1966 Polara Wagon headliner

saforwardlook said:
Yes, Ross, I did have 2 cloth headliners custom made by an expert upholstery guy in CA.

One was on my 1969 Chrysler Town & Country wagon and the other was for my 1973 Dodge Coronet Crestwood station wagon.

I hate the original perforated pressed cardboard headliners and although I am usually a strict original guy, not so in these two cases since I truly can't stand the original cheap stuff Chrysler used - it just won't last and I don't even like the look.

For my T&C, I used Murray Park to provide me with the front and rear compartment dome light and mounts from a 1972 or 73 C body wagon that used a cloth headliner in those models and then I mounted them both in my T&C wagon which wasn't hard to improvise. Then I had my body/paint guy make a sawtooth mounting strip at the rear of the roof inside so that the cloth headliner would attach securely at the rear, just like they all have present (even on my 69) for the front window. Then I removed the front mounting strips (and threw them out) for the hardboard headliner on both sides of the inside roof rails but left the mounting strips in the rear roof rails so the headliner could be glued on the sides to that strip and then the interior moldings would cover that area. Now my wagon looks exactly like a 1972-3 model wagon and I couldn't be more pleased. The upholstery guy I used just made up the headliner from scratch and he did a great job.

For my coronet wagon, I just used the circular dome light from my wagon and mounted it in the front on the existing crossover and made up a mount for the one from my wagon for the rear out of sheet steel (my body/paint guy just made one up that would work) plus also a sawtooth steel strip for mounting the headliner at the rear of the interior roof (use the finish molding to determine where to place that strip should go so it won't be seen when done). I also, just like for the Chrysler, removed the roof rail strips that are used to mount the ends of the hardboard - but left the rear in place to which the cloth headliner could be glued just as in the Chrysler). Then the upholstery guy made up a complete headliner and installed that one too from scratch. I have personally never seen a B body wagon of that era or even earlier with a cloth headliner. I chose a perforated off white vinyl headliner material that looks very much like the original hardboard when installed and at first glance no one would even think about the headliner when first getting inside that wagon until one realizes it had been modified to cloth. I used the original sun visors too, which were also off white to somewhat match the light gray hardboard headliners in those models.

Not having to ever deal with a hardboard headliner again was a big relief. It was one of the worst cost decisions Chrysler ever made and they carried that junk over for decades beginning with the 50s.

Just make sure the guy you use to do this work has some experience in doing headliners - the guy I used has over 30 years, but it isn't rocket science either.

Each install including the cost of the headliner and bow kits and installation was $600 each.

The only guy that reproduces the perforated hardboard that I know of is Mopar Mel and each section is $200 - so a 5 section roof would be $1000 just to start with the material (assuming your original stuff is junk like mine was). He also reproduces the plastic covers for the headliner supports for $100 each. So the cost difference is also very desirable.



I can get some photos of the finished wagons a little later and update this post with them.
Click to expand...
 
I waz going to mention M.M. Steve, but I'm surprised no one haz burned his house down yet, lol. You're on The Forward Look so you know his reputation on that site? Not a nice guy to deal with IMHO. For my '61 Batwagon I used the FRONT 3 BOWS from "2" 4 door '61 sedans.( those 3 bows are all identical length that work for the early '60s 4 door hard top Long Roofs) HAD 1 1/2" SQUARES OF 18 GAGE WELDED TO EACH END OF EACH BOW SPACED THEM ABOUT 15" APART FRONT TO BACK AND BOUGHT 4 YARDS JUST TO PLAY SAFE IN A RATTLE SNAKE PATTERN IN OFF WHITE AND HAD LOOPS STICHED INTO THAT TO MATCH THE 15" DISTANCE BETWEEN THE BOWS. OH? AND I USED 2 DOME LITES FROM A 2000 DODGE MINI VAN FOR THE FRONT AND BACK DOME LITES. Worked fine and looked sweat. Loved the way Mother routed the wiring for the front lite, lol. Jer
 
BIGBARNEYCARS said:
I waz going to mention M.M. Steve, but I'm surprised no one haz burned his house down yet, lol. You're on The Forward Look so you know his reputation on that site? Not a nice guy to deal with IMHO. For my '61 Batwagon I used the FRONT 3 BOWS from "2" 4 door '61 sedans.( those 3 bows are all identical length that work for the early '60s 4 door hard top Long Roofs) HAD 1 1/2" SQUARES OF 18 GAGE WELDED TO EACH END OF EACH BOW SPACED THEM ABOUT 15" APART FRONT TO BACK AND BOUGHT 4 YARDS JUST TO PLAY SAFE IN A RATTLE SNAKE PATTERN IN OFF WHITE AND HAD LOOPS STICHED INTO THAT TO MATCH THE 15" DISTANCE BETWEEN THE BOWS. OH? AND I USED 2 DOME LITES FROM A 2000 DODGE MINI VAN FOR THE FRONT AND BACK DOME LITES. Worked fine and looked sweat. Loved the way Mother routed the wiring for the front lite, lol. Jer
Click to expand...

Actually Jer, I was not aware of his difficulty to work with since I had never interacted with him before. I did buy 3 reproduction bow covers from him for my Regal Lancer a couple month's ago and some rear side panel cores from one of his Regal Lancers to have reproduced by SMS. I didn't have any big issues (I had to remind him I ordered 3 bow covers, not the two he initially sent - but he quickly sent the remaining one - he said he caught the virus and was having some difficulty getting things right for awhile).
 
Happy Holidayz Steve. Could be he finally realized his attitude was costing him business? My one time trying to deal with him was fruitless and I was not alone with him managing to get my nose out of joint. Many others in the Forward Look group had the same experience as I. Maybe he's finally mellowed and joined the Twenty First century, lol. My information came about in the mid '80s When Ronnie waz Prez. Dam that 40 yearz haz gone by quickly? Jer
 
Rem has the raw material already available. They just need patterns to make the correct panels
 
QQE said:
Rem has the raw material already available. They just need patterns to make the correct panels
Click to expand...

@QQE - are you asking for individuals to supply the headliner boards so REM can reproduce them ?

I have a complete set from a 1960 Dodge station wagon that would be open to loaning in order to have new ones made available for everyone.

These panels would fit all of the following wagons:
1960-64 Chrysler
1960-61 Dodge and 1962-64 Dodge Custom 880 models
1960-61 Plymouth
 
Last edited:
SpaceWagon said:
@QQE - are you asking for individuals to supply the headliner boards so REM can reproduce them ?

I have a complete set from a 1960
Dodge station wagon that would consider loaning in order to have new ones made available for everyone.

These panels would fit all of the following wagons:
1960-64 Chrysler
1960-61 Dodge and 1962-64 Dodge Custom 880 models
1960-61 Plymouth
Click to expand...

They already have these , I sent the set from my 64 880 to them.

__hr_64+side+view.jpg
 
SGT FURY said:
Did the new panels meet your expectations? Was the fit good?
Click to expand...
Nice fit, good quality. The largest panel, I believe it was the one just above the middle seat had to be steamed to let it contour correctly. Definitely a 2-man job.
 
Here's a thread on For B Bodies Only about the plastic strips that hold the boards in place. You may need those too.

www.forbbodiesonly.com

Wagon Headliner Bow Trim

They work great Thanks Jackpot50. I’m glad you’re happy with them. I appreciate you posting pics of your install for others to see.
www.forbbodiesonly.com www.forbbodiesonly.com
 
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