Interior questions

Frankenstein57 · 2012-03-24 22:43

On the ranchero headliner, front and back there are fiber strips held in place to staple the headliner to. Did they use some super duty industrial stapler, or is it possible to use a common gun type on them? I thought metal behind might deflect the staple, help it close. Any way you can fasten it would be covered by moldings anyhow. Maybe rivets or self tap screws. What would Rich do? Also, my door panels are upholstered a little thicker than stock, the windlace was getting knocked off of the fasteners under the dash on the windshield corner. I wound up fastening the windlace to the bottom lip of the dash to keep it in place. A couple spots I could use some clear sealant to keep the fabric in place, and prevent fraying, any suggestions? Thanks, Mark

RICH MUISE · 2012-03-25 09:53

"What would Rich do?"...don't know yet..I got my car ready for the headliner install, but haven't got there yet..was waiting for my wiring harness to come in, it's here now, but I'm smack in the middle of a kitchen remodeling..then a weeks vacation in Arizona. The stapling strips you are talking about are probably the same affair as what we have over the back windows in the custom 2 drs. Very thin fiber on a metal strip. I'll be real surprised if a standard stapler of any type will work on it...I would bet the factory used a staple that had the legs angled out, so when they were shot in and hit the metal behind the fibre, they would easy deflect outwards under the fibre. I was going to try the stapling first though just to make sure. my second approach will be to glue it to the stapling strip.
I wonder if Bob could get Wahl's to tell him how they attached his headliner in that area. I'm using a cloth fabric rather than vinyl, so glue bleed thru is something I've got to be careful with.
Windlace...I glued and screwed wood strips all the way around my doors and stapled the windlace..however there is still too much movement, but I think that'll be resolved when I get the kick panels and dash installed.
Rich

RICH MUISE · 2012-03-25 12:33

Mark...I tried zooming in on the pic Bob posted of his headliner to see if there are staples in that area, but it's hard to tell. I also just went out and tried a hand stapler with no sucess, and an air stapler with some sucess, but the only staples I have for it are too long. I have been trying to find short staples for it for other things with no luck. I'm now thinking of trying to glue and screw a thin strip of whatever (1/8 plywood veneer?, plastic 1/8x 3/8 ?)in that area over the original fibre strips and trying 1/4" long staples in my hand stapler.
If you get it figured out let us know.

57AGIN · 2012-03-25 15:33

Frankenstein57:

Wish I had known about your question sooner, I'd have been able to home in onto the installation of the windlace as it was being done. I've cropped and zoomed a photo of one of the workers spraying glue onto the roof and it may show the parts used to hold the headliner & windlace in place. Rick would know better than I if this is the case. I can always ask the upholserer on Monday.

Bob
57 AGIN

RICH MUISE · 2012-03-25 17:25

Interesting photo...you have a piece on your car that I don't have on mine. It looks like somebody past or present, made an aluminum angular piece. You can see where it is screwed to the roof, and curves around the front top corner. Thanks for the photo Bob. I don't think it's going to help Mark or I though unless we were to make the same type of setup.
I did come up with another idea for attaching to that factory strip that just might be the answer....a hot glue gun. Solves the problem of messing with spray glues other than where required on the front and back..and I don't think there'd be a problem with bleed thru.
Rich

Frankenstein57 · 2012-03-25 20:26

The overall installation of the headliner is pretty straight forward, I was just wondering if stapling would be an option.The good thing about it being a ranchero is there is less to screw up. There is a narrow molding in the back to hide the tack strip, and the windshield perimeter trim in the front hides that strip, so an alternative to the staples is well hidden.Rich, I did see your posts about the wood stripping on the windlace, well done. One thing I don't want to do is drill through the headliner material, don't need a thread to pull , like drilling a carpet. If anything I'll pre drill the holes, and use an awl to puncture the fabric. The windlace fits alot better once the trim moldings are in place. Mark

shopratwoody · 2012-03-26 00:45

That glue gun around the paint makes me nervous!

Ford Blue blood · 2012-03-26 08:27

Mark I have an old (really old) electric staple gun that takes the standard hand held staples. Found some 1/4" staples and put them in at an angle. The front tack strip is the thinest convertible tack strip that I could find. I angle the staples to the rear, they stay in the tack strip really well. I put that tack strip in with the stock tabs and glue. Used a hole punch to make the holes for the tabs and contact cement. On the rear tack strip I hold the gun at an angle, press real hard and the staples go in kinda side ways. If you have it tilted too far only one half will go in. The friend I sold the car to said it was perfect he never complained about it for the ten years (car got totalled last fall) he had it.

gasman826 · 2012-03-26 16:52

Quote from: RICH MUISE on 2012-03-25 17:25
Interesting photo...you have a piece on your car that I don't have on mine. It looks like somebody past or present, made an aluminum angular piece. You can see where it is screwed to the roof, and curves around the front top corner. Thanks for the photo Bob. I don't think it's going to help Mark or I though unless we were to make the same type of setup.
I did come up with another idea for attaching to that factory strip that just might be the answer....a hot glue gun. Solves the problem of messing with spray glues other than where required on the front and back..and I don't think there'd be a problem with bleed thru.
Rich

That's an OEM piece. They were galvanized with nasty teeth in them. I don't think I pitched them. I was sure that I would remember how they would go back in. I'm pretty sure that my DIY upholstery books told me how to not use them. The factory needed a production way of putting in headliners so they used metal stripes with teeth or hooks much like tack strips for carpet. The hurried, unskilled factory worker could stick the headliner in and it could be adjusted by pulling/stretching it into place. With a experienced upholsterer, all the time in the world, and modern adhesives, the craftsman does not need most of the factory fasteners. Most headliner guys are accustom to missing pieces. Most of mine were very rusty from mouse pee!

57AGIN · 2012-03-26 17:27

Everyone:

The attached photo may help answer the questions about fastening the wind lace and headliner.

Bob
57 AGIN

RICH MUISE · 2012-03-26 21:04

Hmmm.I still think those pieces above the door and window are not oem, but I've been wrong on alot of occasions as you guys know.
Bob..I meant to ask..do you know what vehicle your dome lights are from? I like them...I was thinking I would go with an oval aftermarket billet affair...but those are nice.

Ford Blue blood · 2012-03-26 22:33

Rich I have them in the Ranchero (the pieces above the door), if they were missing from your car might explain the trouble getting the windlass to stay put. The dome light comes out of mid 80s Birds and Cougars for sure, maybe other models, mine came out of a Bird. The light I put in my 66 Ranchero came out of a Cougar and it was grey not chromed.

57AGIN · 2012-03-27 02:11

Rich & Ford Blue Blood:

You were pretty close, I went to a Pick a Part near my home and got both out of a Mid 80's Lincoln and Mercury. They both cleaned up nicely and are wired to have both the center sections come on when either door is opened. The individual map lights are controlled by individual dedicated switches both front and rear. Gasman is correct the headliner attachment hardware is OEM, I think I got mine from Bud Kohler or Steve Pierce. I think the upholsterer could have attached the headliner and windlace without these OEM pieces, but it does make it easier for them and as Rene indicated to me, "a cleaner installation." I took some more photos today which may help.

Bob
57 AGIN

gasman826 · 2012-03-29 17:54

Quote from: RICH MUISE on 2012-03-26 21:04
Hmmm.I still think those pieces above the door and window are not oem, but I've been wrong on alot of occasions as you guys know.
Bob..I meant to ask..do you know what vehicle your dome lights are from? I like them...I was thinking I would go with an oval aftermarket billet affair...but those are nice.

Not that this subject hasn't been beat enough BUT I was in the hay loft with a camera digging for parts for someone else and I ran across these!

57tudor · 2012-03-29 19:54

Hi All.
Those retainer strips ARE OEM. These items are found in most the old Ford manuals. In the past, I will run them through the media blaster and paint them before reinstalling them. In Bob's case, most of them were missing. If memory serves me right he had some of his retainers in his garage, not knowing what they were until he saw them in the manual.
Rick.
57 Tudor.

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Interior questions