Headliner Resto !!
I thought I'd post the results of our latest headliner resto from our 74 Dart Sport project car..........
Instead of buying a new one piece liner and paying the gosh-awful freight charges, I decided to restore the one we had....it was sagged in the front center which is common, and ragged in the front around the windshield, especially at the corners around the visor mounts.
I carefully removed the liner, and cleaned the old insulation completely with a shop vac....after a wipe with a damp rag, I laid it face down on some old tires and towels to put pressure on the sagged area.......I slowly dribbled boiling water (be careful) over the entire sagged area and more, saturating it with the hot stuff.......I repeated this about 3 times, letting it set for a half hour in between doses.........after it was really impregnated, I put weights around the edges and "bowed" the sagged area back into a proper position....I actually bowed it a smidgen farther than original to compensate for spring in the cardboard.
It dried under the carport for 2 days until it was crispy. I removed it from the forms, and went to the next stage of resto. Around the visor mounts, the cardboard was shot...I cleaned up the really loose stuff, and laid a new piece of cardboard behind the hole, big enough to cover the entire area from the back side.......lots of vise grip clamps (with rubber tips), and Elmers Carpenters Glue to seal the deal......On the edges where the layers of cardboard had separated, I spread glue between the layers and re-glued with the same.
After the hard work, I cleaned up the plastic coating on the face of the liner........it was still all there, but for a few small imperfections.....I used windex, followed with fast dry solvent cleaner. I used a light coat of adhesion promoter (dupli-color), and followed it up with a texture coat (Stone by name...nice finish)....after covering the imperfections and texturing the whole surface evenly, I let it dry overnight. I color coated it with Krylon Fusion antique white, laying on 4 light coats for an even finish.
My wife and I just put the liner in, and it looks great, all things considered. Saved lots of cash, and was fun in the process of restoring. Fits tight, the sags are all but gone, and just a few little wrinkles at the edges to worry about. (I have ways of making them cooperate........). Here's a few pics.......One with flash, then without, and a pic of one of the rebuilt corners. Not a big deal guys........Give it a shot........the finish is durable, but not brittle..........great look and feel.
I thought I'd post the results of our latest headliner resto from our 74 Dart Sport project car..........
Instead of buying a new one piece liner and paying the gosh-awful freight charges, I decided to restore the one we had....it was sagged in the front center which is common, and ragged in the front around the windshield, especially at the corners around the visor mounts.
I carefully removed the liner, and cleaned the old insulation completely with a shop vac....after a wipe with a damp rag, I laid it face down on some old tires and towels to put pressure on the sagged area.......I slowly dribbled boiling water (be careful) over the entire sagged area and more, saturating it with the hot stuff.......I repeated this about 3 times, letting it set for a half hour in between doses.........after it was really impregnated, I put weights around the edges and "bowed" the sagged area back into a proper position....I actually bowed it a smidgen farther than original to compensate for spring in the cardboard.
It dried under the carport for 2 days until it was crispy. I removed it from the forms, and went to the next stage of resto. Around the visor mounts, the cardboard was shot...I cleaned up the really loose stuff, and laid a new piece of cardboard behind the hole, big enough to cover the entire area from the back side.......lots of vise grip clamps (with rubber tips), and Elmers Carpenters Glue to seal the deal......On the edges where the layers of cardboard had separated, I spread glue between the layers and re-glued with the same.
After the hard work, I cleaned up the plastic coating on the face of the liner........it was still all there, but for a few small imperfections.....I used windex, followed with fast dry solvent cleaner. I used a light coat of adhesion promoter (dupli-color), and followed it up with a texture coat (Stone by name...nice finish)....after covering the imperfections and texturing the whole surface evenly, I let it dry overnight. I color coated it with Krylon Fusion antique white, laying on 4 light coats for an even finish.
My wife and I just put the liner in, and it looks great, all things considered. Saved lots of cash, and was fun in the process of restoring. Fits tight, the sags are all but gone, and just a few little wrinkles at the edges to worry about. (I have ways of making them cooperate........). Here's a few pics.......One with flash, then without, and a pic of one of the rebuilt corners. Not a big deal guys........Give it a shot........the finish is durable, but not brittle..........great look and feel.