Headliner choices - New photos

[peanutman]

On my headliner chrome i polished off the rust with steel wool which left only slight pitting and then sprayed it with rustoleum clear, looks pretty good. You have to get real close to see the pitting.
The clear fills any scratches made by the steel wool, gives it back it's shine and protects it from rust.

[bumpside]

Sounds like it's going to look nice when your finished.

[69rangerman]

A buddy of mine at work is a mustanger and told me about an idea from the forums he cruises.

This was a rear window deck but the idea is intriguing...

I guess he made his own deck out of something like thermo ply then used aerosol can spray in bedliner over it. It sealed and covered all the irregularities and gave it a durable, uniform appearance.

I'm going to try it on a small piece and see how it looks.

...oh, thanks for the tips on the trim. I'll be doing that over the weekend.

[seattle67]

Got to agree, that headliner rocks Bumpside!

[Durockrolly]

I have posted this pick before, but I really like my headliner because it is functional.

What is the sound quality of the speakers in these like?

[bumpside]

Got to agree, that headliner rocks Bumpside!

Thank you Seattle67

[Lar4t9r]

Well, I got the sheet of thermoply from work yesterday. We also use a 1/4 insulated sheathing product called Fom-Cor and I plan on doubling that up and replacing the original fiber material under the headliner.

I'm going to be giving some thought time to how to incorporate speakers and possibly stereo housing into it before covering in fabric.

As long as there's activity on the truck I can keep telling my wife that "No one's going to buy a truck that's not finished - I'm just getting all the little stuff done". Hopefully that will bridge the gap between business stinks and better times.

Thanks for all the ideas!

Hey 69rangerman:
I read on another thread that you got your headliner done. I plan to use the thermoply for mine also. I have a problem though, I did not have a headliner in my '69 when I got it, so don't have a pattern. Do you (or any other reader of this thread) know where I can find the dimensions? Also, I am not sure how the headliner attaches to the flange. Are there some sort of metal clips that hold it in place before you re-install the metal trim? How did the thermoply bend to fit?

[69rangerman]

The thermo ply worked great. If no one else can help with the dimensions, I'd be willing to cut a template out of cardboard for you, cut it into 2 or 3 pcs, and send it to you no charge. Just tape it back together and trace around it.

I was concerned about the bending and creasing - as well as support for the speakers, so I located the speaker holes then adhered some 1/8" plywood paneling (8 x 8") on the back side for something to screw the speakers into. I also adhered a 8 x 18" pc between the speakers centered on the central screw hole opening (is there a headliner support rib in yours?) to give it some stiffness between the speakers. It worked out great.

I ended up going to the local fabric store and buying some really nice (25$ for 6') black textured vinyl upholstery and some headliner glue. I glued it down and let it sit for a day before trimming off the excess. It almost matched the bench seat grain. It does make the headliner heavier, but with the plywood on back, and the arc as it goes across the roof of the cab - it's pretty much self supporting.

My headliner was held in place by the center screw, and maybe 1 or 2 screws over the windshield - most of the support is via the headliner trim.

If you use the thermoply, make sure to have a good stanley knife, and several blades - it takes 2 or 3 cuts to get all the way through.

[Lar4t9r]

The thermo ply worked great. If no one else can help with the dimensions, I'd be willing to cut a template out of cardboard for you, cut it into 2 or 3 pcs, and send it to you no charge. Just tape it back together and trace around it.

...centered on the central screw hole opening (is there a headliner support rib in yours?) to give it some stiffness between the speakers. It worked out great.

69rangerman:
That would be great if you could cut the cardboard, but no need to send it, I live in Ocala too! email me when you get around to cutting it (no rush) and I can pick it up from you.

Yes, I have the center support rib in mine. I plan to use vinyl too and try a button & tuck design on mine. Have not decided if i want to put speakers in the headliner.

I looked at the thermo ply at Lowes and I thought I would just use a skill saw with a plywood blade to cut the straight lines and a jig saw to cut the curves. Since I'm covering it, I didn't think the minor chipping on the edges would matter..anyway that's my thinking.

Let me know when you have the pattern cut and I'll meet you...what beer do you like?
Laurence

[truckguy]

I am glad it worked out for you 69rangerman.
Kyle

[69rangerman]

Thanks truckguy. That was just the mental trigger I needed to get moving. After I cut out the headliner I even have enough ply and vinyl left to whip up some boring black, no frills door panels since mine are off right now. I intend to purchase the replacement ranger items but who knows, somebody might want them.

[69rangerman]

Took a while but here's a slideshow of a few of the headliner stages.

http://s86.photobucket.com/albums/k90/6 ... =slideshow

Thanks for all the help.

[seattle67]

Wow, very nice!

[Lar4t9r]

Looks good. Did you get your battery problem fixed?

[chefswag]

I traced out my old headliner on cardboard, then used some spray adhesive to attach one of those mexican blankets to it. Trimmed the edges and had the wife run it through the sewing machine. Unfortunatley , i realized after it was in I used temporary tack adhesive and not permanant. It's staying for now, but eventually i plan on redoing it with heavier material, and making room for a CB and speakers.

AO