Body / Glass: Head Liner Tightning

[mrjazzmillcreek]

Recently had a new head liner install ed by an experienced upholsterer.When car came back,headliner was very good. It has sat in my garage for 2 weeks,now has somesags in it. upholsterer has gone south for winter so cant communicate with him.Wondering if I put some heat in the car and/or use a hair dryer will this remove the sags ??

[jclary]

I don't know what car you have, so, fixing yours might depend on what kind of material it is. One of my shop manuals , (I think it is early '50's) instructs installers to dampen the cloth before installing. That way the headliner material shrinks tighter as it dries. I wonder if that was the way they installed them at the factory. Perhaps that is why some of the roofs of these cars have surface rust on the inside when you remove the headliner.

[Jerry Forrester]

if I put some heat in the car and/or use a hair dryer will this remove the sags ??

....Yes....

[bondobilly]

Head Liner Tightning

. That way the headliner material shrinks tighter as it dries. I wonder if that was the way they installed them at the factory. Perhaps that is why some of the roofs of these cars have surface rust on the inside when you remove the headliner.

That rust on the underside of the roof is from condensation forming over the years and not drying fast enough.

As far as trying to do the headliner, spend about an hour with the Yellow Pages and call a few "trim shops". The material they used back then was almost like a "non woven" fabric and it can frey, rip and fall down. There are guys in this hobby who have golden hands, and whatevr they touch not only works but looks great.

You really don't want to mess with it and then have the headliner fail and you have nothing to play with.

BG

[41 Frank]

Ray,wrinkles and small sags are ususally removed by upholstery shops using a steamer tool.

[mrjazzmillcreek]

Thanks for the info,this is a plastic material,66 Daytona,will try the steam route