<HR style="COLOR: #666666" SIZE=1> <!-- / icon and title --><!-- message --><TABLE><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top width="100%">Hi, mader back, online blues. I did find a pdf headliner pattern and he did an awesome job. Nows the job of getting one made and mounting it.
I seen a few ideas of using 1/16 guage plastic, some use wood for base to either snap, screw or glue this madeup headliner. Any ideas?
WOW, never thought i would spend hrs on ebay trying to find quality parts for my 51 Merc, however I have been quite successful.
One more Question, do you know if the 51 5star extra cab came equiped with a steel trim around the lower door panels?
Great site, as soon as I learn how to use it properly!


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I've used Tyvek sheets. Good insullation, folds and bends and you can cover it easily.

 

Hey man, I am an upholsterer. We use plastic for headliner and door panels and kick panels. It's the greatest stuff to use. I don't know where you live, cause you didnt' tell in your gallery. You need to update your profile. But anyway where I live there are a few places that make plastic boards from 1/16" to 1/2" for a headliner it would be best to use 1/16" The stuff we use will take staples, if you can find some that will accept staples without busting out that would be best, but if not, you just make sure you glue it VERY well on a low humidity day.


We use that yellow contact glue that you get from a place like lowes to glue formica counter tops down. Take your time in your pattern making, the final product only fits as well as the pattern.

GOD bless

 

great info Truxxx1956, always good to hear from someone in the business.

I am also trying to do the headliner on my 56 , i have a sunroof in there so i figured i would have to make my own.
I cant seem to find the plastic sheets. i read on another forum that places that make platsic sign with the vinyl decals use that stuff. i was thinking about trying a couple of those places.

mark

 

Are you talking about coroplast? It's a type of corrogated plastic sheeting, a lot of sign-makers use. We make remote controlled airplanes out of it, totally impervious to damage. We use them for combat. It comes in various thicknesses, and holds it's rigidity fairly well. hadn't thought about that, but no reason why it wouldn't work very well. I have a 4 X 8 sheet in the garage, guess I could do some experimenting...

R

 

I went back and checked the info i found on the HAMB.

The plastic sheets are known as Sintra or Komatex.

These guys use 2mm thick, they say it can be formed with a heat gun. and then covered with material.

if you type Sintra in Google, you will find some places that carry it.

Here is the HAMB thread that prettty good
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/s...ghlight=sintra

I'm gonna try and make my headliner and door panels with it.
Mark

 

Plastic supply ( sheet,tube,rod ), sign supply, in the yellow pages. Sintra is a great material is a microcellular low weight material and form with low heat and will retain a shape once set. I have a gentlemans hat thermoformed from sintra that I will post later. It can be drilled,sanded,machined,tapped (in thicker sizes),and shaped with bends using a heat gun, etc. Easy to work with and not bad price. Some upholstery suppliers carry it along with the more common dark grey fiberboard.
Jon

 

AS promised yesterday, This hat was formed from a flat sheet of Sintra using a wooden plug (mold) in a pizza oven at low heat and then set for 2 minutes to cool. I have had it for 12 or so years. It would make a great matl for custom dashes,consoles,overheads,panels etc if one were to make the plug. Balsa would be ok for 1 time use. A heat shrink gun would work fine to form if mama won't let you use the kitchen oven. Trovatex is one more material that works for interior panels.
Jon

 

That thing looks cool!!! thanks for sharing. I was dreading doing the headliner, now maybe it wont be so bad....

Mark

 

Mine does not have a hard headliner in it. It is some sort of carpeting that is glued in everywhere. It has a "jute" (think that is what it is) backing under it.

 

Thanks for all the input and time. Now I have to find some of this stuff in Edmonton.

 

I found a sheet of Sintra, what I'm wondering is what wattage of heat gun will work with a large headliner project? I have a 1500 watt gun but seems to be like working with a brazing tip instead of a rosebud tip. Or is it just a slow go.
Thankssssssss

 

For larger sheets I'd try a heatlamp bulb, an IR space heater, or one of the high intensity work lights (rectangular shaped with a tubular quartz bulb) those thing throw a lot of heat as well as light. Might be difficult to heat form it this time of the year in the "Great White North" tho.
I'm going to have to check this Sintra stuff out, I have used ABS plastic in the past the same material Rod Doors uses for their door and headliner panels.

 

That's how it done at home. I don't have any better ideas for heat sources.. I would start with a room temp sheet or set in sun first.
Jon

 

Hmmm, not too sure about Sintra after researching it. It become thermoplastic at 150*F. That's probably not a problem in the Northern climes, but here in the South, it's not unusual for closed vehicle interiors to reach those temps on a hot sunny day. I wouldn't want to open up my truck and find my headliner draped over my seats and dashboard...