The Ford Barn - Installing a headliner in 63 Falcon Ranchero

I've not done a Falcon type Ranchero yet but I did the one on my 69 el Camino. I use side jaw clamps that work with Cleco pliers and I have a lot of them. This way I can attach the front and back to the pinch weld with contact cement and hold it clamped till the stuff sets up. I then trim off any excess material before pulling the glass seals back in to finish the job. A person might be able to use clothespins if they have a strong enough spring. I like the side jaws better and they stay out of the way better. The liner has to be somewhat tight but not too tight. Like anything to do with fabric, it is sometimes better to do this when the temperatures are up there so that the material will expand some. Outside in the sunshine will usually be good.

I always find the center of the cab both front and rear and mark them for reference. I then mark the centers front and rear on the head liner material using upholstery chalk so that I can match that to the cab. The bows can be installed in the listings and start from front or rear to hang the bows & liner. Start pulling from either front end or the rear up to near tight and adjust from front to rear first and then start working out to each side. If the bow listings are too long then they may have to be trimmed to get the sides to fit correctly to the door frame areas. I just use scissors a carefully make a cut in the listing to relieve any pressure that might be there if any. The Rancheros and el Caminos are certainly easier than any 4-door or 2-door car. If it has sail panels then they can be put in for best fit before putting any trim pieces, side seals, or pinch weld channels (wind lace) on the sides or around the back glass. Wrinkles can be worked out with a steamer but it is best to work them out when stretching things and clamping. The liner can be glued after fitting but it has to be done carefully since a fair amount of the clamps have to be removed to do that. Gluing it helps a lot with the installation of the windshield and back glass. Just tucking it doesn't always work real well. Sealer may have to be used on the outside of the pinch weld to make sure there are no leaks. I wouldn't use any on the inside. It's only too easy to mess up a new headliner.

I'm adding these links since they were about the best I could find for old Fords.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3i_sEi6ao34

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOq6SVFuMvY