HEADLINER QUESTIONS

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

On my 1985 F-350 RangerXLT, how is the headliner constructed??

I know some headliners are rigid/molded and some are loose cloth.

My burgundy headliner has turned to a putrid nasty pink, although it is still nice and snug against the roof, with no sags or tears.

Is there a product that I can simply "spray paint" my headliner??

Is it feasible to take it down and add a layer of that neat sound/heat deadening insulation between it and the roof; or, would that be asking for more trouble than it would be worth??

Thanks.

 

[tonkadoctor]

There are interior dye's in spray cans. Prolly have to get them at an Autobody supply. I can't remember who makes it (thinking 3M) but I have done color changes on interiors before. Mostly used it on the smaller interior plastic trim pieces, never tried it on cloth.

Change my dads 74 vette interior from buckskin to black about 15 - 20 years ago and it has held up pretty good so far.

 

[Lost_Gasser]

I've done several color changes and a lot of interior restoration on some really rotten looking cars. Your headliner should be pretty easy, just make sure that you mask off well and apply the dye evenly. My reccomendation would be to use nothing but SEM products - they're a little more pricey than the duplicolor stuff that you'll find at Autozone, but the colors match better and I've always found the finish to be a lot more durable. (Not that your headliner is going to get a lot of wear, but if you're going to do something, you might as well do it right..)

 

[Agnem]

On most trucks, isn't it just cloth over a piece of cardboard?

 

[Mr_Roboto]

Yes, it's fuzzy cloth with a kind of foam backing glued to heavy cardboard.

I have an 81 that I bought for junk, they had recovered the headliner in plaid fabric, it came out real nice except for the color scheme...

If you want to recover one, you can just flip it upside down so that you have a fresh surface to work with.

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

Mine may just be covered cardboard; but, it looks like a lot more than that is going on with it.

It form-fits the contours of the roof and is tucked under plastic trim all the way around.

I may just mask it off and hit it with some spray fabric paint that is a close match.

It is still good and snug against the roof, with no sags.

 

[FordGuy100]

It should just be cardboard with some foam/cloth glued on top of it. When I first got my truck, the headliner was sagging a little bit. So I took it out and riped of the old foam/cloth, cleaned up the cardboard, and put on some new foam/cloth. It turned out pretty good, and wasnt all that hard.

The reason why it forms to the roof is because there are creases in the cardboard to follow the roof. Its pretty much just held in there by the plastic pieces that it slips under.

 

[Mr_Roboto]

Yea, on an 85 it's pretty simple. I know some of the newer OBS trucks the headliner is a lot more contoured with curves etc.