With the old liner removed...
With the old liner removed and the insulation scraped away, this is what we have. It's common to see some surface rust on the bottom side of the roof, which can be treated with a rust inhibitor. Excess glue should be removed by using a scraper and a heat gun. Tough deposits can be freed by wiping with Naptha or another suitable chemical cleaner. Now we're ready to install our new headliner.
In With The New
With our old headliner removed and our car's ceiling cleaned up, it's time to begin our installation. It helps to have an area big enough to lay out the old and new headliner side-by-side while transferring the bows from one to the other. As stated, the new liner will be larger than the old and will have to be trimmed to fit. We also had to trim the ends from the bow retainers sewn into the new headliner. The old headliner can be used as a template, or just trim equal amounts from each end until enough bow is exposed for installation. With the bows installed, the headliner is hung and final fitting can be accomplished. We secure the liner front to rear first, then pull the sides tight. Once fitted, glue is applied both to the back of the headliner and to the metal surface it will bond to. We begin by stretching the liner and gluing front to rear, then pull the sides tight and glue them. The metal tabs will hold the liner in place in the front and rear, clamps will have to be used on the sides. Once the headliner is glued into place, the trim and accessories can be re-installed. If your parts are in good shape, simply bolt them back in, ours were showing wear so we cleaned and painted most of the items, then we installed new visors, rear side panels, and a new dome light lens. When finished, our interior had the look and smell of a new car. You won't be able to get all of the wrinkles or creases out of the new headliner during installation, but don't worry, the fabric is pliable and will smooth right out after a few days in the sun.
 After laying the old and new...  After laying the old and new liner side-by-side, we transfer the bows into the new headliner. The bows are different lengths, so be sure to place them properly. Also, take extra care that the ends of the bows don't get caught in the new liner, which can cause it to tear. |  The bows are now re-inserted...  The bows are now re-inserted in the retaining holes. We found it easiest to start at the rear and work forward until the headliner was hanging by all of the bows. Remember the rear bow is also held in place by two wires (shown on the right), which position the bow correctly. |  We had to trim the ends of...  We had to trim the ends of the fabric bow retainers so the bows would actually engage the retaining holes in the roof structure of the car. This is common as most headliners are made for multiple applications. Expect to trim the edges as well. |
 |  With the headliner hanging...  With the headliner hanging from its bows, we manipulate it so it is as centered in the car as we can get it. It doesn't have to be perfect, just close. We now feel for the indentations where the dome light will attach and use a sharp razor blade to make a slit for the dome light wires and socket. Now we'll work from this location outward and begin gluing the edges of the headliner. |  By stretching the headliner...  By stretching the headliner front to rear and utilizing the stamped metal hooks to hold it in place, we can begin trimming it to fit. Remember to cut a little at a time, slowly cutting the edges of the headliner to fit. If you're not sure how much to cut, leave it a little big and final trim it after it's glued in place. |