fiberglass headliner build 51 chevy - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

skip99 · 04-14-2011, 04:59 PM

OK, can't find one anywhere that will work, so, gonna attempt to make one, I already started ordering stuff, got some mold release on the way and glass stuff,
my roof is about 2 inches wider and longer than stock, so, gonna make a mold on the outside of the roof, and then cut it so it fits inside, cut where it overlaps and reglass to make one piece. I might even do the back or the roof down to bottom of window, so I have glass curved corner panels to cover.

I KNOW this is gonna be a mess, so I'll offer to make a couple extras if anyone with a larger than original roof, for a 47 - what ever fits. wants one. you pay material and shipping. PM me.

this is assuming it turns out ok !!lol!

FFredo · 04-14-2011, 10:21 PM

This is going to be easier then you think. You can control the mess by making a small dam around the outside perimiter of the roof. Use card board and tape to hold any run off. Work from the center out in all 4 directions to help the mold follow the curve of the roof.

I've made many a motorcycle seat pan using glass. Best advice I can give you is make sure to use parts A and B, not parts A and A.

Don't ask....

55dude · 04-15-2011, 04:42 AM

i would find a rusty cab and cut the roof off for a mold so it could be flipped upside down to make headliner, that seems much easier.

cajundragger · 04-15-2011, 12:54 PM

I tried to glass one.

I made a whole headliner out of tape and cardstock, glassed it, and about 15 minutes later it all fell out on the floor. So good luck. It was a PITA and I never got it to work. So now I have a roddoors one.

MrDude_1 · 04-15-2011, 01:37 PM

sounds like it may work.
however, you're making a mold on the outside, when what you want is the shape on the inside.
instead of doing it like that, why not just glass the inside?
you would do it just like the "custom car" guys do for their subwoofer enclosures.

first cover everything in the cab you dont want resin on with plastic sheet.
then cover the area on the roof with several layers of tape.
apply some resin directly to the roof, and with it a bit tacky, put some lightweight mat up. do one small area at a time until you have a whole layer across the roof.
now you can add on to any weak areas there, but once thats done, carefully take it off the roof.. in general, one layer is plenty strong to hold its shape.
with it now on the ground, you can flip it over and glass the inside up... then you can cut/sand/etc....

this should work out alot better then making a larger copy of the outside shape, then trying to fit it inside the sheetmetal.

cajundragger · 04-15-2011, 04:10 PM

thats what I tried to do. the weight of the glass pulls itsself off.

MrDude_1 · 04-15-2011, 04:50 PM

hmm. instead of glass, perhaps use something lighter first, like fabric?
personally i have only done it on vertical surfaces or small out hangings( like "bumps" in a wall).. never something so large upside down.

All59 · 04-15-2011, 05:16 PM

Skip,should of done it when you had the top off then you could of made a mold then a part and it would be a perfect fix.Give Dan a call at www.smart-parts.ca 250 769 9198 they use to make one.His a pic of the one I make for 55-59.

**slammed57** · 07-17-2020, 11:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by All59

Skip,should of done it when you had the top off then you could of made a mold then a part and it would be a perfect fix.Give Dan a call at www.smart-parts.ca 250 769 9198 they use to make one.His a pic of the one I make for 55-59.

sorry I know its a old post,does anyone know if they are still making these headliner ?

_Ogre · 07-17-2020, 12:42 PM

did you click on link or try to call them?

**slammed57** · 07-17-2020, 01:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by _Ogre

did you click on link or try to call them?

I did, but no response, was hoping maybe he sold the molds to someones else or maybe someone came up with something similar

MARTINSR · 07-18-2020, 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by All59

Skip,should of done it when you had the top off then you could of made a mold then a part and it would be a perfect fix.Give Dan a call at www.smart-parts.ca 250 769 9198 they use to make one.His a pic of the one I make for 55-59.

Damn that looks cool!

Brian

Atommik · 07-25-2020, 09:11 AM

I used the outside of the roof to make my fiberglass head liner. After fitting I added some 3/16 metal rods on the back side to help it hold its shape. I used 2 layers of glass. Should have used maybe 3-4. Maybe wouldn't have needed the reinforcement if it was thicker. I covered it with thin foam and headliner fabric. I have some pics of it on my build page on this site. Starting at post #164

**slammed57** · 07-25-2020, 05:33 PM

thanks bud, I'll check it out

b-mac · 07-26-2020, 02:48 AM

I've personally seen one of these on the showroom floor at Bowtie bits.

https://www.bowtiebits.com/store/sto...Category_ID=27

For the time, and the cost of fiberglass materials, and the itchy forearms, I'd say it's probably worth the money. But I guess I don't have to ship it.

The old split headliner is cool in my opinion.

04-14-2011, 10:21 PM	#2
FFredo Registered User Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: San Diego CA Posts: 241	Re: fiberglass headliner build 51 chevy This is going to be easier then you think. You can control the mess by making a small dam around the outside perimiter of the roof. Use card board and tape to hold any run off. Work from the center out in all 4 directions to help the mold follow the curve of the roof. I've made many a motorcycle seat pan using glass. Best advice I can give you is make sure to use parts A and B, not parts A and A. Don't ask.... Last edited by FFredo; 04-15-2011 at 02:48 PM. Reason: I tipesferchit

04-15-2011, 04:42 AM	#3
55dude Registered User Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: tacoma wa. Posts: 1,037	Re: fiberglass headliner build 51 chevy i would find a rusty cab and cut the roof off for a mold so it could be flipped upside down to make headliner, that seems much easier.

04-15-2011, 12:54 PM	#4
cajundragger Registered User Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: louisiana Posts: 1,008	Re: fiberglass headliner build 51 chevy I tried to glass one. I made a whole headliner out of tape and cardstock, glassed it, and about 15 minutes later it all fell out on the floor. So good luck. It was a PITA and I never got it to work. So now I have a roddoors one.

04-15-2011, 01:37 PM	#5
MrDude_1 Registered User Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Charleston, SC Posts: 311	Re: fiberglass headliner build 51 chevy sounds like it may work. however, you're making a mold on the outside, when what you want is the shape on the inside. instead of doing it like that, why not just glass the inside? you would do it just like the "custom car" guys do for their subwoofer enclosures. first cover everything in the cab you dont want resin on with plastic sheet. then cover the area on the roof with several layers of tape. apply some resin directly to the roof, and with it a bit tacky, put some lightweight mat up. do one small area at a time until you have a whole layer across the roof. now you can add on to any weak areas there, but once thats done, carefully take it off the roof.. in general, one layer is plenty strong to hold its shape. with it now on the ground, you can flip it over and glass the inside up... then you can cut/sand/etc.... this should work out alot better then making a larger copy of the outside shape, then trying to fit it inside the sheetmetal.

04-15-2011, 04:10 PM	#6
cajundragger Registered User Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: louisiana Posts: 1,008	Re: fiberglass headliner build 51 chevy thats what I tried to do. the weight of the glass pulls itsself off.

04-14-2011, 04:59 PM	#1
skip99 Registered User Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: mt vernon, oh Posts: 868	fiberglass headliner build 51 chevy OK, can't find one anywhere that will work, so, gonna attempt to make one, I already started ordering stuff, got some mold release on the way and glass stuff, my roof is about 2 inches wider and longer than stock, so, gonna make a mold on the outside of the roof, and then cut it so it fits inside, cut where it overlaps and reglass to make one piece. I might even do the back or the roof down to bottom of window, so I have glass curved corner panels to cover. I KNOW this is gonna be a mess, so I'll offer to make a couple extras if anyone with a larger than original roof, for a 47 - what ever fits. wants one. you pay material and shipping. PM me. this is assuming it turns out ok !!lol! __________________ Tami's 51 build http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=428878 Last edited by skip99; 04-14-2011 at 05:01 PM.

04-15-2011, 04:50 PM	#7
MrDude_1 Registered User Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Charleston, SC Posts: 311	Re: fiberglass headliner build 51 chevy hmm. instead of glass, perhaps use something lighter first, like fabric? personally i have only done it on vertical surfaces or small out hangings( like "bumps" in a wall).. never something so large upside down.

04-15-2011, 05:16 PM	#8
All59 Registered User Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Wynndel BC Canada Posts: 28	Re: fiberglass headliner build 51 chevy Skip,should of done it when you had the top off then you could of made a mold then a part and it would be a perfect fix.Give Dan a call at www.smart-parts.ca 250 769 9198 they use to make one.His a pic of the one I make for 55-59. Attached Images

07-17-2020, 12:42 PM	#10
_Ogre Registered User Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Motown Posts: 7,680	Re: fiberglass headliner build 51 chevy did you click on link or try to call them? __________________ cool, an ogre smiley Ogre's 58 Truk build how to put your truck year and build thread into your signature shop air compressor timer

07-25-2020, 09:11 AM	#13
Atommik Registered User Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Golden Valley,MN Posts: 639	Re: fiberglass headliner build 51 chevy I used the outside of the roof to make my fiberglass head liner. After fitting I added some 3/16 metal rods on the back side to help it hold its shape. I used 2 layers of glass. Should have used maybe 3-4. Maybe wouldn't have needed the reinforcement if it was thicker. I covered it with thin foam and headliner fabric. I have some pics of it on my build page on this site. Starting at post #164 __________________ My build http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=495795

07-25-2020, 05:33 PM	#14
slammed57 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: pembroke pines, fl Posts: 707	Re: fiberglass headliner build 51 chevy thanks bud, I'll check it out __________________ My 57 current build http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=662590

07-26-2020, 02:48 AM	#15
b-mac Registered User Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Wichita Posts: 519	Re: fiberglass headliner build 51 chevy I've personally seen one of these on the showroom floor at Bowtie bits. https://www.bowtiebits.com/store/sto...Category_ID=27 For the time, and the cost of fiberglass materials, and the itchy forearms, I'd say it's probably worth the money. But I guess I don't have to ship it. The old split headliner is cool in my opinion.



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