Need Headliner Advice

Kisner · 11-15-2002, 01:00 PM

I'm installing my 68 coupe's headliner this weekend (with the help of an upholstery expert with experience doing these). Think she's only done a couple of these so not that confident she's an expert on the old Mustangs. Any tips anyone has for ensuring a wrinkle-free installation? Also, it'll be about 4 days afterward before I can get the front and rear glass installed. Was told to use windlace around the windshield openings to help hold the headliner until the glass can go in. Ordered the contact cement from Mustangs Unlimited same time I ordered the headliner. Is this a permanent strong cement that'll hold for a few days until I can get the glass in? Finally, after we trim off the excess headliner, how much of it do we leave to glue to the pinch weld. Original assembly manual only says to lay down the glue .38-.50 inches. So, can I safely assume to leave right at a half-inch or slightly less? Thanks for all the great advice again.

Frankenstang65 · 11-16-2002, 07:40 PM

Ahh, the mustang headliner...fun stuff. As far as a wrinkle free installation I would recomend getting the temperature inside the car pretty warm; this makes the material much more pliable and easy to stretch. Keep a heat gun or hairdryer near by too...if your carefull, you can heat and "massage" away most wrinkles that you have left. The main key is to take your time and pull everything as tight as you can.

Another thing I should mention is to be really carefull where you cut. There is way more headliner material there than you will need, and sometimes it is confusing even where to begin cutting. Do the rear of the car last, after you already have everything else in place (the rear corners are the trickiest part). Also, make sure you keep the headliner rods in order, and put them back in the spot they came out of. You'll have to trim the ends of sheath that the rods slide into, if you cut to much of it, you'll get little "puckers" in the headliner at the point where the rods fit into the roof. Just cut a little and keep testing it unitll it is just right. I think a 1/2 inch around the pinchwelds should be fine. Just make sure you leave enough to grab onto and yank on in case the glue looses its hold.

I hope that helps a little....Good Luck!! I'm sure it will turn out just fine.

11-15-2002, 01:00 PM	#1
Kisner Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2000 Posts: 290	Need Headliner Advice I'm installing my 68 coupe's headliner this weekend (with the help of an upholstery expert with experience doing these). Think she's only done a couple of these so not that confident she's an expert on the old Mustangs. Any tips anyone has for ensuring a wrinkle-free installation? Also, it'll be about 4 days afterward before I can get the front and rear glass installed. Was told to use windlace around the windshield openings to help hold the headliner until the glass can go in. Ordered the contact cement from Mustangs Unlimited same time I ordered the headliner. Is this a permanent strong cement that'll hold for a few days until I can get the glass in? Finally, after we trim off the excess headliner, how much of it do we leave to glue to the pinch weld. Original assembly manual only says to lay down the glue .38-.50 inches. So, can I safely assume to leave right at a half-inch or slightly less? Thanks for all the great advice again.

11-16-2002, 07:40 PM	#2
Frankenstang65 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 79	Ahh, the mustang headliner...fun stuff. As far as a wrinkle free installation I would recomend getting the temperature inside the car pretty warm; this makes the material much more pliable and easy to stretch. Keep a heat gun or hairdryer near by too...if your carefull, you can heat and "massage" away most wrinkles that you have left. The main key is to take your time and pull everything as tight as you can. Another thing I should mention is to be really carefull where you cut. There is way more headliner material there than you will need, and sometimes it is confusing even where to begin cutting. Do the rear of the car last, after you already have everything else in place (the rear corners are the trickiest part). Also, make sure you keep the headliner rods in order, and put them back in the spot they came out of. You'll have to trim the ends of sheath that the rods slide into, if you cut to much of it, you'll get little "puckers" in the headliner at the point where the rods fit into the roof. Just cut a little and keep testing it unitll it is just right. I think a 1/2 inch around the pinchwelds should be fine. Just make sure you leave enough to grab onto and yank on in case the glue looses its hold. I hope that helps a little....Good Luck!! I'm sure it will turn out just fine. __________________ 1965 Coupe: 351W, comp cam, Aluminum Systemax II heads (2.02/1.60), 1.7 Cobra full roller rockers, Edelbrock intake, Holley 650 double pumper, Mallory Unilite, MSD-6AL, MSD Blaster 2 coil, MSD heli-core plug wires, Hedman headers, 2 1/2" exhaust (GT style) w/ 40 series delta flows, 69 C4 w/ shift kit, shelby traction bars, 3.55:1 rear Daily Driver: 1989 GT- 5spd, K&N (no silencer), Shorty Headers, King Cobra Clutch, Flowmaster Force II Cat-back

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