TheSamba.com :: View topic - Westfalia cab headliner

Wed Aug 27, 2025 10:01 am

I have a late bus 1978 Westfalia. Seems like all of the original headliners are typically the missing from most Westys. The headliner in the cab - I haven’t seen an original one, they seem to be a piece of wood shaped to the cab roof and popped in with the leading edge tucked into the frame and rear screwed into the roof with the windlace trim covering the end and blending into the rear.

They were white - it’s a vinyl that I assume it fell don’t over the years. Bus Ok has the material.

I’m wondering if anyone has recreated this headliner. If so what wood did you use? Does the vinyl stay on with a negative bend on the wood?

Here is where I am - cut a thin piece of wood from Home Depot to the shape of my old insert. But it’s not bending as nice as I’d like it, started cracking. I suppose I could do some treatment like steam it in a jacuzzi with a cover for a while and make it more workable but I’m not a woodworker so trying to figure this out.

After it fits I’d like to put the reproduction vinyl on it.

Anyone done this before?

Wed Aug 27, 2025 11:07 am

Thin wood from Home Depot? I dunno what that is, but the Baltic Birch from SanMarcos Hardwoods up in north county has worked well for me. Something about the grain structure resists snapping.

Good luck!
Robbie in Vista

Wed Aug 27, 2025 12:29 pm

airschooled wrote: Thin wood from Home Depot? I dunno what that is, but the Baltic Birch from SanMarcos Hardwoods up in north county has worked well for me. Something about the grain structure resists snapping.

Good luck!
Robbie in Vista

Yup some thin wood I got at Home D, it was lightweight so I gave it a try. If I don’t use it then it’s good for a pattern. I’ll look into the Baltic Burch at SM Hardwoods, thanks for the tip.

Anyone glue a headliner on wood for a westy? The rectangular inserts above the side winds are pretty easy to do.

Wed Aug 27, 2025 2:13 pm

Was was able to bend that wood during my build, I used a bunch of it.

Try wetting it or steaming it with your hot tub.

Wed Aug 27, 2025 6:17 pm

I’m pretty sure you needed to cut that wood with the grains running in the opposite direction to avoid cracking and splitting.

Fri Aug 29, 2025 2:37 pm

CanStan wrote: I’m pretty sure you needed to cut that wood with the grains running in the opposite direction to avoid cracking and splitting.

Sure, good point. Was the only way I could cut it to the right shape at the time as I didn’t get a full sheet, was from the bargain bin.

Fri Aug 29, 2025 11:23 pm

during my 20+ year ownership of a '79 Westy I have tried a couple of times to replicate the thin shelf paper headliner wood panels. The material I bought from GoWesty is excellent quality and looks great. But each time the glue would let go and it would begin to sag.

New panels were made using the old ones as templates. Primed them with Kilz and applied the top coat with a roller to get a texture. Clark & Kensington Tapestry Beige 975. I went with an eggshell finish. Added a thin sheet of plywood under the top bunk so it would a fresh surface for the paint.