headliner installation question for 48 dodge sedan

[Ed McDermott]

Hi

I am preparing to install a new headliner in my 48 Dodge Custom.  I have watched many YOU Tube headliner installations videos but none address the way to secure the sides of the headliner to the bracket that is provided. 

I have attached two images:

1) One is of the windlace attachment with the bracket for the headline attachment removed.  This seems very direct and no problem.

2) The second is of the part of the bracket for holding the sides of the headliner over the  windlace and over the doors.  The picture is taken rotated ~45 degrees left.

Does any body know how the sides of the headliner are attached over the bracket and then  attaching the bracket screws without damaging the fabric?  And keeping the fabric taught.

Any suggestions appreciated.

[Bryan]

Sorry. Just don't know the answer. Was the headliner already torn out when you got it? Otherwise you could look under the bracket edge for the headline remnants.

Edited February 22, 2022 by Bryan

[Ed McDermott]

The headliner was almost completely torn out.  But yesterday, I did have similar thought like your  suggestion.  Last night, I did see a YouTube video on a 71 VW Beatle headliner installation which indicated using a putty knife to push the headliner under the bracket and then pounding on the the lower part of the bracket to secure the headliner on the sharp points inside the bracket.  I thought I would try a sample piece of headliner today  with that approach.

Ed 

[DonaldSmith]

The metal channels, which I primed in a blue color, have teeth on the backside, to catch the edge of the headliner fabric that is pushed up behind the channels.

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[Sniper]

1 hour ago, DonaldSmith said:

The metal channels, which I primed in a blue color, have teeth on the backside, to catch the edge of the headliner fabric that is pushed up behind the channels.

 

 

I assume the headliner material needs to be pushed up from the bottom of those channels?

[LazyK]

i installed my headliner before installing the windlace

[Bryan]

And making sure the metal is clean and also the rubber or plastic hammer is clean not to stain the fabric.  Plus not hitting a screw head or ridge to cut into the cloth. That would be my guess.  

[Ed McDermott]

The headliner was almost completely torn out.  But yesterday, I did have similar thought like your  suggestion.  Last night, I did see a YouTube video on a 71 VW Beatle headliner installation which indicated using a putty knife to push the headliner under the bracket and then pounding on the the lower part of the bracket to secure the headliner on the sharp points inside the bracket.  I thought I would try a sample piece of headliner today  with that approach.

Ed 

[Ed McDermott]

Thanks All.

I have tried a sample piece of headliner as suggested above and the approach worked well.

now I can move forward.

Ed

[Happy 46R]

Took a look at my car and a parts car and took the bracket off to get a better look at it. I believe you are on the right track as the bracket has a row of sharp teeth facing the exterior of the car that the headliner slips behind and become caught on. Once it is stretched side to side the teeth hold the material in place. Here is a picture of the back side of the bracket showing the teeth. Hope this helps and good luck with your project.  Dave

[Ed McDermott]

Thanks All.

I have tried a sample piece of headliner as suggested above and the approach worked well.

now I can move forward.

Ed

[Ed McDermott]

Thanks

my brackets are slightly different and I believe when the fabric is inserted behind the bracket with a tool (putty knife) the bracket is gently hammered to compress the bracket on the material.

Ed

[jhm1mc13]

I don't know if these pictures from my 4door are helpful but I do remember numbering the spars and being crazy careful cutting the back window hole.

I could only send one picture.   

[Ed McDermott]

Thanks for the photo and hints.  i am ready to move forward now.

Ed

[harmony]

If you have any more questions Ed. I can link you to a web page I made for a 47 Chrysler that I reconditioned and replaced the headliner.  You probably know this by now but use a plastic putty knife 1 1/2" and round off the corners and blunt the end with some sandpaper.  Pushing up the excess headliner under the "sharks teeth" strips can take a bit of effort in some places and you really don't want to rip the headliner with that putty knife.   One other key thing is when pushing the headliner up under the sharks teeth strips you need to get the excess length of material just right.  Too short and the results are obvious.  But if you have too much material it will bunch up and look like you have a bunch of pop corn under the edge. Like you previously mentioned it's good to practice with sample pieces to get that length about a half inch past the teeth. Then keep pushing that half inch further until it flattens out.  Plus by now you've realized that you only get one chance at it with those sharks teeth strips.  One other suggestion is that you use a steamer to get the wrinkles out of the headliner and go round and round the car continuously, a little at a time. Fastening and then the next go round remove fasteners and pull a wee bit tighter, and replace the fastener and so on and so on. If you have the original staple strips still in the car that's good as long as they haven't dried out too much.  If they have the stapes won't hold over time.  Whenever possible I used self taping sheet metal screws with the built in large washer.  That way, sometimes all it would take was backing off the screw, pulling the material tighter and then tightening the screw again.  The washer part would hold the new position of the headliner and that tiny gathered material would be hidden by the garnish molding or parcel shelf or whatever.   But be cautious with the steamer because it can actually stretch the material and cause excess where you don't want it.

[1947 D24 limo]

Did you guys have the issue with the support beam being lower than the bows? The centre support is lower than the bow that is towards the back of the car.  The roof was redone by the previous owner, so I am wondering if it’s that, or the bows are mixed up but I don’t think so because I tried switching them out and no other bow works better.  Any suggestions would help thanks! 

[Plymouthy Adams]

keep in mind the listing will allow for more drop here than many imagine.

[Ed McDermott]

I have attached 2 photos from my  48 Dodge Custom D24.

One is the roof cross member before the headliner was installed, and the second is from a picture of the headliner that I just took.

I felt around it and I don't believe that I installed any foam  padding to the roof for fire safety reasons.

I don't see any outline of the cross member showing and feeling the headliner it seems like the headliner is taught and spaced  just below the cross member.

The install did take  some time.  Also I made my own headliner.  This took two full headliner tries including two different materials before it was acceptable.

I had labeled all bows before I removed the to be sure to get them back in the right place.

Is it possible that maybe some of the bows are not original?

I have more pictures if they could help.

Ed

[Ed McDermott]

[Ed McDermott]

sorry hit solved by mistake

[Ed McDermott]

Hi

I just noticed that in my D24 picture, on the engine side of the cross frame I have a bow right next to the cross member which sets the location of the headliner at that point.

In your picture the bow is just behind the cross member.  The bow behind the cross member maybe too high or the cross member is too low in the center.   There probably differences  because you have a  L version.

The cross member is in the same position wrt  the door pillar in both pictures.

Not sure but is seems like your cross member is bent lower from the roof.

Ed

[1947 D24 limo]

I will maybe take it out and round it a bit to make it similar to the bow.  The headliner I got was from sms auto fabrics, and I have the 7 passenger limo version.  I will update this post once I figure out the solution.  Thanks for the help! 

[Conn47D24]

As I recall the headline " BOWS " are numbered and need to be installed in order.