Headliner Advice
 

It's shaping up like my only choice for a correct headliner for my Ivy Gold interior is going to be SMS ... possibly 4x's the price of other sources, probably close to 6x's the price with sail panels and sun visors. And no telling how long a wait, and I wanted to get it in before installing the interior.

Evidently pretty much no one is producing the Ivy Gold (or code 221) headliners anymore. So ... if you had an Ivy Gold interior and had to choose another available color, what would you choose? White, parchment, dark green, saddle, sandlewood, etc ?

It would be the headliner and sail panels for sure ... my original visors are in great shape ... might still use them.

Not sure I want to spend $600-800 to get the correct color. Doesn't even appear anyone is producing the correct color in a different fabric either.

All you guys that changed over to black and red interiors have ruined the market for the more obscure original colors :)

Boy, that's a tough one. I don't think l'd be satisfied with any of those colors with ivy...but if l just had to l guess it would be either be white or some type of green.. lf l recall correctly doesn't the ivy have a slightly greenish tint?
As for SMS, I read here on the forums that some folks have waited for years for them to fulfill orders for certain items. If you do decide to buy from them, better check availability before you order.

Yeah, that's what I'm afraid of, and really the headliner needs to go in before anything else. The wife says just find something Tan :)

Ivy gold is basically puke green with a gold tint. There are some trim pieces that are dark green ... in fact the dashboard is pretty much dark green. Luckily I don't look up at the roof much :) Personally I don't think it would look too bad with dark green headliner and sail panels ... but that would require me replacing my good visors with dark green too.

Since the headliner goes under the sail panels, and the sail panels, go kinda over the package shelf and under the door panels, and the door panels and package tray go on before the back seat ... well you see where I'm headed .... to the headliner going on first :)

Also ... when counting how many bows ... do you count the thin bow that goes across the dome light? Mine is 5 thick bows, the small OD bow, and 6 7/8" spacing.

I don't know how it would work on fabric but maybe SEM Color Coat? It's supposed to work on carpet...maybe test it on some sample material and see how it adheres.

It would take an awful lot of it ... at least I could do the sail panels.

I think a lot of people here would be horrified how easy I could live with a mismatched headliner :) Well as long as it wasn't red or something. Could always go with black, and paint the sail panels the right color.

Anyone know what deal is with the bows. Here is my situation ... five original thick bows are still in the roof and have never been removed since they were installed at the factory .. they measure 6 7/8" However, I also have a full set of 6 bows from my Lemans parts car that include the thin bow. I might have lost the thin one from my GTO, I don't remember. Did the 6 7/8 bow sets have only thick bows? Or did they include the thin one for a total of six. Jeez, the curse of the 68's strikes again.

I have the thin bow that goes across adjacent to the dome light. It counts as part of the 6 bow headliner in my application. I test fitted the headliner to make sure.

Like you mine was missing after 20 years in storage and I ran across a 72 Skylark 4 door hardtop at Pick a Part with all the listing bows including the thin one. Perfect fit.

OG ... is your 1st-2nd bow measurement the 6 7/8" ... or the long like 12"? If yours is 6 7/8" then I should be able to order the same type you did.

6 7/8".

Be careful removing the bows from the side rails. They have a little bend in them at the end that makes removing them 'difficult' if not done at the right angle. The side rail metal is VERY thin around the holes for the bows and its easy to elongate the hole. You may want to practice on the LeMans first.
Don't ask...

Ok ... think I have nailed down as a 6 7/8" 6 bow headliner. Unfortunately the Lemans parts car is gone ... stripped it down and label all the parts years ago ... should have taken more pics, and made more labels and notes :)

The reason the GTO bows are still in ... yes because they are hard to get out :)

What's the best adhesive to use? I'm noticing most of the "headliner adhesives" seem to be geared toward reattaching modern cloth headliners to their carboard backing, not what we do with our vintage cars.
Also I hear you want a longer working time than most of these new adhesives, 3M's specific headliner adhesive seems to be getting scarce, and many places won't ship it either. Lots of places list it, but few have it in stock.

Still a bit confused about our Host's headliner descriptions and part numbers .... If I wanted a dark green 68, 6 bow headliner would A332AADG be the correct part number. I've tried emailing their customer support with other questions, usually no reply, at least recently. They make no mention of different bow measurements for the 6 bow type ... so I'm assuming all of them are 6 7/8" ?

I used Permatex black weatherstrip adhesive to attach my headliner to the tack strips. It has longer working time that other types of contact cement and is easy to find. The TDS even recommends it for headliners.

https://www.permatex.com/wp-content/.../tds/81731.pdf

I ordered mine direct from Legendary during their Christmas sale. 6 weeks to deliver. Got the color samples I needed followed up with a call with them to order.
This was their's and Ames "correct perforated' headliner.
The sun visors were the expensive part but they are padded as originals and much better than the competition

Maybe try eBay seller classicautotrimnv. They created an auction for my 6 bow headliner in the color pattern I needed. Mine was just black but they seemed very knowledgeable and happy to help, plus threw in the visor material for nothing.

My center roof support thinner/listing wire bow disintegrated when I removed it and I couldn’t find a replacement for just that one so I ordered a whole set from a place called Muscle Factory in CA (maybe $50 or $60 shipped).

I’m using this adhesive this time: DAP Products Weldwood Landau Top & Trim HHR Solvent Type Spray Grade Contact Adhesive 1 Gal, Natural (070798-002333) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004IH3HAQ...ing=UTF8&psc=1. Hope to get going on it this week and can report back how it works out.

mrennie, I was looking at that Permatex, think I'll give that try.

OG .. When I check the Legendary website now they show no Medium Gold, Willow Gold or Ivy Gold in stock ... in ANY pattern. When I do a car specific search for 221 trim code, headliners ... no fabrics at all in that color. If Ames just drop ships from Legendary I'll try to order straight from Legendary, but doesn't look like it will be the proper color. Was hoping to find something in stock somewhere since I'm running out of things to do before the headliner.

Entropy ... thanks for that adhesive link, I saved that for my upcoming vinyl top install. Another project that will generate a lot of questions I'm sure :) I sent an email to ClassicAutoTrim asking about a headliner in my color, we'll see what they say.

In my case back in 2005, I could not find the correct color headliner or sunvisors either, so we purchased parchment ones and spray dyed it prior to installation, and touched it up post installation. 16 years later, I completely forgot that was done until you mentioned it in this thread.

Do you recall what brand dye you used? Spray can, or gun?

I mentioned that SEM Color Coat because l believe it would cover a headliner ok. In fact, if l remember correctly, the product description mentions use on fabrics and carpet. I know of people also who have used it on rubber floor mats and said it held up even underfoot. Of course, I'm sure you'd want to test it on a sample first. I bought mine in a quart can. It's ready to spray immediately with no mixing or activation required.

I certainly like the SEM plastic dye in the spray can that I got, matches OEM perfectly, and when you use the prep spray it's really kind of weird how well it bonds. Even seems to firm up chalky old plastic.

Got a reply from the ebay guy in NV .... yep he's out of the Ivy Gold to and can't get it. Suggested, wait for it ... parchment and using dye :)

When dying a headliner .... do it before or after installation? I'd imagine before might cause problems with all the pulling and stretching and after would be a pain to mask off and paint upside down ... so kind of a toss up.

I’d spend the money on what’s right. It’ll be more rare to see anywhere, it’ll be right, and if you actually amortized the cost to how long you’ll hav e that new headliner it’s probably pennies or less a day

Totally get the not having the cash to spend when you’ve got a lot of stuff to buy. Been there done that.
But in the end it really doesn’t add up to that much more. I’ve rarely bought something for my Pontiac and said later man wish I hadn’t spent the extra money on that

In fact I usually don’t buy something. Hold off And it cost me more later. Or get something lesser and end up buying the right thing later .