Headliner Colors

[peeeot]

I need to buy a new headliner and the one offered by this site looks good (cheap!) to me.

http://www.stockinteriors.com/HeadlinerKit.asp?Itemid=7502&MakeId=8&ModelId=208

I just want to make sure I have the color right before ordering, since mine is dirty. Of the colors they show, white is what I should order, right?

[tmjsong1aolcom]

RE: Headliner Colors

You do not want bright white. The original was an off white/ creamy white.

I cannot tell from the pic if it is perforated or not but the same headliner was used for all 3 years.

I would not go this way unless I had car at their shop and could that it looked like the original and was going to fit.

Fuz
58's&64's
Sun Prairie, Wi.
tmjsong1@aol.com

[peeeot]

RE: Headliner Colors

The samples shown on the "samples" link off the link I posted shows perforations. The white it shows is pretty bright, but the off-white and neutral are very dull. Of course it's hard to tell just looking at the pictures. Maybe I could cut a little bit of the material that was under the dome lamp and send it to have them match it.

I guess my only option, aside from buying a pre-made kit such as this one, would be to have an upholstery shop do the job. Any clue how much I might expect to pay for that? I can't drive the car over there to get an estimate for myself, yet.

[Alexander]

RE: Headliner Colors

The t-bird vendors have the headliner in the right color. Why don't you just order from one of them?

Alexander
1959 Hardtop
1960 Golde Top

[peeeot]

RE: Headliner Colors

I don't know why I didn't think to check them.

Wilsons's lists white and bone. which is the right color?

[Guest]

RE: Headliner Colors

When I ordered mine they suggested Bone for darker colored cars. My interior was Turquoise and White.........so I ordered a white one. It gave the interior a very clean look. Its all a matter of what you want I guess. I can understand if you had a Black leather interior.......you wouldnt want a stark white headliner. Ive even seen where somone had a red leather interior and carpet.....and then dyed the headliner to match......it looked great.

[Alexander]

RE: Headliner Colors

According the last VTCI rulebook, the headliners were white, except 1960 t-birds with a beige interior, in that case they were beige.

Alexander
1959 Hardtop
1960 Golde Top

[tmjsong1aolcom]

RE: Headliner Colors

Alex is correct the current version of the rules says white, but the next version will say off white.

To make sure you get what you want, ask the vendor to send you small swatches of the various colors of interest. This is the best way to answer your ?? This not oly allows you a color choice but also allows you to check that the perforations are correct.

Fuz
58's&64's
Sun Prairie, Wi.
tmjsong1@aol.com

[Alexander]

RE: Headliner Colors

Thanks for that information Fuz. After nearly fifty years, it is hard to tell what the original color was. Most headliners have yellowed with age.

One interesting note. On the Golde Top cars, the sunroof portion of the headliner was not perforated but was printed with black dots to simulate perforation. I sent a copy of the swatch in to the VTCI. I assume it will be in the next revision.

Alexander
1959 Hardtop
1960 Golde Top

[peeeot]

RE: Headliner Colors

That's crazy! I wonder why they did it that way.

[Alexander]

RE: Headliner Colors

The probably did it that way so that the dirt and insulation would not rain down through the perforations when moving the sunroof.

Alexander
1959 Hardtop
1960 Golde Top

[Guest]

RE: Headliner Colors

Hi alexander. Most of those headliners saw NICOTENE. I cleaned to many to count. But they all came right back with 409 What ever anybody does DON"T and I repete DON"T use Wesley's white wall cleaner. It's great for tires but attacks the stichts in it and your seats........Later..................Bill

[Alexander]

RE: Headliner Colors

I agree, there were many smokers when these cars were new. My '59 had a cigarette burn right above the driver's seat. I found cigarette butts and a matchbook in my '60 Golde Top.Fantastik also works well to bring back the original white.

http://www.squarebirds.org/1960thunderbird_artifacts.jpg

Alexander
1959 Hardtop
1960 Golde Top

[tmjsong1aolcom]

RE: Headliner Colors

Alex

Yes the swatch is included in the next version. Many tanx for the info and contribution.

As for the color. Yes they discolored over time but they were never white white. Just my observations.

My position is the bird is your car do as you wish but the VTCI rules will say off white. Your choice on what to install.

Fuz
58's&64's
Sun Prairie, Wi.
tmjsong1@aol.com