VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - GENERAL Trucks and Vans Headliner installation on a '54 5glass C3100

I would like to know the best and easiest way to install the 2 piece cardboard headliner. I have the headliner, the center bow and the 11 screws that go across the back above the back glass. I also have the sunvisors and the silver insulation to go on the roof. How does the headliner stay in place above the doors and across the front windshield area? Does anyone have any good pictures to go by? Thanks. You can also e-mail me at ernestbarbee@yahoo.com.

Ernest Barbee
Lubbock, TX

Ernest, I’m assuming that you’re talking about a 1954, 3104 five window? The headliner is held in place at the door opening by the rubber windlace that goes all the way round the opening in the cab. At the windshield it’s held in place by the rubber gasket.
There is a 99.9% chance that those rubber pieces are dried out and no longer flexible enough to slip the liner in behind. It’s very difficult to get the cardboard in even if the rubber is supple. That’s why you often see the corners of the headliners with kinks in them where someone tried bending it to get it in behind the rubber.
I’m performing the same exercise and I believe I will install the sound dampening material to the roof, then the headliner, then a new windlace and then reset the windshield in a new gasket.
No one really knows for sure what sequence the trucks were painted or assembled at the Chevrolet factory back in the day so all we can so is suppose. I’m supposin’ that this was the schedule that they followed to install the headliner on the production line. It wouldn’t make any sense to install it after the rubber (can be thought of as trim in the truck) was already in the cab, that would simply make this job that much more difficult. Time to finish your part of the task was at the forefront in the assembly plants.

I sent you a pm also.

Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL

Getting headliners to fit has been a problem that we have been dealing with for 30 years now.....

Biggest problem getting repop headliners to fit is that no one {so far } has been able to make a replacement that is cut properly.

We are getting to the point that we will start installing the new one piece headliners if no one can come up with an original style repop cardboard liner that fits & don't look like crap with gaping openings on the ends above the doors.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1954...torsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1947...torsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

That’s very true Joe, I’ve seen a lot of AD’s that have gaps and bent corners in the “new” cardboard headliners. It looks like they used an original headliner that was all shrunk up for a pattern and didn’t bother to resize it when they made the die. The other thing that bugs me about the reproduction headliners and door panels is the use of plain old cardboard. The original material was a water resistant panel board like that used by upholsters today for door panels.

And have you ever seen/heard/run across any information about how the headliners were installed at the factory?? This process remains as mysterious to most of us as how they painted the exteriors with out getting over spray on the interior or were the beds painted with the fender on or off or were the bed boards painted top and bottom?
I sure wish we could have interviewed some of the youngsters who working in the GM assembly plant back in the day, it seems like they’ve all grown old died off.

Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL

I had this problem several years ago with my '37 too. I tried several times to get the liner installed without the ugly, tacky looking crimped corners. I finally decided I could not accept that outcome. I opted for a fiberglass liner instead. It wasn't a particularly easy install either, but turned out looking much better. Without real close inspection, it's very hard to tell it isn't cardboard with the faux leather appearance.

I am at the stage where I'm considering my options for a headliner. A HUGE THANK YOU to all who have posted on this. You helped me realize that I need to wait until I've installed the glass and door seal. Also, you've helped me to make the choice as to whether to go with original cardboard or the new one-piece ones. Thanks!