Headliner installation

You are getting ripped off at that price. I had a guy that contracts to do upholsery work for White Post Restorations drive 25 miles to my place and install a headliner in a 62 Lark HDTP for $160.00. That was just labor. I bought the headliner from JP. Ron

if you are REALLY going the "whole hog" and pulling the windows, new rubber, etc..etc...it will easily get expensive. If you are "cheating" it in....well.... Studebaker George

I pay about $400 in labor around here. (You have to remove the rear glass.)

Chile B wrote:

George When I had my done the front and back glass was out, in fact I put a new windshield in because someone ran the wipers long enough to put two 1/4" wide by 1/8" deep cuts ito the right side of the windshield. Had to be someone pretty stupid or really didn't give a schitt, but as I completley tore this car apart I saw a lot of evidence that the previous owner evidently didn't know what the frig he was doing or didn't give a rats ass. Ron

Sounds about right! At $150.00 an hour, (which is the standard rate for a tradesman with no overhead and all those years of technical training ) he's right on. What did you expect $35-$40 per hour?????? He probably would have quoted you higher if you sounded like you knew s%&@ from shinola.

By "cheating" it in I meant tucking it under the rubber. If you pull the glass, replace the rubbers, replace the windlace, etc....It will be time consuming and will cost you for the parts, period. If you pull windows and find problems underneath, then more $$. In the "old days" I knew a guy who would "cheat" one in for under a hundred bucks and you couldn't tell the difference. As far as the comments about labor prices...grow up guys, a GOOD tech gets fifty bucks or so an hour. Studebaker George

Have you ever put one in? I would gladly fork over $500 rather than attempt to put a new headliner in my Hawk. Because I'd end up with a shitty looking job and a car on E-Bay.

Lee

I paid $620 for headliner made with pleather, 2 doors and package shelf all upolstered in my 48 Business coupe. I bought the boards from Loga. And they did a nice job. .

I did mine in the 61, and that was around the 4 point roll bar! It was a bee-itch,but I got it done and it aint bad.The windows were out,so I cant comment on cheating.You have to remove the garnish mouldings from around the rear side windows,and it also tucks in behind the little filler panels between the door openings (B pillars)and the garnish mouldings. And also behind the A pillar post covers on either side of the windshield,and IIRC behind the C pillar cardboards. There are toothed metal pieces that the headliner and windlace tuck behind in various positions around the perimiter of the roof..I used a yellow bondo applicator to tuck it in and avoid tearing it,and a clean,new,thin metal scraper on the windlace. When you remove your old headliner,please note and mark the holes the bows came out of along the inside roof at the drip rail line.There are also little metal caps on the end of some of the bows.Also mark which bow came first front to rear,or rear to front ,which ever way you work toward since they have various widths and degrees of bow relative to their position. It helps to let it sit in the sun and heat up and expand so it is more pliable and flexible,if its vinyl. It really helps to have 2 people to start it to keep exerything even.Dont trim ANY excess material till you are SURE its tucked right in to place. It is a PIA to get the wrinlkles out in the corners.Mine aint perfect ,but I am way happy to have pulled it off as a first timer. Hope this gives you an idea why the guy wanted so much money.I am sure I forgot something here,so someone feel free to throw somemore out here. I do believe the factory service manual states the front and windshields should be removed prior to headliner installation,so there is more $$$ in windscreen gaskets....GOOD LUCK!