Early Dart Headliner Install Question

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mopowers

mopowers

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I'm prepping to install a new headliner in my 66 Dart hardtop. I've got all of the headliner bows (6 total) in the correct order and the two wire clips for the rear-most headliner bow.

In reviewing the FSM, it mentions a "drive nail" in Dart models that attach the #5 listing to the quarter panel. Now my 66 Dart's been apart for years now and I don't remember anything about this so-called drive nail. Does anyone have any idea what the FSM is referring to? Better yet, does anyone happen to have a photo of said drive nail installed? I'm wondering how necessary this thing is. I don't understand what it would even do.

Here are the pertinent screenshots from the '66 FSM:

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I did the liner in my 66 Dart and there was no such thing on mine. Good luck with your install. Take your time and use plenty of glue. I was very happy with my final results. I can’t say it was easy but not nearly as hard as some make it sound.
Rod
 
rod7515 said:
I did the liner in my 66 Dart and there was no such thing on mine. Good luck with your install. Take your time and use plenty of glue. I was very happy with my final results. I can’t say it was easy but not nearly as hard as some make it sound.
Rod
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Thank you for confirming. Best I could tell is that it's a misprint in the FSM. It wouldn't be the first, obviously.

Do you have any photos from your install? I'm mainly curious about the sail panel. There are spikes on both sides, so I'm assuming the idea is to secure each side on the spikes while pulling down on the headliner towards the package tray???

One more question if you don't mind - did you have a sail panel board attached to the sail panel sheet metal frame? I'm guessing that would make is easier to glue the headliner down on that sail panel.
 
It’s been many years since I did this install. Go back to tread in the members restoration. It’s called “1966 Dodge Dart”. On page 10 about halfway down on post #233 is the section I covered the install. I have more pics I can send you if you forward me your email. I will have to find them on another computer but glad to help you out. I do need to say I had gotten some great help from @hoosierdaddy who is a member here.
let me know if you want more photos. By the way the clamps you see on the pics really helped along with some heavier wood clamps.
Rod
 
rod7515 said:
It’s been many years since I did this install. Go back to tread in the members restoration. It’s called “1966 Dodge Dart”. On page 10 about halfway down on post #233 is the section I covered the install. I have more pics I can send you if you forward me your email. I will have to find them on another computer but glad to help you out. I do need to say I had gotten some great help from @hoosierdaddy who is a member here.
let me know if you want more photos. By the way the clamps you see on the pics really helped along with some heavier wood clamps.
Rod
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Thanks for the heads up. I'll definitely go find that thread and let you know if I have any other questions.
 
Just installed a new headliner in my 1965 Dart 2 dr. I didn't have such "drive nail". I don't recall the listing going all the way down the sail panel section, but perhaps it did. There is a seam there. I didn't use that "drive nail", and don't recall it in the FSM so perhaps began in 1966. I have two clips which look similar which were for the package tray, at least in a bag I marked thus but found after I had installed that. They have spring fingers like the door panel clips, but a round flat button top, so perhaps what that drive-nail is. My sail panel boards had fallen apart, so I cut new ones from ABS sheet. I glued thin foam to each side so the panels wouldn't slap against the body (used packaging foam bag from electronics).

I similarly made a new package-tray shelf from ABS sheet, covering it with vinyl upholstery from Joann's Fabrics and cutting holes for modern speakers. I'll do similar for the rear side-panels, covering w/ the original vinyl. The front door panels are OK but need to reattach the vinyl since it shrunk and wrinkled.
 
BillGrissom said:
Just installed a new headliner in my 1965 Dart 2 dr. I didn't have such "drive nail". I don't recall the listing going all the way down the sail panel section, but perhaps it did. There is a seam there. I didn't use that "drive nail", and don't recall it in the FSM so perhaps began in 1966. I have two clips which look similar which were for the package tray, at least in a bag I marked thus but found after I had installed that. They have spring fingers like the door panel clips, but a round flat button top, so perhaps what that drive-nail is. My sail panel boards had fallen apart, so I cut new ones from ABS sheet. I glued thin foam to each side so the panels wouldn't slap against the body (used packaging foam bag from electronics).

I similarly made a new package-tray shelf from ABS sheet, covering it with vinyl upholstery from Joann's Fabrics and cutting holes for modern speakers. I'll do similar for the rear side-panels, covering w/ the original vinyl. The front door panels are OK but need to reattach the vinyl since it shrunk and wrinkled.
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Thanks! Yeah, I'm 99.9% sure the "drive nail" figure in the FSM is a mistake. It just doesn't make sense. No harm no foul though. You'r right - that listing wire doesn't go that far down either. What's weird is that there's a spot for one though (see photo). Maybe it's because they used that same stamped inner panel for other models; who knows...

I ended up just riveting a piece of aluminum sheet to replace the factory sail panel board along with some rope caulk to ward off any potential rattles.

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Some cars do use a bow that goes into the lower hole you mention. Mine does and its a 63 2 dr post.
 
I also noticed that the bare ABS panel would rattle against the sheet metal, so I covered both sides with foam, just using packaging foam, secured with Gorilla Glue (a foaming polyurethane). I also stuffed leftover headliner insulation (used Home Depot poly-cell sheet) in the cavities to absorb sound, plus stuck some sound deadener in the middle of body panels. I recall drilling maybe one hole at the top to secure the new sail panels. It looks like you drilled those screw holes. Otherwise, I used existing holes - a door panel clip in a round hole and put square plastic license-plate type holders in several square holes.
 
I ordered a headliner from Legendary and noticed the last two listing channels are way longer than the listing wires/bows. Is this normal?? (bows are centered on the headliner in the photo below)

I realize they need to be trimmed a tad when installing to allow the headliner to be pulled down tight, but the rear one is about 12" long on each side, while the one forward of that one is about 6" long on each side. I'm guessing this is just beacuse the same headliner is used for a sedan with the longer rear bows and mine is a hardtop/GT? Have you guys run into this? I'm assuming I just trim them accordingly?

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mopowers said:
I ordered a headliner from Legendary and noticed the last two listing channels are way longer than the listing wires/bows. Is this normal?? (bows are centered on the headliner in the photo below)

I realize they need to be trimmed a tad when installing to allow the headliner to be pulled down tight, but the rear one is about 12" long on each side, while the one forward of that one is about 6" long on each side. I'm guessing this is just beacuse the same headliner is used for a sedan with the longer rear bows and mine is a hardtop/GT? Have you guys run into this? I'm assuming I just trim them accordingly?

View attachment 1716038814
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I think that's because on some models the last bow goes all the way down to just above the rear seat. My 2 door post happens to be one of those. Haven't installed mine yet (hopefully in the next month or so) so I can't comment on whether or not it works to stay in the listing channel all the way down or it has to be cut and run down outside the channel behind the headliner. It's either that or it's just easier to run the channel longer than needed to be "trimmed to length"
 
Mineallmine said:
I think that's because on some models the last bow goes all the way down to just above the rear seat. My 2 door post happens to be one of those. Haven't installed mine yet (hopefully in the next month or so) so I can't comment on whether or not it works to stay in the listing channel all the way down or it has to be cut and run down outside the channel behind the headliner. It's either that or it's just easier to run the channel longer than needed to be "trimmed to length"
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That's kinda what I was thinking. I'll just give it a trim and see how it turns out. Thank you.
 
My car had a nail in a similar location on each side of my original headliner, a 65 Barracuda. Just a regular nail going into the sheet metal.
 
I vaguely remember that the seam going down the sail panel had a continuous channel. I didn't cut it away, just cut a slot for the bow to run thru. Re post 14, I recall reading someone else mention a "nail", but don't recall that in my Dart GT 2 DR Htdp "as found" though a long time since I stripped it. I did find 2 "push-pins", like the door panel clips but with a pretty button top. I suspect those secured the rear "package tray", though I didn't use them. I cut ABS panel for that.
 
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