Wagonaire Headliner

[Dick Steinkamp]

I moved the Wagonaire today to Norm Ferretti's shop. Norm and I will be doing the headliner...



This will NOT be a stock headliner which was a cardboard sandwich with foam in the middle and waffle embossing with silver dots on the show off side. We are leaning towards cardboard, covered with 1/8" foam, covered with white perforated vinyl headliner material similar to what you would find in a Hawk or Lark.

I'll document our progress here and in a future blog post.

I installed all the headliner trim pieces. Most will have to be removed to do the headliner, but we won't be searching for trim and fasteners during the process...







Thanks again to Gary Ash and Bill Jackameit for their help on this. Here's a print out of the front section that Gary provided. The front section is the only real tough piece out of the 7 total...



More to come.

[Mark57]

Two Thumbs Up!

Looks like a labour of love to me. Once completed hopefully you will take some time to enjoy that ride for at least a little while!

[Dick Steinkamp]

Looks like a labour of love to me. Once completed hopefully you will take some time to enjoy that ride for at least a little while!

I absolutely will. The little I've driven it already, I LIKE IT! Smooth and strong. It's amazing how many people I have met on the street that have never seen one before. All love it.

[ndynis]

Dick:
Thanks for being willing to make the effort to document your progress on this adventure. I will be following closely since I have 2 '64 Wagonaires, both of which need headliners. I was unclear on your reference to a blog entry. Is there an existing blog that you will be posting to or do you plan to start a new one? Either way, please post the link for the rest of us to follow as well. And if you happen to want to make two more while you are at it put my name on them!
Thanks again for the extra effort to make it possible to follow along.
Nick

[Dick Steinkamp]

Dick:
Thanks for being willing to make the effort to document your progress on this adventure. I will be following closely since I have 2 '64 Wagonaires, both of which need headliners. I was unclear on your reference to a blog entry. Is there an existing blog that you will be posting to or do you plan to start a new one? Either way, please post the link for the rest of us to follow as well. And if you happen to want to make two more while you are at it put my name on them!
Thanks again for the extra effort to make it possible to follow along.
Nick

Thanks, Nick.

I'll post it in a separate blog and link to it here. Hopefully it can be made available on the SDC home page with other tech tips.

I'm not sure yet if I will offer a kit, templates, or just the blog. On another thread the suggestion was to keep the "kit" below $250. Quite frankly this will be unlikely and I'm concerned that any kit that is not a duplicate of the original would not do well at the price that would be needed to break even. Also, I'm sure there are subtle differences between each of our Wagonaires that would involve some sort of modification of any materials provided. We'll see.

[tyaughton]

Instead of cardboard, might I suggest ABS? I've been using it in door panels. It comes in 4' x 8' sheets and is quite flexible without getting the dreaded cardboard creases that can happen too easily when you have a curved surface. Because you already have a pattern, should be fairly easy to do.

[Dick Steinkamp]

Instead of cardboard, might I suggest ABS? I've been using it in door panels. It comes in 4' x 8' sheets and is quite flexible without getting the dreaded cardboard creases that can happen too easily when you have a curved surface. Because you already have a pattern, should be fairly easy to do.

We considered it, but with the compound curves on the front piece, it would probably have to be sliced and rebonded OR heat formed. The ABS would probably work on the other panels.

[BobPalma]

The important thing, I would hope, is that you guys would proceed with the constant idea of making a kit to be marketed as a result of this effort, Dick. (However, I saw the $250 figure in the other thread and figured that would be the nicest dream I would have for three days! )

There are many of us out here with exactly the same problem; it's not confined to one part of the country like severe salt-induced rust or something...if you own a sliding-roof Wagonaire, it needs a headliner!

(Someone actually painted mine with some kind of low-gloss white paint. About all you can say is that it looks better than having no headliner at all...and even that might be open to debate...)

As you've hinted, you will find people incredibly interested in the car when you are out and about. We in Studebaker-land take their uniqueness for granted, but in the real world, they are truly special. BP

[Dick Steinkamp]

The important thing, I would hope, is that you guys would proceed with the constant idea of making a kit to be marketed as a result of this effort, Dick. (However, I saw the $250 figure in the other thread and figured that would be the nicest dream I would have for three days! )

Bob,
What do you think of the idea of a NON ORIGINAL headliner as I described above. Would there be interest or would most want to hold out until someone markets an original?

What do YOU think would be a realistic price point that would cause my fellow CASOs to actually open their wallets.

[sals54]

I absolutely will. The little I've driven it already, I LIKE IT! Smooth and strong. It's amazing how many people I have met on the street that have never seen one before. All love it.

Dick, Isn't that the truth?? While I had my Wagonaire on the road, it was the most admired Stude I had ever driven. The 54 has mostly been a hot rod, so some people are a little put off to approach. The wagon, though, is a family car that many people can relate to. I was constantly enjoying men women and young people coming up to me to talk about the sliding roof, and the car in general. It was great fun. I still miss it.

[candbstudebakers]

I looked at a rust bucket 63 today and the head liner looked like it could be saved and used but I don't plan on paying much for the car as a parts car but the owner might figure he has a gold mine since it is as they say a rare one of a kind car, floors are toast and the rear window will not roll down so figure the spare tire well is thin at best, lots of work gutting it down for a few parts that I don't really need and getting tired of holding them for other for years to come.

[jimmijim8]

There are those out there willing and able to pay the price you project for a better than original headliner. I know they will be nice. Tell your buddy to make up 10 kits in his spare time and sit on 'em till they sell. Won't take long once people get the word out. Dick, your car is very nice. Every day more and more fine Studes are added to the ever increasing driveable and/or showable list. The projects just get better and better. Much competetion. Very good for promoting the marque. cheers jimmijim ,

Bob,
What do you think of the idea of a NON ORIGINAL headliner as I described above. Would there be interest or would most want to hold out until someone markets an original?

What do YOU think would be a realistic price point that would cause my fellow CASOs to actually open their wallets.

[garyash]

Recently, someone had for sale the entire roof that had been cut off from a Wagonaire. It would have made the perfect mold for forming ABS front sections. Too bad it would have been expensive to ship.

[57pack]

One kit sold! Put me down for a kit if
they become reality.

[Captain Billy]

Dick....if you go into my profile you will see in my wagonaire album my interior...pretty much what you are doing.