headliner...again

[cruiser]

I'm still having a difficult time with headliners in old cars.   At this time I'm putting a replacement headliner in a 1941 chevrolet coupe.  It has all standard bows which should be standard installation.

My problem seems to be around the rear portion in the last two bows and rear window area.  Wrinkles here and there are just not wanting to come out.  I've yet to use steam but I feel that I'd like to get it as close as possible before I use a steamer.  Looking at some of the wrinkles I feel steam will not take them out.

The material itself is a velvet style headliner material.  I feel the people that made the headliner did a good job but being a novice I have very little experience to base that claim.

The back portion of these cars are very round in design.  I just can't seem to get the right feel to get a good installation.   

Any help or guidence would be apprecitated.

[SHHR]

    I fixed a 47 Plymouth for a guy last year who did a "do it yourself" kit install, and he had problems there too. I also have a 47 Pontiac although it's a chopped aero sedan instead of a coupe, but has the headliner configuration that I just went out and looked over good.

 Anyway, what I did on the Plymouth to remove the wrinkles was to take loose the rear of the headliner all the way around the package tray, rear window, and side quarterwindows. Then I made sure the rear bow listings weren't too long (the plymouth's was and the owner couldn't pull the headliner to the side tight enough where it fastens around the windows and tack strip). I just trimmed away an inch or two of the listings at the two rear bows on either side, then there was also trouble with the bows wanting to "fold forward" in the car so I made two small cuts in the rear bow listing about a foot up from the sides toward the center of the car. I tied twine to the bow through the cuts I made, repositioned the bow in place then pulled back and down on the twine and tied it off at a point near the back window thus keeping rear tension on the headliner. Since the twine was now holding the headliner tight to the rear I pulled it tight starting at the center moving out and re-attatching it to the window tack strips. luckily the owner didn't trim it to short and left the excess material bunched up under the window moldings so I didn't end up short anywhere. That took care of all the wrinkles with no problem,

Kyle

[cruiser]

Thanks, Kyle.  I think I may try that.  I was a little scared to start trimming back the listing because once you clip it there is no going back.

But I think that makes sense.  If I would trim it back a bit it should relax the headliner enough to help the wrinkles.

Now I hope that I didn't trim the headliner back too far either.  Either way, even if I have to buy another one I'll chalk it up to learning.  Just as long as I get the thing correct is all I care about.

[mike802]

I am always nervous when it comes to installing premade headliners. The old cars where not all identical even within the same model and year and the new premade headliners are not quite the same as the originals.  It can be nerve wracking to snip back the listing, just go a little at a time.  I have had to pull the headliner and use rivets, or screws to hold the fabric in places where there was no other way to attach it, as long as the fastener is covered when finished.  In some cases I have had to blind stitch the excess fabric into a bow seam, this method works best on a fabric headlining.

[cruiser]

Thanks , Mike.  Yikes!  I hope I don't have to take it out and blind stitch the fabric at the seems for the excess.  I've got it installed very well all except the rear area. 

I just need more experience with these.

Thank you for your insight.

[cruiser]

Just an update.

I took all the advice everyone gave me and went back in to see what needed to be done and formulate a plan.  Fortunately I was able to find my mistake without a lot of complication.

I figured out that I just did not have enough stretch on it.  I pulled it back very firmly and the wrinkles came out little by little.  I worked slowly and very methodically one staple at a time determined not to have to re-do this a third time. 

It looks like a pro installation even if I do say so.

Thank you for the input and help.

[mike802]

Good going Cruiser, happy to hear it worked out.

[chevman57]

These jobs like this one is were patience really pays off. And i`m usually not very patient. When it gets frustrating that is when i stop and walk away before i mess up more than i can repair.
Terry