Studebaker used a crappy pressed cardboard type backing with a white vinyl cover for my '63 Wagonaire headliner. They didn't have any bows. It had pretty much disintegrated by the time I got the car in about '96. Not enough left even for a pattern. I bought a bunch of groovy GM headliner fabric to make a new liner, but need to figure out something to use for a substrate. It needs to be pretty rigid, but it has to also be able to be molded to follow the contours of the molded steel roof. I've got a bunch of 70's wood paneling that we ripped out of our Brady Bunch house, and I thought maybe I could soak it in water to make it bend and set with the right shape. So far that has not worked... Just to complicate matters even more, this is the wagon with the rear panel that slides forward to provide an open-sky rear load bay. Does anybody know of a product which might work? Or any Studebaker owners have measurements or a pattern? Thanks in advance... Kelly
I'm sure you're not the first Wagonaire owner that has faced this problem. You need to get a hold of another owner. Studebaker Club perhaps? Another suggestion - go to an upholstery shop see if they've got some good ideas.
Welcome, Kelly! Have you considered going to an area junk yard and removing an '80's or '90's GM headliner and using that as your substrate? Make a cardboard template of the Wagonaire's roof's exact dimensions inside, and then cut the GM headliner to fit. Then use spray trim adhesive to apply your new fabric to it. :2_thumbs_up_-_anima BTW, I love '63 Wagonaires! David
thanks for input Good ideas guys. No luck through normal Studebaker channels yet, still digging. Really like the idea of repurposing a GM headliner. I might even be able to use one from a sedan, because it only goes from the windshield to above the back seat. The Sliding roof section is a separate flat panel, and I've already fitted a piece of wood door skin there. Covering that will be simple. Last year we redid the headliner in a Buick LeSabre, so This should be a familiar process! Kelly
I think this could be a great idea. Maybe stay away from the full size (just guessing) and try to find a G-body wagon....Malibu, etc from 78 and up or a Fox body wagon as the size and curves may go better with your size of wagon......but I could(?) be wrong.
Wagonairdriver. I faced a similar problem with the '61 Chrysler long Roof. It came with cardboard 15" panels W/ mylar strips(plastic strips) between each panal and they too desintegrated. My solution was to obtain Six bows from two '61 sedans using the front three bows from each to maintain equal length and curvature all the way back. And then welded a 1"X1 1/4" rectangle piece of 20 gage sheet metal to each end of each bow. Then had a 3" loop stiched at about 15" equal lengths all the way back in the headliner meterial and screwed the little plates to the headers on each side and rocked 'um up into position. Kinda ah PITA but it looks like what Mother Mopar should have done. I'd measure the bridge in your Stude side to side and front to back and go hit the bone yards. When your new headliner is in no one will know that you found a donor for bows that wasn't a Stude and I won't tell Jer
headliner... I also think a midsize might work. The car is pretty wide at the beltline, but the roof isn't. Also the curved headliner is only about 2/3 of the length, because the sliding portion of the roof just has a flat panel attached to the underside of it. Bows will not work in this car, as the sliding roof portion must clear the middle section of the headliner when it is opened. The headliner really has to kind of hug the underside of the roof. All these ideas have really got me thinking... Thanks for taking the time. Kelly
bigbarneycars Jer, does your '61 have the dome dash, electroluminescent gauges, and the dash mounted turn signal lever? I had a Newport of that vintage, and just loved those features. Still one of my favorite cars ever... Kelly
Yup, It Sure do Preceeded George Jetson by ah year or two:banana:Thanks for asking. I didn't think about the fact that your back panel had to tuck in so close You might think about a form fitting panel like most of todays cars use G.L. with it and keep us posted, Jer
What about Masonite? I know it is quite rigid, but with carefully done relief cuts in the back, it will have a certain amount of bend to it, and it is a LOT more durable than cardboard!
made a decision, finally Mike, there are a couple of panels where I think masonite might be good. Yesterday I stopped off at my local breaker's yard, and purchased a really nice headliner from a '92 Deville. Got the visors, Omygod straps, coat hooks, and Inerior sail panel lights. 50 bucks! It will have to have some mods, but I think it'll work fine. Now the work begins... Kelly
masonite... I've used masonite for door panels before, but for this appication, I want lots of sound deadening, and the GM headliner seems like just the ticket. It basically looks like yellow fiberglass insulation, smashed flat in a press. Still not sure if I can make it work, but feeling pretty positive. I just realized I need to replace the windlace first, so it might be a week or two till I get back to headliner fitment...
