Headliner 89 GMC V1500

[mudbuggy]

I've been dreading this day for a while now, but here it is and it needs done so I started this afternoon. Whoever said that it was just a couple of hours to do, they're crazy, well maybe just the headliner but I guess you could say that I don't like having to do **** twice, so I decided to insulate the roof section at the same time.

When I first got the truck, 89 gmc v1500, the first thing I did when I got it home was to seal up the front headliner with duct tape and to pull the rear headliner and pull the rear carpet. I don't know what I was thinking, I could have been cleaning the old board a little at a time, like I said earlier, I fell into the hipe of 'oh it only takes a couple of hours', yea! I've got 4 hours in cleaning the crap off of the old board now but I also wanted to get rid of all of the old glue and foam too. I worked on the board for 15-20 minutes, then switched over to cuting foam board, then switched to cleaning and painting plastic, then back to the board, then, well you get the idea. I guess I want to make sure that the rear sticks in place since there isn't anything that is in the middle of the rear like the front headliner, so I went for it. I got the material from a fabric store Friday, and got some stuff to seal up the front cab from the rear since I only have the front ac working right now. The cheapest I could get the lines that go to the rear ac was $600, so I decided to just by the tools that compress the fittings on the line. I'm glad that I did too, before I began making lines I tore out the rear ac system to go through it completely, and not having to look up to do it. I've been trying to source the lower housing for almost 4 months now with no luck. I'm almost to the point where I'll just make the lower and upper housings out of aluminum and be done with them, never having to worry about how tight I am making the screws or am I breaking the plastic making it to tight. Don't really like the idea of all of that weight being supported by 25 year old plastic anyway, especially after I charge the system with almost 6 pounds of freon, then have to loose it because the rear ac came crashing down to the bed. Nope I think I'll go with plan B. Anyways here some pictures of my day of frustration and fun in 100 degree weather.

 

[mudbuggy]

more pics of my fun today

 

[mudbuggy]

Got the rear finished, and glued. Finished painting rear plastics. Pulled front out, ready to be cleaned up. Off to birthday party

 

[mudbuggy]

day 3

update pics. Got the rear completed, just have to install it. Tore apart the front just in time to take a shower and get to the summer birthday party. Need to pick up some insulation for the front and one of the cans of headliner glue didn't want to work for me so I need to replace that. Probably need to pick up a few more cans of plastic paint to cover the front plastics, and another tube of liquid nails and that should be everything I need to finish this project up. The rear headliner after I got the interior cleaned how I wanted it to be cleaned, I simply flippped it over and removed all of the loose crap that was built up on the other side from the years of sitting in a farmers field and the mice using it as a bed area. I used 2 cans of lysol on the thing too prior to adding the headliner just to play it safe. Really don't want to install this thing and it smell like mice ****! I cut the material to a bulk length, then shot the glue as per the instructions on the can and added my weights. The weights have been on there for 12 hours now.

Then I turned my attention to removing the front, pulled all of the handles, the center console, and the perimeter plastics and down it came wasn't as bad as I have remembered in other vehicles, this one sat right down on the front seats and 'balanced' there, just had to jump in the back and drag it out. Biggest bitch was when I was dragging it out I forgot about the metal clips that hang down from inside the rear door for the rear ac, got a nasty cut from one of those. Other then that not bad, will start by getting all of the crud from the inside of the truck first and checking the interior of the front shell, measuring for the insulation, then probably start installing the rear set up first, that way in my mind I am getting a large part of the work is done. Just have to go through the stupid human motions again for the front, then I hopefully will never have to do this again. Enough of the gabbin, hears the pics!

 

[DK5]

Looks good so far you're almost there. One of those big jobs you don't enjoy that have to be done sooner or later.. at least it will be off the list soon

I was thinking this was a crewcab truck when I opened the thread, but then I saw it was a burb.. They have big headliners! Makes me think I'm lucky to have a blazer!

 

[mudbuggy]

Thanks for the words of support, you're right and right now I am wishing I didn't have the second or third row of seats but I think if my truck can survive this day then it should be easier for a little bit.

 

[DK5]

Got a pic of the truck? I can't remember if I've seen it before

 

[mudbuggy]

Yea here in a bit were blowing **** up in the subdivision with everyone else .

 

[mudbuggy]

Day 4

Progress has been made, very slow hopefully it will all fall together today. I have finish the front headliner and clean the overhead console and install everything in the front. With hindsight being 20/20, I must say that even though it did go slow yesterday, I got a ****load accomplished! I don't think I'll be able to get the center divider installed today. Might just wait for next weekend. Also have been thinking of installing something to block the light and heat from coming in the rear windows, hopefully once I get the divider and the window covering up that will reduce the amount of heat in the rear and allow the front ac to cool the truck to a rather comfortable range. I really hope, but I'm not holding my breath for it.

 

[mudbuggy]

More Pics of yesterday

 

[mudbuggy]

Finished

Thought it would never end! But it did.

Didn't want to try and paint the door grab handles and the paint come off in people's hand, just decided that it is easier to replace with new then to explain why or to hear the kids and wife complain about paint on their hands. Next I need to do is the divider, and rear doors seals. I have an idea for the divider, something like a curtain, but not at the headliner divider overhead, about 6" back from there. That means that I need to cover a section of each window. For the window covering I'll take some leftover headliner material, double it up, so that it is black on the inside of the truck and outside toward the window too, then just velcro it in place. I need to figure out how to attach the curtain rod to the plastic and how to block the area above the curtain rod to keep the hot air in the back and the cold air in the front. Beacuse of the hot air rises, and cold air hangs low.

On a good note the kids and I went to see the new transformers movie and we took the truck. All of us noticed the difference in the heat or the lack of heat in the truck, it was almost 15 degrees cooler in the truck then in the sun. Once we were moving there really wasn't a reason to turn the air on (we were but 5 miles from the theatre to home) and it was actually rather comfortable, compared to the grey headliner and the heat associated with it. Yes I am rather happy with it, if I had a choice would I do it again, hell no. If I needed to do it again, I would without a second thought.

 

[bigmike585]

Good job man, I hope I can get mine to look that good.


How much $ do you think you have in this project? I have to do mine, just on the fence about the insulation.


Professional looking too.

 

[mudbuggy]

$21. Per can of headliner glue x 4. $7.50 per can for black plastic spray paint x 4 cans. $85. In fabric 4 yards for the headliner 2 yards for the divider. $5. For a can of foam to seal the open steel areas. $25. For foam. I have 1 1/2 cans paint left. Used a sheet and a 1/4 of foam 1/2" thick.