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Jun 6, 2006 | 07:08 PM

TimTheGuitarMan

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Joined: May 2005

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From: Zillah, Wa

Another ?

Has anyone here made here own custom headliner and kick panels? If so how?

Jun 6, 2006 | 08:26 PM

MrF-1

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Joined: Apr 2006

Posts: 55

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From: FLATHEAD VALLEY

any appolstry shop or speed shop would have or be able to make the set you need. I would assume it would be easier to buy it then make it. After supplies it would be at least the same price and may come out wrong!!

Good luck!!

Jun 6, 2006 | 11:14 PM

Code3

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Joined: May 2006

Posts: 966

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From: Too far north of I-10

I saw a headliner on a 70something Ford that had been made out of fiberglass. The guy even mounted 2 speakers in it. Sounded good, looked better. He said he made a template out of cardboard, shaped the fiberglass to the template, cut speaker holes, mounted the speakers, covered the fiberglass in upholstery cloth, put Dynamat on the roof, and installed the whole thing. He makes surfboards, so he knows how to do cool stuff with fiberglass. That's probably the coolest custom one I've seen.

Jun 7, 2006 | 11:30 AM

53fatfndr

Cargo Master

Joined: May 2003

Posts: 2,561

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From: Earth

I made my own kick panels and there are pictures of them in my gallery. Those were perhaps the easiest things to make for the interior. I just made templates out of cardboard, traced them on to 1/4" plywood, cut them out and then overlayed them with black vinyl automotive upholstry. Very easy and quite affordable. I think I was able to make both for under $20. I also made my own back wall covering using 1/4" plywood and vinyl. I have pics of the kickpanels in my "hot rod interior" gallery. As for the headliner, I used the black vinyl kit from mid-fifty. Their kit got me half-way there as I ended up modifying it and not using some of their supplied pieces.

Last edited by 53fatfndr; Jun 7, 2006 at 11:45 AM.

Jun 7, 2006 | 12:12 PM

AXracer

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Joined: Oct 2004

Posts: 15,882

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From: Durham NC

There is a lot of materials than can be used as backing for upholstery for kick panels. In addition to the 1/4" plywood mentioned you can also use 1/8" ply (known as "doorskins") backerboard (a water resistant cardboard that upholstery shops use) or ABS plastic sheet (the material Roddoors uses for their kits), or hardboard (sometimes called "masonite"). The headliner is a compound curved shape so you'd be better off buying a commercially made headliner. They are available in fabric, vinyl, cardboard, or ABS.

Jun 7, 2006 | 02:45 PM

SCD

Senior User

Joined: Dec 2003

Posts: 189

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From: So California

I made a headliner for my 56. I made a pattern out of several pieces of cardboard so that it conformed to the shape of the roof. I brushed on a layer of resin to help the cardboard keep it's shape. Then I removed it and put several layers of glass on it. The headliner was made in 3 pieces. One large piece that covered from the windshield to the rear window and from door to door. Then there were 2 pieces that went from the side of the rear window to the side of the door. I then had an upholstery shop stitch up a vinyl headliner that I attached to the fiberglass mold. I was very pleased with the end result
SCD

Jun 7, 2006 | 05:45 PM

AXracer

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Joined: Oct 2004

Posts: 15,882

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From: Durham NC

That's quite an ambitious way to do it, but might have been easier to just let the uphostery shop make the vinyl headliner with pockets to use wire bows? What did the shop charge you?