Ghia Headliner install

SpeedShack · DHP Joined: 02 Mar 2012 Posts: 269 Location: Tucson

Ill try to take step by step pics to shed some light on installing a ghia headliner:

Step 1) remove all glass, cut the front window seal if you plan on reusing the windshield or it will break, this car we were putting a new one in anyways so I didn't care.

Step 2) Remove old headliner AND the old padding to insure that the old smells are gone too

Step 3) clean the old glue off all the areas that dont take padding such as the door pillar posts and the windshield frame. I use an acrysol type of solvent because it cuts the glue and whatever other grime without removing the paint. A red scotch brite pad soaked with this works fantastic. Glue will stick much better if the surfaces are clean

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SpeedShack · DHP Joined: 02 Mar 2012 Posts: 269 Location: Tucson

I love Dynamatt or Second Skin but this customer wasn't up to that so I put some insulation that I had laying around the shop...at least it will stop the tin sound when something hits the roof...ie: rain

A cheap Harbor Freight gun works well for spraying glue and cheap enough to throw away if you dont want to clean it

I use 3M 1357 glue for all headliner installs... wont delaminate in the Arizona heat

Since the "1357" is contact adhesive, you need to spray both surfaces

Insulation in....doesn't need to be perfect...just the majority needs to be covered

the headliner bows are different lengths so mark when removing or measure the car to determine the proper location.

the headliner needs to be custom fit to the car, if you simply try to install it out of the box, this is what you get....which may be ok if the ghia were to be a OG lowrider with swivel captain chairs

measure the overall width of the headliner and make a center-line mark both forward and aft

Center-line mark on the backside

Once you know the overall width....measure the width where the bows mount in the car and then subtract that from the overall width of the headliner and divide that in half. This will tell you approximately how much to cut EACH side of the headliner bow supports to allow for a wrinkle free installation
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Nevermore66 · Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2012 11:28 pm Post subject:

I have a bug but super awesome walk through! Most excellent! Smile

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lowbus · DHP Joined: 18 Mar 2012 Posts: 64

Great tutorial.

RockPig · GM-Member Joined: 21 Jun 2012 Posts: 560

Where can one buy said miracle glue remover? The inside of my bug is caked with that old crusty yellow glue crap...

SpeedShack · DHP Joined: 02 Mar 2012 Posts: 269 Location: Tucson

Most autobody paint supply stores carry it.....the ace hardware on 22nd carries a product from 3M that is basically the same stuff...its by the solvents in a red and white can. It still takes plenty of elbow grease Very Happy

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lowlife66 · GM-Member Joined: 02 Jun 2012 Posts: 42

Nicely done love to see more tutorials like this

SpeedShack · DHP Joined: 02 Mar 2012 Posts: 269 Location: Tucson

I start from the front and work towards the rear

an image sowing the front and where i didnt apply glue

dont worry about wrinkles at this point...remember the big picture...dont stress the ALL the details yet

Apply contact glue in the window frame area

center-line marked and glued

Before I glued the sides I stretched the headliner and glued the rear....do the center 1st and work out towards sides

even my scissors are manufactured in Germany

the corners are a bit tricky for a beginner...looks messy until you trim the excess...wait till the very end to trim though

After the front and the rear are glued move onto the sides

I use a cheap pair of Harbor Freight channel locks with the teeth ground off to squeeze the headliner in the window channel area to insure a strong bond

trim the excess material to look like this

for the most part the headliner is trimmed, tight, and now all that is left are the door pillars...DON'T be afraid to stretch the material...like a drum it HAS to be taught...pull baby pull!!!!

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lowbus · DHP Joined: 18 Mar 2012 Posts: 64

Looks really good.

BUILTnotBOUGHT · DHP Joined: 28 Oct 2010 Posts: 1140 Location: TU AZ

Dude! You make that shit look easy. Awesome job.

RockPig · GM-Member Joined: 21 Jun 2012 Posts: 560

That does look schweeeetttt...

SpeedShack · DHP Joined: 02 Mar 2012 Posts: 269 Location: Tucson

hopefully more pics this week on the finished product
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RockPig · GM-Member Joined: 21 Jun 2012 Posts: 560

Skills, mad skills..

SpeedShack · DHP Joined: 02 Mar 2012 Posts: 269 Location: Tucson

BUILTnotBOUGHT · DHP Joined: 28 Oct 2010 Posts: 1140 Location: TU AZ

SpeedShack · DHP Joined: 02 Mar 2012 Posts: 269 Location: Tucson

one man window install

instead of wrapping the wire, or in my case parachute string, around the window multiple times, i wrap it once with both ends terminating in the center. This allows me to pull on one side then switch to the other side...and continuing this back and forth to keep the window centered which is helpful when doing this by your self.

use the suction cups to pull on the window as you pull on the string

some of the other tools i use during window install

making sure the rubber stays put until the silicone dries
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SpeedShack · DHP Joined: 02 Mar 2012 Posts: 269 Location: Tucson

doing American Style windows SUCK compared to Cal-Look...and removing and installing all the windows in a ghia is much more time consuming than the headliner itself...hard to make decent money doing this crap
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Dropkick · Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2012 6:16 pm Post subject:

Certainly looks like a pain in the ass
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SpeedShack · DHP Joined: 02 Mar 2012 Posts: 269 Location: Tucson

I can not get this car out of my shop.... i now officially hate it LOL....I have gone through 4 different windshields... either WAY too small or TOO large. I had a cracked OG ghia glass so I decided I would take .002 lexan and make a template that i could lay on the new CHINA shit glass and maybe take it to a glass shop and have them trim it down but after seeing how over-sized it is im not sure they will be able to do it... WHY cant aftermarket companies make products worth a shit?

double stick tape

trimmed out

see the difference

IF I can check for proper size WHY cant a glass company that does this shit for a living make a quality product.....SO frustrated
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DirTy · Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2012 10:37 pm Post subject:

A novel idea if it lines up correctly...good luck
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