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All the trim surrounding the headliner must be removed. To ease this process, remove the rear seats and door panels to provide more room to work. The front seats can remain in place, but removing them won't hurt. The doors will be open for the entire installation, so you might want to disconnect the battery.
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On late-'60's cars, the shoulder harness was held at the roof with small clips. Two Phillips screws hold each clip. Remove them and put all the parts in a safe place for reinstallation. The shoulder harness strap is anchored to the roof rail by two 1/2-inch bolts. Lift the rubber cover to access the bolts and remove the assembly.
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Remove the three screws holding each visor bracket. The rearview mirror has a rubberized trim cover that you pull down to gain access to two Phillips screws. All these parts can be cleaned and polished prior to reinstallation.
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Along each side of the roof rail is a long strip of pinch-welting trim. Start at the front and slowly pull it down from the edge of the rail. It will go all the way back to the "ear muff" trim at the rear quarters of the headliner.
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At the lower back corner of the rear window on each side is a metal trim piece that will need to be removed via one screw each. Then remove the dome light lens and the bezel. Remove the bulb and unsnap the wire ends from the plastic.
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Start removing the headliner at the front corners and carefully pull the edges down from the metal rail, working parallel toward the back on both sides if you can. By observing how the old headliner is coming out, you'll get the exact idea of how the new one will be installed.
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Normally, the two "ear muffs" at the rear quarters snap into position with one metal tab attached to the back side. Save that original tab if you can. Our originals had the factory part number and date of manufacture stamped on the back of the cardboard.
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With the headliner now unattached all the way around the interior, begin removing the metal bows, starting at the front. There are usually several holes supplied by the factory where the bows can be inserted. We will need the same holes for our new headliner, so mark which ones were used.
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The center bow is secured by holes in the rail, and it clips into six plastic retainers in the roof support. This allows the material to be stretched forward and back from a firm center point.
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Allowed the new headliner and "ear muff" material to bask in the sun while removing the old headliner. This makes it more pliable and removes some of the wrinkles.
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Both headliners are now laid out side by side to check the location of the listings (pockets for the bows), which are sewn into the headliner. This also ensures that the same bows go back into the same pockets. Over the years, the listing material attaches itself to the metal bows, so it'll be necessary to rip the bow free. If the bows are rusty, give them a quick sanding and coat of protective paint.
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The original bow can now be inserted into the correct listing in the new headliner. Slide the rod carefully so you don't tear the new material. Just work it through a short distance at a time until it pops out the other end or is at least centered in the pocket.
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Most new headliners have a chalk centerline already scribed on them, but the chalk might not be easy to see. Use a long straight edge and chalk to mark a visible centerline on the material.
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Contact cement is sprayed on the outside edges of the material with professional equipment. You can do the same by brushing it on, creating a 4-inch-wide band of adhesive all the way around. Wait for the glue to become tacky before installing the headliner.
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Using a piece of cardboard for a mask, cement is applied to the inside tack strip all the way around the interior. This glue will become tacky, and when the surfaces meet, they will stick together. The material will still be workable for pulling and stretching for the final fit.
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Start at the rear by installing the bow back into the marked hole it was removed from. Using the right hole is extremely important for a correct, straight and tight fit of the new headliner.
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The center bow is now snapped into the plastic clips. These clips are tight, so some pressure is required, but use care not to break them. The edges of the headliner can just hang until all the bows are in place. Use the white line you scribed on the headliner to center it properly. Trim any excess material off the end of the bow pocket.
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Start with the material at the center of the front and back windshield. The contact cement on both surfaces will hold them together while you work your way around the edges.
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The material can be pulled outward toward the sides and tacked to the rail. By working around and pulling gently, you can remove most of the wrinkles as you do the installation.
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After you've attached the headliner all around the perimeter of the top, the excess material along the edges can be trimmed. Leave about 1/2 inch of material hanging down from the tacking rail. You can then work your way around folding the material up behind the rail. A light coat of contact cement on the outside of the rail will help the material to stick tightly.
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The extra pieces of material will now be used to salvage the "ear muffs."
Ours were warped from heat and moisture and needed to be reinforced. Strip the original material away from the cardboard and scrape away any residue.
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The "ear muffs" are braced with 1/16-inch chipboard, which is adhered to the back of the "muff." A quick trim around the edges with a sharp knife will create an almost new backing board for the material.
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Apply a coat of contact cement to the liner and the "muff" backboard, then lay on the material. A little stretching will get the material to flatten out. The excess is trimmed and the edges folded over and glued.
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Here are the finished "ear muffs" ready for installation. One was so warped that a piece of new chipboard was added to the inside as well. The new "muffs" are installed and snapped back into position. The window welting and rear seat back hold the lower edges of these items in place.
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After a thorough cleaning (the plastic will get sticky with age), the pinch-welting is reinstalled. Notice how the curved end overlaps and secures the "muff." Once the welting is secured around the perimeter of the roof, all the other hardware can be reinstalled as removed. Don't forget to clean and polish everything before bolting it back in place.
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Use your fingers to find the holes where things attach. Your original headliner comes in handy for reference if you have any trouble locating the holes. The mounting points along the side rails are usually a raised surface. Feel along until the holes are found and use a small Phillips head or awl to poke a hole through the headliner material.
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Use the original headliner to find the exact location to cut the hole for the dome light. Measure in on the seam from the outside edge and mark the location on the new headliner. Cut a small hole and pull the wire through. Also mark the holes for the bezel. Now you can reinstall the wires and bulb into the plastic dome light bezel and fix it in place with the original screws.
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The finished job looks factory-new. Wrinkles can be smoothed by using a hair dryer, being careful not to scorch the vinyl. Alternately, most will work themselves out as the vinyl stretches.
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