SC/Rambler Headliner

The headliner I got with my SC/Rambler has some surface damage.  There are some areas where the cover (skin?) is gone and the fiber is exposed.  There are other areas where it got bent and there is a crease.  Any way to work these out?  It appears to be some kind of pressed fiberboard and I have never worked with that kind of material before. 

I have yet to work on my 71 headliner. Yes the fiber material does seam to crease and fray easily after so many years.

My thoughts in repairing the sections to be firm and form fitting, by gluing stiff screen material in sections working from the flatest ereas 1st, to allow rigity. Once done and cured, I would then work on the curved ereas. I was thinking if possible tack thin felt matrial strips to the interior roof. To pad and install as a backing for the headliner shell while fixing the edges and curves. Thinking as to install while the glue or resin sets for the final curved sections. This way you can make form fit adjustents, by using some cut 1x1 dowls and rubber feet to prevent sagging as to keep the best shape and contour. Once the fixes have set, removal and finishing work to add headliner material to the shell.

Since I am not restoring my car, I plan on using stretchy fabric to tack over the completed shell.

Before reproductions were available I put one together from 4 pieces and several patches from a spare post car headliner. I removed the foam and then put the headliner face down with blocks under it to simulate its curvature in the car. I used fiberglass resin and cloth to assemble the pieces, checking below to make sure the grid lines matched. Then I flipped it over and patched the seams with caulk, using my finger to tool it and simulate the original pattern. It took a couple of cans of spray paint to get it to stop soaking up the paint and actually look good. Then I glued pieces of thin carpet padding on the back to replace the foam I removed, taking care to leave it out where the roof support bows are.
It has been in the car since 2002 and it still looks good. Hardly anyone looks up anyway. It took some time, but the results were good and it cost less than $10 to fix it.

I bought the repop product from Kennedy at the Kenosha show also. I had a local upholstery shop put it in my 69 American.. They had quite a struggle putting it in, and getting it to stick to the insulation. I wasn't overly impressed with the end result.

I received a repop headliner when I bought my SC. It looks nice but I have been reluctant to install. The plastic repop headliners for the AMX seemed like more trouble than they are worth. Some day I may be ambitious enough to install.

Roger, if you are in the neighborhood during Rockford or Kenosha next year you can see mine.