many in later B and E bodies decade ago. Never wrinkle free!
Did you have two little wire hooks at the rear window to catch the back bow?? That is where you would start. Pull toward fron. Headliners will always have to been attached also somehw at front and sides. Some cars had little teeth to atch the liner. I always used the best 3M spry glue also. AC god heat gun will help as will setting the liner on the roof of our car on a warm day with lots of sunshine. Wish I was more help/
 
You did better than me then. Because when I disassembled my 66 Dart, my dumbass completely forgot to label the bows. How different are they anyway? lol

They are pretty danged different.
 
You did better than me then. Because when I disassembled my 66 Dart, my dumbass completely forgot to label the bows. How different are they anyway? lol

Do you still have it disassembled? I'll be glad to take pictures of mine and show you where they go.
 
My Dart had small hooks at the back end so I had to start there. My main mistake was the sleeves that the bows slip into. I didn't cut them back enough and the fabric bunched up at the curves.
 
Do you still have it disassembled? I'll be glad to take pictures of mine and show you where they go.

Yes, I've got the bows (un-numbered) and I've been putting off trying to put that puzzle together for a while because I know how frustrating it's going to be. If you could snap a few photos, that'd be great! I really appreciate it!
 
Yes, I've got the bows (un-numbered) and I've been putting off trying to put that puzzle together for a while because I know how frustrating it's going to be. If you could snap a few photos, that'd be great! I really appreciate it!

I will be glad to. If time goes by and I haven't done it yet, please PM me a reminder, because I WILL forget.
 
Hey Rusty, how's the headliner going? Mopowers, can you still see the colors on one end of each bow? If you can I'll check my colors for you so you can get them in the right order.
 
Mopowers, can you still see the colors on one end of each bow? If you can I'll check my colors for you so you can get them in the right order.

I'll have to double check. My dumbass didn't even realize they are color coated. I appreciate the offer! If you could check yours, that'd be awesome!
 
I'll have to double check. My dumbass didn't even realize they are color coated. I appreciate the offer! If you could check yours, that'd be awesome!

I never knew that either. When I get pictures, I'll look and see.
 
You got the windows out? I had both windows out of the Barracuda and that exposed the 'dragons teeth' that the headiner pulled over. I dont think you can do it with the window in. The hooks make sense in the rear as the headliner will pull all the stringers to the front if the stringer OR the rear of the headliner is not anchored to the back. Youll have a lot of material left on the sides, trim carefully. The sail panels can be stuffed with a layer of batting to give it a little body or else it will like its hanging back there. Remember you got the dome lights back there to sort of anchor it (Do Valiants have them back there?)
 
Yeah I read all about Kern's experience. I am hoping mine will be better.
 
Yeah I read all about Kern's experience. I am hoping mine will be better.

If you were closer I would give you a hand helping you out. There was a Mopar magazine article that I had followed 20 years ago that really helped me through it. Put the bows into the headliner in the correct order and leave the headliner out in the sun for a day or two With the bows in it to get the wrinkles out of it. While it is out in the sun, use a good adhesive spray and attach some jute or similar insulation to the roof of the car like the factory did. There’s supposed to be some cardboard like pieces in the sale panel and if you don’t have those you need to make your own. Masonite would work, Just cut it to shape to cover the holes and glue it in there with the spray adhesive Or carpet adhesive. Then you start from the back of the roof and hang your headliner bows in place. The rest of it is the time-consuming part putting a better adhesive ( brush on Carpet adhesive ) around those gator teeth And stretching the headliner over those teeth and tucking it in with a putty knife. You will have to slit the white bow material away from the headliner about 2 to 3 inches from the sides. Start with 2 inches and then cut more if you need to. The hard part is tucking it in at the back window would you do first and then took it in at the windshield which is the step you do last. The rest of it is gluing a little bit and tucking it in a little bit at a time. Stretch it out from each side and clip it with whatever you have to hold it in place until the glue dries. Do it little by little and try to get the wrinkles out as much as possible. What you can’t get out, a hairdryer will take care of a few days later.
 
If you were closer I would give you a hand helping you out. There was a Mopar magazine article that I had followed 20 years ago that really helped me through it. Put the bows into the headliner in the correct order and leave the headliner out in the sun for a day or two With the bows in it to get the wrinkles out of it. While it is out in the sun, use a good adhesive spray and attach some jute or similar insulation to the roof of the car like the factory did. There’s supposed to be some cardboard like pieces in the sale panel and if you don’t have those you need to make your own. Masonite would work, Just cut it to shape to cover the holes and glue it in there with the spray adhesive Or carpet adhesive. Then you start from the back of the roof and hang your headliner bows in place. The rest of it is the time-consuming part putting a better adhesive ( brush on Carpet adhesive ) around those gator teeth And stretching the headliner over those teeth and tucking it in with a putty knife. You will have to slit the white bow material away from the headliner about 2 to 3 inches from the sides. Start with 2 inches and then cut more if you need to. The hard part is tucking it in at the back window would you do first and then took it in at the windshield which is the step you do last. The rest of it is gluing a little bit and tucking it in a little bit at a time. Stretch it out from each side and clip it with whatever you have to hold it in place until the glue dries. Do it little by little and try to get the wrinkles out as much as possible. What you can’t get out, a hairdryer will take care of a few days later.

Thanks. That helps. And means a lot for the offer to help. I haven't decided what to do yet. I may wait until the weather warms back up. It's not like I don't have plenty to do otherwise.
 
Sorry for the delay in posting the colors. The ends will be black on the right side but should have colors on the left side.
Front to back
Brown
Green
Blue
Yellow
Red
 
Sorry for the delay in posting the colors. The ends will be black on the right side but should have colors on the left side.
Front to back
Brown
Green
Blue
Yellow
Red

Finally had a chance to check the colors on the bows from my 66 Dart. Looks like the colors are different and there are 6 instead of 5. Back when I pulled them, I did have the forethought to mark the front one (orange), and the rear one (red) i just didn't mark the others. LOL! I guess I'll have to see if the colors are laid out in the FSM for a 66 Dart.

upload_2020-1-5_14-52-47.png
 
Finally had a chance to check the colors on the bows from my 66 Dart. Looks like the colors are different and there are 6 instead of 5. Back when I pulled them, I did have the forethought to mark the front one (orange), and the rear one (red) i just didn't mark the others. LOL! I guess I'll have to see if the colors are laid out in the FSM for a 66 Dart.

View attachment 1715448385

Wow. I guess they are obviously different between 64 and 66. Mine only has 5.
 
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