'65 Barracuda headliner installation

[oldwirebender]

Well, after I got an estimate of over $300 to install my headliner, I decided to tackle the job myself. Yesterday, I peeled off the lock strip from the windshield to see how hard it would be to remove the glass. It didn't take long to go in and call the glass co. to take out the windshield and back glass and reinstall them after I get done. They would'nt guarantee they could get the glass out without breaking it. For me, this is not an issue, since I have a better rear window that is not scratched as badly as the original one. I also plan on replacing the windshield. So Friday, the glass comes out, and I get to work. Wish me luck, I am probably gonna need it! lol! I'll try to post pictures as progress is made.

 

[65 Dartman]

Good luck! Take your time and it should turn out just great :cheers:

 

[RedFish]

Removing the glasses isn't absolutely necessary but sure makes the headliner job easier. If you have more and better glasses anyway , why not just push the originals out yourself and not worry about breaks ?
Most of the time they will pop out without breaking if you do the prep work. Cleaning the gaskets for reuse will be the most time consuming part of the whole project. Good luck with it.

 

[oldwirebender]

Got the glass out today. Removed the trim and pulled out the old headliner and what I think are the remaining mouse nests. Got a few minor rust issues around the bottom of the back window, but not nearly as bad as it could have been. I replaced the bows as I removed them from the headliner. I don't want to get them mixed up. I don't think the $300 estimate to replace the headliner was that bad. With all the trim that has to be removed and replaced, it is very labor intensive. Any way, I intend on painting the dash and trim before I replace it. With the winshield already out and the steering column out, the dash should'nt be that hard to take out. I can only work on this project so long, and then I have to walk away from it for a while. If I don't, I tend to get a little sloppy. I keep reminding myself I have all winter to do it.

 

[oldwirebender]

It's been a while since I updated this thread.I finally got my headliner installed. However it was not without a few problems. The first rule, TAKE YOUR TIME, I got in a hurry and I ruined the first headliner. After the SECOND headliner arrived, I convinced myself to take it easy. I also purchased a heat gun and about a dozen clamps, I used them all! It took me about a week working on it in the evenings. I could only work on it for a little while at a time to keep from getting sloppy. I'm kinda proud of the way it turned out, there's a couple of minor screw-ups, but not bad for the first time. Now I gotta do something about those visors!

 

[Old Tired Rebel]

Oldwirebender it looks great. What glue did you use and where did you put the clamps

 

[oldwirebender]

I used a contact cement that came a 1/2 pint can. I brushed it on because that gave me more control where it went, without all that overspray. I Had all the clamps in use at one point in the installation. The clamps were used to hold the headliner in place while working the wrinkles out. Once I got the wrinkles worked out, only then did I start to glue the edges, a small section at a time, and hook the headliner over the "teeth" over the windshield and the back window. I then proceeded to the edges and glued and hooked them. that was the easy part. The hard part was the rear sail panels. It was a real b***h to get the wrinkles out of these, but I took my time, and it worked out ok.