Headliner challenges....darnit!

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swing69

fightin' socialism
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SO I watched the videos, did all the prep and marking, got all the materials on hand a prepped. Glass is even removed from the 65 Barracuda. And the famous last words on the instructions were "....with patience, an ammature can be professional results......"

Yeah....right. I can't past the friggin first step!!!!!!!!!!! lol

All my bows are marked correctly, and I marked the center of the fabric, and cut the batten pockets leaving 1" plus of rod out on each side. I installed the back and started to work forward on the 5 bow set up.

Darn it if the isn't an accumulating "error" where the front bow is ~ 3" away from the bow pocket in the side header! wtf? I then started in the middle, and had that bow vertical....moving backwards, the last bow was leaning forward + 1 1/2", and I couldn't pull it enough to install the 2 wires (braces at the top of the back window). And yet the front bow was also "short" by 1 1/2".

There is no way heat and pulling could account for 3" of material. The liner is a REM, so it seems quality.

Can anyone offer any insight?

Anyone want to put in a headliner "IN" in a nice warm shop in NJ.....then the windows???? I'LL pay!!!!!!!
 
There should be a small rod the sets the first bow distance (at least that's how I remember my '66). BUT, we made the headliner ourselves using the original as a pattern. Fit perfect.
 
Ill measure my seams tonight. I did it and will never do it again. sail panels still are not right. Start from the middle, get it across and secure it to the teeth, then pull the front without completely disturbing the center rod, , anchor it, and then pull the back, anchor it. now start adjusting....PITA! If you figure out how they got the rear sail panels tight, let me know. I dont think you can do it cold...when I unfolded mine, it had stretch marks from the folds (slight rubberized fabric I think) and they are still evident. No heat application yet nut sure what it will do. been installed for 6 years! Garage stored so no solar heating.
 
Im probably good with the seams. I got them all in without the 2 rear wires installed. The ones I have.....MAY not be correct for the car. I looked, but cannot find a listing of that part for sale.

So....I guess I need to make the wires. Thats what I need is the wire length.....
Mike
 
Latest update: I contacted REM; they said they sold thousands of this size headliner. NO issues. I'm the only one. WTf????

I measured the wires that I have; just shy of 6", as verified in another thread. so I'm good there.
I measured the bow pockets in the car- front to back: 8 1/4", 10", 10", 9.5".
I measured the panels at the center on the headliner - front to back:" 8", 10", 9 5/8", 8 3/4",
I measured the panels at the side (where) the rods exit the batten pocket - front to back: 7", 9", 9", 8 3/4"

I'm pulling a like mad man in the center at the front. it is close to fitting down the centerline. but at the edge pockets....no way.

I'm calling REM again today. there is NO WAY possible that this can fit along the sides.....
 
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Maybe posting pictures would give us an idea as to what you are fighting.
 
Let’s look at headliner measurements between front bow 1 and 2. 8.25” on the car frame; 7” on the sewn panel.

43AB3D4A-CC7C-49DF-9689-5956F37263DE.jpeg


A83C04E8-259A-4C7B-AFD8-79A1FC7CFEA4.jpeg
 
swing69 said:
Maybe my rear bow wires are wrong? What is the length of the early barracuda rear bow retaining wires??
Click to expand...

somebody just asked this in another thread. If you need me to shout out the color progression of the rods, and get the length of the wires for you I can. I’ve done a few headliners, one just recently, and of course I did my 66 Cuda, and I know I clipped the rear bow first, then pulled tight on the as I went forward. I use old door welting on the pinch to hold the headliner in place so I can work on smaller areas at a time. I start by pulling it to the center of the front, welt that, then go to each front corner to stretch the fabric tight from the center, then I welt those, then I work back over the doors pulling it tight against the center, welting as I go along, then when you get to the rear sail panels, I skipped doing them and did the back lip from corner to corner, welting that. When I was satisfied that all of the wrinkles that could be worked out were worked out, then I did the sail panels. I pre spray both the lip and edge of the perimeter of the car, and the first 3-4” in on the reverse of the headliner with 3M trim and headliner contact cement. It helps if you have the old headliner, you can lay it on the new one and get some kind of idea on where to spray the adhesive.
 
Remember that just because the rods go into the cup, doesn’t mean the rods stand straight up and down and are the same dimension. The actually tilt back or forward as you pull them along, how much depends on the distance between the seams, and the wire bales that hold it to the rear window header. The rods are sort of free floating and do not rest against the top.
 
Clip your bale wires to the rear rod and into their sockets, you will get some kind of idea what I’m talking about.
 
That was me on the wires. Yes I have the right ones. Started from the back and pulled as tight as I could down the center.....all headliner panel tight! I could barely start #1 bow into pocket, it’s laying almost flat! If I try to rotate it up, it will tear the bow pockets at the seams. The panels are much narrower at the ends than the centers.
 
They could have packaged the wrong one. Compare it to the old 1 if you can. Almost every single part I buy has issues these days. Just bought new rims @ 900$+ and 1 would not seal at the sensor. Tried 3 different sensors and same leak. Warehouse said no issues in 13 years but guess what? I got 1.
 
Seem that the panel widths are correct, but the panel between the first and Second bow (from front) has a sewn in taper (dart), that reduces the width from 8.25 to 7” at the edges.

No sure it’s right or not
 
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