I'm going to install my first headliner 1965 Dart

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Kern Dog

Build your car to handle.
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Well, my first fabric one anyway. I've installed several in the many 72-76 Dusters and Dart Sports but they are solid fiberboard or reproduction plastic.
I've seen a couple of YouTube videos and figure that I'll give it a try. I'm looking for advice on a few things. Please forgive some of the following for being redundant or silly.
It has a headliner in there now but is ripped. I do plan to remove the windshield. It is cracked and I planned on replacing it anyway. Th car is a 2 door post model. It has no sail panel cardboard panels, just fabric. It has trim panels around the rear window that I guess hide the barbed areas that the headliner hooks into. Same with the panels below the quarter windows.
I'm unsure about the sides. I don't see where the fabric is attached there. I have the weatherstripping out. Is it glued up in there? If so, what specific glue is suggested?
I plan to open and unfold the entire headliner and let it sit in the sun to eliminate as many creases as I can. I have heard that some can be flattened out with a hair dryer or heat gun after installation.
I'd appreciate any suggestions! Part of the reason that I am trying this myself is that I have so little time through the week, I cannot take it anywhere. It is NOT registered either, that is on the list.
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Well, my first fabric one anyway. I've installed several in the many 72-76 Dusters and Dart Sports but they are solid fiberboard or reproduction plastic.
I've seen a couple of YouTube videos and figure that I'll give it a try. I'm looking for advice on a few things. Please forgive some of the following for being redundant or silly.
It has a headliner in there now but is ripped. I do plan to remove the windshield. It is cracked and I planned on replacing it anyway. Th car is a 2 door post model. It has no sail panel cardboard panels, just fabric. It has trim panels around the rear window that I guess hide the barbed areas that the headliner hooks into. Same with the panels below the quarter windows.
I'm unsure about the sides. I don't see where the fabric is attached there. I have the weatherstripping out. Is it glued up in there? If so, what specific glue is suggested?
I plan to open and unfold the entire headliner and let it sit in the sun to eliminate as many creases as I can. I have heard that some can be flattened out with a hair dryer or heat gun after installation.
I'd appreciate any suggestions! Part of the reason that I am trying this myself is that I have so little time through the week, I cannot take it anywhere. It is NOT registered either, that is on the list.View attachment 1715284379 View attachment 1715284380 View attachment 1715284381 View attachment 1715284382
Subscribed. I didn't know you were a early A body guy.
 
Pretty easy to do you got it man!, I actually took a headliner off a car at the junk yard but it on my dart same color to. best 14 bucks invested, your going to need some 3m sprayed adhesive glue for the head liner starting from the front spray some adhesive get the headliner stuck on the teeth, going bow by bow to the rear keep it nice and tight, then in the end you have the plastic trim around the window to finish it up nicely, make sure to insulate the roof I use some insulatotion that was styrofoam from Home Depot cost 8 bucks you can use it to insulate two abodies.
 
Nice dart! Had a 65 post 3 on the tree made it to a four speed with A 318. A lot of fun! Also if you need any wiring harness I do have one from a 65 dart never been messed with.
 
Nice dart! Had a 65 post 3 on the tree made it to a four speed with A 318. A lot of fun!
Yes, early post cars are cool. My first car was a 65 270 post with a HP 273 and a 3 on the tree. A odd duck for sure.
 
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My advice.

After you lay out the headliner in the sun, turn it over and find the middle. Mark it towards the front and rear. Next find the center of roof. Use the marjs on the headliner and center it.

Next when it says to measure up 1-1/2" on the bow pockets and make a slit, I would make it a generous 1-1/2". When I did mine, I didn't have enough of a slit so when I stretched the sides, it kept hitting the bow pocket and wasn't able to stretch.

Also, put all the bows in, hang them and then work front to back.

Those small binder clips worked wonders, to hold it in place.

Wherever you have a dome light or visor where screws go through the headliner, leave them in and when you're done you can feel through the headliner where they are and make a small slit with a razor blade where the screw head is. This allows you to reinstall the dome and visors cleanly.

Mine was my first time and it came out pretty good. I I had front and rear glass removed.
The glue I used was in a gallon and was put on by brush. My dad ordered it, I think it was commercial glue for linoleum floors.

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Subscribed. I didn't know you were a early A body guy.
I like all of these cars! In 2014 I "restored" a 65 Barracuda and sold it (Along with several other cars and parts) to buy the Wife a 2015 Challenger R/T.
I still have a 65 Valiant convertible project.
This 65 Dart was a slanty, a prior owner added a 73 318 2 barrel. It is a mix of parts though. It has a later slip yoke trans which necessitated the use of a '66 steering column and shifter to try to make it look factory.
Thanks for the tips so far. I do have some small metal spring clips I can use for the sides, I didn't think of using them.
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I didn't use metal clips just pull back and tuck into the teeth, there are metal teeth upfront under the gasket and a lot on the driver and passenger sides leading to the rear. Also had all the glass in the car, but would of been better with it out. I know with a Plymouth a body you would have to remove the rear window on dodge you don't.
 
I was back out in the shop and saw this:
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Just like "Slant six 64" said. There are barbs along the sides! That should make it easier, just pull and tuck it into the sides using something that wont tear the fabric.
 
I did repaint the car in the original DD1 color. It is a nice subtle metallic. I went with base coat satin in the engine bay and base/clear on the outer body. THe car came with a slanty center link. I had a few V8 ones here so I swapped that in. It did have a big aftermarket sway bar up front. I kept that there. It was a 4 wheel 9" drum setup. I added '73 front discs and a big bolt '73 7 1/4" axle to keep a common bolt pattern front and rear.
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I had some finned valve covers so I used them. That scummy air cleaner lid is temporary !
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After seeing the prices of reproduction "Candy canes", I welded over the holes and just primed and painted the edges. Some will not like it, some won't mind.
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I'm going to order the windshield on Monday after work. As soon as it gets here I'll probably get started and have more to report. Thanks for checking in.
 
After seeing the prices of reproduction "Candy canes", I welded over the holes and just primed and painted the edges. Some will not like it, some won't mind.View attachment 1715284476 View attachment 1715284477
I'm going to order the windshield on Monday after work. As soon as it gets here I'll probably get started and have more to report. Thanks for checking in.
I wish I could paint like that
 
Thank you. I'm not that great. I have to sand and polish every car that I shoot.
 
those are Dragon teeth, you just pull the headliner up and over onto them and it fastens them. You can dab a little cement onto the rails but not if it will discolor the headliner. ITs a 2 man job stretching the headliner together to keep it aligned. I was told you start from the middle and work your way front and back? Whatever way you do it, the rear sail panels are difficult as there is no backer, it sort of floats and needs to be taught to keep its shape. I laid mine out in the sun (perforated vinyl) and it still didnt get the creases out, Im sure a heatgun/hairdryer will assist but try it on a scrap piece to see if it tightens or loosens the material. There should be enough material to cover the sun visors too.
 
Sun visors...maybe that is why they included another section of material?
I laid the headliner out over the roof of another car today. I expect to have to heat it with the hair dryer to take the wrinkles out. I wonder if it will produce enough heat.
I bought a new windshield to put back in afterwards. It felt heavier than I thought. The man said it was thicker than they usually are at a full 1/4". He said most have been built at 7/32" to save costs. I recall hearing that many new windshields are thinner than original ones. $125 for a tinted and shaded glass. The man said they fit 63-66 Dart and Valiant 2 door hardtops.
I do need to buy that roof insulation. I am selling the car after I am done but still want to do things right. With those "Dragon Teeth" I do feel more confident. I wonder if any cement is necessary. Maybe I'll get a small amount just in case. Good thing the Home Depot isn't far away. Rain is expected for a few days so I won't be working every day for a little while.
 
Got some work done today.
I removed the windshield and the old headliner.
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I used some thick jute padding with some foil backing. 3M spray adhesive to hold it in place. This stuff was hard to cut! The razor blade barely made it. Cutting with scissors was a difficult task too.

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This stuff is easily 5/16" thick. It seems like it would be really good at sound absorption. I have been wanting to redo the headliner in my Charger, partly to add some adequate sound deadener like this.
Here is the product sheet:
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Back to work tomorrow so I may not have any updates for a few days. Thanks for checking in.
 
This sucks! Working with my hands overhead....No wonder people farm this stuff out.
My bows seem to be fatigued. I'm guessing that they are supposed to rest against the underside of the roof skin? I have had to pull stuff back out and rebend them a couple of times. I'm also guessing that they are supposed to be straight up and above the pockets in the sides. If the headliner sleeves are not exactly to the proper length center to center, this is a problem.
Wrinkles are not a concern yet, I'm just trying to get the bows to get into the correct position.
More tomorrow, maybe.
 
I found that it is proper procedure to install the bows from the rear then to the front. There are these small wires that are attached to the body above the rear window. These hook onto the rearmost steel bow. From there I installed each bow in order and pulled as tight as I could. I tried pushing material into the edges to hook into the teeth but it wouldn't stay. I can't really get clamps up in there either. I have some glue in a caulking type gun, I'll have to do my best to use it sparingly so it doesn't seep through the headliner. It would have been easier with the front seat out but I didn't want to bother the wife for help.
Lots of wrinkles that should flatten out. It has been cold and rainy here so the lighting is bad. The headliner is black so it is even harder to see what I am doing.
 
This sucks ***. I am having a hell of a time with this friggin car.
I would really like to know how assembly line workers did these in any reasonable time. It boggles my mind to think that they could have even spent 2 hours installing one. I was out there 2 hours today, maybe more. I already had the insulation glued on and the headliner hanging from the roof. It makes perfect sense that every car built nowadays uses a one piece formed headliner that can be installed in 10 minutes or less.
Trying to stretch this thing to eliminate all the wrinkles would be a LOT easier if there was a real way to clamp the edges, There isn't. The "dragon's teeth" on the sides are tucked up and do not hook the fabric well. The only way I could get the fabric to stay on the sides was to install the new door weatherstrips...which fit over the pinch weld and sort of cram the headliner into place.
I glued the dragon teeth, stretched the fabric as best I could then stuffed the fabric in the gap and then pushed the weatherstrip in place....most of the wrinkles have flattened a bit but not completely.
Working overhead sucks too. I feel like a midget looking up at tall people all day. I had a guy do the headliner in a 65 Barracuda I had and he had a helper. I did have the back window in that car though so maybe he needed a guy to hold stuff while glue was drying ?
The windshield area has definitive barbs to hook the fabric and they do hold well. I do feel that even when I am done, there will be wrinkles and sags in there that will not flatten out in the sun or with a heat gun.
No pictures...Sorry. I was too pissed and not proud of my efforts.
Usually I can fumble my way through and make stuff look pretty good. I had hoped that I would learn on this one so that I can do my own from now on.
I like that I am able to do most things for myself. I learned to weld after screwing up several times...maybe the same will happen here.
 
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