No F100 parts for Christmas this year but I did receive some green backs. I believe I will buy my headliner now so my wife will stop nagging me to buy more truck parts.

Anyone have experience with any of Rod Doors ABS products. I have matching fabric I will be glueing on myself. I guess my question is are how well do their products fit? Thats a critical issue for a headliner. I am buying the three piece headliner as it should offer the most flexibility for use with all the aftermarket seals that could cause a problem. Not to mention the truck shipping charges for a one piece.

'fenders

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 26-Dec-02 AT 01:54 PM (EST)]DeWayne

no personal experience, but talked to their rep and studied their display cab for a long time at Crusin the Coast in October. I'm going to use their complete cab kit.. back walls headliner and door liners..

I think (from what I see) it's a quality product that fits the application well.. they use a neat velcro system that holds the panels in place and it "holds".... If you trim your material closely and don't bunch it up a lot at the corners, they lay down nicely. You can get a pro look with a little patience..

The rep was very helpful and took a long time with me asking questions. and they have some new patterns for the door panels and the roof panel... neat stuff and will save you some large $$ doing it your self...

I asked him about seat material and if you order the panels already covered you ca buy enough extra yardage to do your seat to match... 'course it sounds like you're going the bare panel route and cover your own... hurry up and do it... write the article and show me how

Your accounting work seem a little slack now so you have the time...

later

John

 

John

I am going DIY for most of the interior. I bought all the fabric and carpet 1 1/2 years ago. I had a stock seat done professionally. My wife and I did the custom door panels and kicks ourselves. Used new panel board and they came out great. Sculpting door panels is not difficult. They are flat however. Headliner is a whole different game. I just sold my panelboard headliner. It would have surely looked horrible except for the center section. Wasn't about to risk over $100 of fabric.

I am using a no design headliner. I am going to have to keep the headliner thin at the edges so it will tuck where it is supposed to. I think I will skip the sculpting foam altogether. The rod door patterns are nice enough but you are going to see a hundred trucks with the same look at big shows eventually. I wanted to flame the door panels so my interior would not be identical to anyone elses. I already have the most common F100 exterior color and wheels in the world. I need to set it off a bit somehow. I believe I will use matching carpet for the cab rear wall. It is 98% covered by the seat back anyhow and carpet is more durable and somewhat cheaper.

I'll take some step by step shots of the headliner job and share my pain.

'fenders

 

Fenders,

I'm a long, looong way from doing my interior so I can't offer any personal experiences. But I was a front row audiance participant at the Forge last year when the Rod Doors guys installed a 3 panel kit in a cab they had on display. looked like they did a nice job when they were finished but I felt that they had a lot more trouble putting it in than guys familiar with the product should have had. I believe the center piece went in first and then the edges and of course it was the edge pieces that were the issue. It certainly may be worthwhile to install the 3 panels without fabric first and get comfortable with the install, check the panel fit and adjust as necessary of course allowing for fabric thickness. Then pull it back appart, glue the fabric on and reinstall. I was thinking of going the same route but watching this demo caused some concern. I wasn't the only one in the audience, so if any of the rest of you were there, did you walk away with the same impression or am I all wet.
Good luck and certainly give us the play by play.

John

 

PJS John

If anyone else witnessed the install, please post.

I will definitely have a practice run before I glue. I have found a practice run prudent for almost every aftermarket custom component that you desire to be perfect.

Rod doors doesn't come right out and say it's tough, but they drop some hints that the center panel must be correctly positioned. In fairness to Rod Doors, I don't think two cabs are quite identical. Don't know if its the age or they were slightly different from day one. Normally simple tasks like swapping out a door are a pain.

I almost ordered the headliner today and probably still will. Not sure what my other options are since I own the fabric already. Panelboard is just not a good option for a covered liner. The rest of my interior is too fancy to go with uncovered headliner.

Thanks
'fenders

 

Hey fat cheeks... fenders,

I started the headliner for my panel, all the headliners i have found are for pick ups, and wont fit in the panel.... so started with raw material ( 1/8" tempered hard board) and figured out where the radius curves are at, and routered off the tempered side of the board, wet it on both sides and started forming the bends... when they dryed i removed them and they have held the shape pretty well. I am planning on putting fabric with padding on the back.

It is going pretty slowly, as i do not have any of the orginal headliner, to use as patterns.

Will try and get pics as it progresses

Robert

If anyone has got any tips or thoughts, please let me hear them.

 

Getting ready to do my headliner. Maybe by the first of April. Very interested in Rod Doors, any help would be welcome. I will comment on my install as well!!

 

Cabby Daddy

I think your approach will work reasonable well. I think your biggest concern will be keeping the THB from squirming around over time. How are you attaching it to the truck? You will find that the padding foam and cloth are not too bad to work with on the bench. Upholstering with headliner already screwed to the roof would not be fun. Are you planning to do it on the bench? Is so then how will you attach the headliner to the truck? I am not slamming your idea at all. Far from it, the THB idea sounds like a potential plan for the cab back wall as a base for my carpet. Curious what you are thinking.

'fenders

 

Fenders...

my plan, is to upolster in tan, and to use spray adhesive (3M 77) to glue the foam to the hard board, and to use stainless steel strips 1" wide at the seams ( 3 seams, all in line with the overhead perlons), and to use self tapping screws with the plastic buttons over them.
would-ya-think?

robert
I guess I am a DIY kinda guy... like kia and the sand...

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 28-Dec-02 AT 10:38 AM (EST)]I bought the Rod Doors headliner and back panel kit. I did get it installed after much difficulty. I built the truck myself from the frame up. Installing the headliner etc was the most difficult and frustrating part of the whole job.

Rod Doors says that their stuff is cut to fit and no trimming is necessary or advised. That appears to be true.

There is a center piece and 2 side pieces on each panel assembly. Take about 20 cheap hacksaw blades and use them hold the rear window gasket so you can slip the headliner behind it. The headliner does not really match the contour of the center roof brace. It lips into the stock headliner rubber strip.

If I was going to do it again:

Do it at the very hottest part of the year. The plastic will be easier to "work." Otherwise use a heated shop in excess of 80*.

Install it without fabric prior to covering it.

Mark match lines for the real install.

Do not use padding because you will overpack the tongue and groove joints.

You have to slide the side pieces both in and forward. Make sure your glue job on the fabric is good there. At my wifes suggestion, I used a very small amount of Crisco as a lube on the sliding edges. There is no stain whatsoever on the fabric as a result. --->WARNING use this at your own risk, try a small piece to make sure it will not ruin the fabric, your mileage may vary.<---


This thing fits so tight, you will not really need the velcro things to hold it.

 

"Installing the headliner etc was the most difficult and frustrating part of the whole job."

Scot

All of your post sounds very encouraging except the above comment you made. Difficult and frustrating? How so??

Thanks
'fenders

 

have you considered fibreglass one? Mid Fifty sells one that is two piece and ups shippable thats the one i was leaning towards since its smooth and i was planning on possibly putting the radio up in the over head just the planning stages for me right still doing the body work



gee ooh

 

fordgo

No I haven't consider fiberglass seriously. I have never been thrilled with any fiberglass part I ever purchased. Consistency is a problem. Never fits quite right. The ABS liner is also available smooth.

'fenders

 

Robert...

check on the 3m 77 it isn't meant for high heat applications I don't think... there is another number (maybe 88) that 3m makes that is better for car applications... you're looking at 120° summer temps in the headliner area probably...

just a thought

john ( who once had a drooping custom headliner from using 77) niolon