Hello again, I'm trying to find a new/used headliner board to have a local retailer recover it.

I bought the truck in Dec 2009 and the previous owner was a chain smoker and it stinks up the cab something fierce. The headliner also shows signs of cleaning that was not finished completely but is free from bubbles/rips/tears.

The upholsterer cannot get the old fabric off without damaging the board backing and covering what's there would not remove the smell. I've called the local auto salvages and nobody has headliners of any color (since it's irrelevant) and now I'm asking the forum for help!

I could go to the local car wash and try my luck there but I'd rather replace.

Ideas?

 

Have you tried any other local upholstery shops? It shouldn't be that big of a deal for a shop to cut a piece of card stock and cover it for you.

 

User,

I think you might be surprised how easy it is to clean/deodorize the headliner in place. It's such thin material so it doesn't take alot of effort. Give it a good cleaning with several soaked clean rags using a good cleaner / disinfectant really soaking it in. Soak up the wet liner as good as you can with clean dry rags and let it dry well. Then give it a good wet wipe down with a liquid deodorizer.
Even if you're not happy with the out come you can always go back to your original plan of replacing it.

I did this for a lady friends minivan a couple years ago. She bought it used and had the interior professionally cleaned. It did help alot with the cigarette smell. They didn't do the headliner and after a few days I could even still smell the old smoke and I'm a smoker myself! After I did the headliner it really did make a big difference.

Note:
I see you have a crew cab. I still haven't figured out an easy way to get the headliner out of a crew cab. I haven't asked here how to actually do it, but from what I "guessed" myself I can only see it slipping through the front after removing the wind shield???


Rick...

 

If you want to dizzolve the tar from flat surfaces try some foaming a/c coil cleaner it breaks it down pretty good, but you have to rinse it real good it can be corrosive. I use that stuff to clean a/c evaporator coils in smokers' houses and you should see the stuff that comes out of those coils, it will make you quit smoking. After I'm finished though the coil looks new. You can dilute it some if neccessary but full strenth works best. It is the blue colored stuff from calgon you can pick it up at your local a/c supply house. Be careful though it will remove some types of paint, but it should be o.k. for the plastic dash and door panels.

 

Why not contact ed and see what a new one costs and if its not too much try that route?

 

I have a crew cab.
I JUST re-skinned my headliner and re-installed it today. The headliner comes out the front passenger door easily without bending it at all. Move both front seats back and recline them, put the steering wheel all the way up, and the liner comes in and out without any problems.

 

Card stock?? Really, does that sound like something that will work to you?? When was the last time you saw a headliner that was flat?

 

Damn. I may have been on crack at the time, but I'm sure I tried that. I think I even tried the passenger side. If it comes out the drivers side you'd think it would work on the passenger side? (No steering wheel in the way). I've been thinking about dying or resurfacing the headliner so I'll try that again when the time comes.

Can anyone else confirm this?

Rick...

 

WOW! I had the headliner in my crewcab down and couldn't figure out how to get it out the door. A simple google search found your post and that did the trick. Thanks for sharing.