Fabric headliners VS cardboard

[Valleyant]

Hi,
I have a 1974 Duster and need to replace the formed cardboard headliner. I would like to know if I can convert it to the fabric headliner. I actually like the looks of the fabric better. Are the attaching points for the rods in this '74 Model? I know I would have to source the supporting rods. I have not looked nor removed the cardboard yet. Just curious if anyone has converted to the Fabric Headliner....... Thanks!

 

[Oldmanmopar]

No 70 has clips on the ends of the bows. 71 has 90 degree bends on the ends of the bows . 72 is cardboard with cardboard sale panels . 73-76 has plastic sail panels. Your car will not have the roof framing for a cloth liner . Only 70 and 71 do but they are not the same framing between the two .

 

[j_anderson]

My 72 came with cardboard headliner but I swapped for fabric. My Dart had the holes to hold 4 of the 5 bows. I had to drill the area for the 5th bow which was the one in the back. There was a flat pad still stamped there but no holes. I also didnt have the "teeth" to hold any areas in the package tray or around the rear window. I think there would be teeth along the sides of the rear window to grab the fabric and also some at the bottom of the sail panel? Not 100% sure. Headliner glue held those areas for my installer though.


72 was a changeover year. Early 72's had cloth, by late 72 they had cardboard. So, by 74, they may have gotten rid of the headliner bow holes in the roof structure altogether? If yours needs replaced anyway, you could pull it down and take a look.

if your roof has what you need to hold the support bows, you will still need to source some brackets for the seatbelt holder/clips. The brackets are mounted behind the headliner and then the seatbelt clips screw to those once you have the headliner installed. edit: Duster may have had the hanging shoulder belt by 74? my 72 has the detachable should belt that gets tucked up above the window

 

[mbaird]

After installing a cloth headliner ( or half way through) you may decide you like the hard one better…lol

 

[Oldmanmopar]

My 72 came with cardboard headliner but I swapped for fabric. My Dart had the holes to hold 4 of the 5 bows. I had to drill the area for the 5th bow which was the one in the back. There was a flat pad still stamped there but no holes. I also didnt have the "teeth" to hold any areas in the package tray or around the rear window. I think there would be teeth along the sides of the rear window to grab the fabric and also some at the bottom of the sail panel? Not 100% sure. Headliner glue held those areas for my installer though.


72 was a changeover year. Early 72's had cloth, by late 72 they had cardboard. So, by 74, they may have gotten rid of the headliner bow holes in the roof structure altogether? If yours needs replaced anyway, you could pull it down and take a look.

if your roof has what you need to hold the support bows, you will still need to source some brackets for the seatbelt holder/clips. The brackets are mounted behind the headliner and then the seatbelt clips screw to those once you have the headliner installed. edit: Duster may have had the hanging shoulder belt by 74? my 72 has the detachable should belt that gets tucked up above the window

I believe its a sports roof style Duster not a Dart/Scamp

 

[j_anderson]

I believe its a sports roof style Duster not a Dart/Scamp

for sure. I made the assumption duster/dart sport had a similar changeover between cardboard and cloth as Dart/Scamp. That may not be the case though.

 

[WymanV]

Put one in my '72. The only holes for the bows were the rearmost two. I had to drill the rest out myself.

Worth it.

 

[dodgedude37]

Put one in my '72. The only holes for the bows were the rearmost two. I had to drill the rest out myself.

Worth it.

View attachment 1716411695

What was the best way to locate/ make hole for dome light? Did you thread in harness while installing liner?

 

[WymanV]

I put the dome light screws in before I put the liner in so I could feel them through the fabric and make my holes there. And the wire harness was in place and easy to find once the liner was in by feeling for that as well. The liner isn't drum tight. It hangs between the support rods.

1972 Duster, 340/4, black on black (the endgame)

For anyone following along, I dropped the block, crank and rods at the machine shop yesterday ( Engine Rebuilding: Bozeman, MT: Engine Machine & Supply, Inc. ) They did the heads for the bike so I'm going with them on this build too. The cleaning process will pit the cylinder walls so boring...

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