Have Any Experience with Headliner Fabrics?

[KarenD]

I'm getting ready to cover a custom headliner tomorrow night and I don't know what the fabric is capable of doing.

It's a highly-sculpted custom with LED recesses molded into the liner. So, I can either make it two pieces, or try stretching over the recesses....

 

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[mamabear]

I have no experience, but see if you tube has tutorials on it. There's tutes for everything!

 

[KarenD]

I have no experience, but see if you tube has tutorials on it. There's tutes for everything!

For sure! I've watching and googling for hours. I'm worried that I'll screw it up, so what I think I'll do is cut a practice piece and try it on a similar shape.

 

[KarenD]

First layer is finished. Will fit the recess covers tonight. Hope they fit b/c sewing foam-backed fabric on a standard machine is not easy.

 

[austin]

Oh no girl, you need to go with pink and purple tuck and roll with little "dingle balls" hanging on the sides. Would look sharp in deep south Texas.

 

[KarenD]

Oh no girl, you need to go with pink and purple tuck and roll with little "dingle balls" hanging on the sides. Would look sharp in deep south Texas.

You're not gonna believe this but I've installed purple LED strips under the seats and in the recesses you see in the headliner.
Also have a hot pink/black windshield visor strip and a pink "car kitty." Pink brake calipers are on my wishlist!

My idea is to make it so feminine that no male car thief would steal the car lest they look entirely out of place or like a homosexual. :-)

I put a 2001 BMW E38 upper light cluster in the headliner tonight, which comes stock w/ orange LEDs that shine down onto the shifter. Woulda rather had a different color, but it's better than no light at all.

 

[63bkpkr]

KarenD,
My hat is off to you for the work you are doing on your vehicle and that is saying something as the top of my head needs protection summer and winter as it is bald. Yes, sewing a foam backed fabric with a standard machine is not fun, nor is sewing self adhesive coated velcro that will not stick. Personally I would really enjoy seeing a picture of your ride now and when you get it completed or mostly anyway................63bkpkr

 

[KarenD]

KarenD,
My hat is off to you for the work you are doing on your vehicle and that is saying something as the top of my head needs protection summer and winter as it is bald. Yes, sewing a foam backed fabric with a standard machine is not fun, nor is sewing self adhesive coated velcro that will not stick. Personally I would really enjoy seeing a picture of your ride now and when you get it completed or mostly anyway................63bkpkr

Sure. I'll send one tomorrow.

I found the best way to sew the foam pieces together is to put it between two pieces of tissue paper. It's hard to keep the seam right, but at least it slides under the presser foot.

You have experience with auto upholstery?

 

[63bkpkr]

Yes and no. I've played with it repairing some existing headliner and it was miserable. I've not come anywhere close to the amount of in-depth and detailed work you are doing, I like the tissue idea. One of the problems I had was the material would stick to the needle, it was maddening. My sewing issues got even worse when I had to sew down some adhesive laden velcro and I will Never try that again. I've made quite a few items for backpacking on my own sewing machine and I do general repairs on clothing and equipment with it, I think I enjoy fixing items as well as making things from scratch be it sewing, wood working or machining metal. I suspect the work you are doing on your car is a labor of love and that you find it pleasurable to do. I understand that...................63bkpkr

 

[KarenD]

Here's my car. It had a stock tough vinyl over particle board headliner w/ visors, small VW type cabin light, and a small lighted vanity mirror. All lighted things worked intermittently.

 

[dieselram94]

Nice job Karen! I need you to fix the sagging headliner in my old dodge pickup!

 

[KarenD]

Nice job Karen! I need you to fix the sagging headliner in my old dodge pickup!

As luck would have it, an old Dodge pick-up is my next project, a '76 crew cab - we have three of the dang things, 67 D100 and a 68 camper special, too. Send me some details and a picture if you're serious.

 

[63bkpkr]

So Karen,
The picture of your car, I'm thinking it is a Porsche 928, yes/no? Looks like a sweet ride and all tricked out with lighting it will be cool to go into Portland with for a night out.................63bkpkr

 

[KarenD]

So Karen,
The picture of your car, I'm thinking it is a Porsche 928, yes/no? Looks like a sweet ride and all tricked out with lighting it will be cool to go into Portland with for a night out.................63bkpkr

Yes, that's what it is. Sweet, maybe, but a *real* pain at times! We do all of the work on her....many mystery problems.

As far as I can tell from forums and internet images, no one has ventured this far off from a stock interior.

 

[austin]

OMG, I am in awe of your car, your ideas and your skill. Doing interior work is very hard. I am 64, used to toy with hot rods in my younger days. I could do some body work, was a decent painter, then took the cars to somebody that could do interiors so it wouldn't look like crap. I had just been kidding you, but you, my dear, are an artist. Have fun with that beautiful ride...

 

[KarenD]

OMG, I am in awe of your car, your ideas and your skill. Doing interior work is very hard. I am 64, used to toy with hot rods in my younger days. I could do some body work, was a decent painter, then took the cars to somebody that could do interiors so it wouldn't look like crap. I had just been kidding you, but you, my dear, are an artist. Have fun with that beautiful ride...

Thanks, austin. This is my first interior, so I'm not that confident in what I can do with it yet. I like to think if other people can do it, so can I; however, I am geometrically-challenged and not very detail oriented. I had to take the recess covers apart three times before I got them right.

It's my husband's dream to have a Mom & Pop custom/restoration shop.

 

[dieselram94]

As luck would have it, an old Dodge pick-up is my next project, a '76 crew cab - we have three of the dang things, 67 D100 and a 68 camper special, too. Send me some details and a picture if you're serious.

Karen, My old (1994) Dodge is getting to be in hard shape. The headliner has been falling for years but it has over 400,000 miles on it so I guess it is just character flaws I would be somewhat serious but I live in Maine currently and that probably makes it impractical to do.That '76 crew cab would be awesome all done up (especially with a cummins swap!) The old Dodges just never go out of style to me.

 

[dieselram94]

By the way I love your Obamalamadingdong picture!

 

[63bkpkr]

Mystery Problems - I've known of an older but really cool Mercedes Benz with MP's as well as a Volvo - both were electrical insulation that had cracked causing many MP's. good luck.....................63bkpkr