WLS HEADLINER

[pflaming]

Amazing, great work. Today I saw a suburban headliner I like. Since suburbans have an element of truck in them a rustic headliner is imho acceptable. 

[48ply1stcar]

On 6/5/2017 at 7:30 PM, DrDoctor said:

48ply1stcar,

   WOW!!! From the photos, it looks like you did a great job. Congrats!!! Now, if I’d done it, I’d be wearing it around my neck like a scarf . . . . .

I don't let anyone walk down the street without dragging them up to the car.  Just kidding.

Edited June 12, 2017 by 48ply1stcar
correction.

[edrendek7777]

Sorry to dig this old post up, but I have a few questions about this...  With the WLS headliner, do you HAVE TO glue it?  Can you just install with no glue?  They suggest buying cans of 3M spray adhesive so I am assuming that you need to glue it somehow.  Also do you need to remove your interior door and window trim pieces?  I have no headliner or bows in my car now, but have the bows in the garage.  Just wondering if it is easier/better to install one of these with the window and door trim interior pieces pulled...  Thanks in advance.

Ed

[Plymouthy Adams]

first off and in two important parts here is that yes glue is required in a number of places on the headliner install....second part, spray adhesives often lack the long term holding qualities as that of the brush on contact cements.  Suggest good quality contact cement of your favorite brand, follow the instructions of tack free coat on each surface then make your 'contact'   WLS sews using modern foam backed headliner material using styrene line for thread....many folks get surprised when then see the assembled product.  He will sew using customer supplied material if he sees the material first and deems it suitable for the application.  Cost will be the same as if he supplies the material, so the added cost is the out of pocket additional for your material cost.  Well worth it for a custom headliner as he is not at all expensive and his turn around is decent time wise.  He is just a bit of a drive from my place, he has a nice operation set up at his house.

[NickPickToo]

we received our HL from WLS and its well put together, but as you said I was surprised at the material.  Its a bit modern foamy to me.  I would have preferred something that looked more like cloth.  That said it was a reasonable price, and the color is great.  Not sure I could have gotten sign off on the higher cost given where we are focusing the dollars already.  Anyway, the pics at the top of this tread look sick.  I only hope mine turns out half as nice.  Yes you do need to take off the window trim pieces as the headliner needs to go up under this trim

Edited December 14, 2019 by NickPickToo

[desoto1939]

48ply:  You did a fantastic installonthe head liner.  When my car was repainted the painter helped me do the install of a new headliner along with the rubber windlace.  We took our time and got it in wringle free We started from the back window and then worked each sides and then did the front. Used dulled plastic putty knives to get the headliner tucks behind the metal teeth on each side to hold the headliner in place. Tacked the windlace in place.  It has been in my car since 1996 and still looking great.

 

Rich Hartung

[48ply1stcar]

5 hours ago, edrendek7777 said:

Sorry to dig this old post up, but I have a few questions about this...  With the WLS headliner, do you HAVE TO glue it?  Can you just install with no glue?  They suggest buying cans of 3M spray adhesive so I am assuming that you need to glue it somehow.  Also do you need to remove your interior door and window trim pieces?  I have no headliner or bows in my car now, but have the bows in the garage.  Just wondering if it is easier/better to install one of these with the window and door trim interior pieces pulled...  Thanks in advance.

Ed

I only used some spray adhesive on the extra padding/insulation secured to the roof.  Yes remove trim, that will be the least of your issues.  Also install new windlace, remove the toothed trim and staighten out the teeth to insure a even and secure tuck.

Just to add a thought.  Tack strips.  Those pressed paper/cardboard strips you may have to replace those around the windshield and rear window so the staples have somthing to bite into.

Edited December 14, 2019 by 48ply1stcar

[48ply1stcar]

Other windlace pictures:

 

[Eneto-55]

Speaking of windlace, has anyone ever found a source for the original type, which has the metal strip embedded in the tack strip & then into the center of the foam?  I had purchased a 50' roll back in the early 80's (at a refrigeration supply house), but it has dried up and disintegrated in the years since then.  All I can find now is just the round foam, which doesn't do the job it is there to do as well as the original type, with that metal mesh holding it tight against the door edge.