New to Slicks, just bought a 66 CC longbed from a friend that I'm half way through a disk brake swap on the front. Also putting new tierods, bushings and shocks on it while its all apart. I some times post on the 67-72 section here. I have had a 70 sportcustom, fixed up and since sold and am in the middle of a 71 shortbed buildup.

On to my question. I will need a new headliner and have noticed the stock headliners are pretty pricey. I also see where Autokrafters and NPD offer a fiberglass headliner for around the same price. Anyone have a photo of the fiberglass one, any experience with it, or even seen one out of the box?

 

Well, some people don't want to do this, but there was no way I was going to pay the prices for a new headliner and I was not entering the truck in shows. A friend of minethat does stereo's from Florida (Fishman - he has been in numerous hotrod magazines for installing stereos into some very exotic cars for famous people) gave me an easy alternative. I took a thick box from a refridgerator and cut a 5 piece template of the inside of the roof. I then covered the roof with noise reducing insulation. I taped the template together with duct tape because it was the strongest. I then found the material that I used to cover my seat (black with a red bead around the edges) and covered the cardboard with the same stuff. I cut the template about 1/2 inch bigger all the way around so it would seat properly. It worked awesome. It took a little bit of time, but totally worth it. It actually looks much better than any of the ones I was looking to buy.

I like to improvise. It makes it look custom. The good thing about this way is that if you make a mistake with the template, you can start again with another side of the box. Cardboard bends a little to accomodate the slight curves in the roof line. Also, refridgerator boxes are usually thicker than other boxes which makes better for forming.

 

I did the card board template a few years ago. It did wonders until the humidity of New Orleans took it's toll. If you go the card board route make sure to spray or cover the back side as well. Gravity and humidity are not kind to paper fibers. I haven't tried to do it again since then. Check out a few of the craft shops for the fiber board or plastic sign board that looks just like card board internally. In fact I am going to swing by there later on this week to see what is out there and try it again. I will be off from work the next 30 days and can imagine I will be very bored. I will post back with what I find and pictures if I can get the thing to work.

 

Got some stuff from my local Home Depoe to make a new headliner it is the same stuff that the original headliner is made of. To mold it in to place is a tub of water and a few bricks to bend the coners to match the cab of the truck.

 

Oh sweet! I know where I am headed then. I have some nice cream pleather that would look good as a headliner.

 

If I can not find the right one we plan to have our trim shop use the original as a pattern and cut some board and cover it in vinyl. BUT, the owner was really looking forward to having an original looking headliner...you know grey with the white lines in it.....

The main thing that bothers me is that our supplier claims that no one has ever complained before.....I find it easier to believe they have the wrong pattern than I have an odd ball truck. I suspect everyone, just doesn't care and either uses what was sent or thows it away and makes something else work. If we don't ask for better quality from venders they will continue to make the same old junk and feed it to us.

I have a few venders I like, but the others insist on producing substandard products and claiming that our expectations are too high.

Am I all alone here?