Headliner Installation Question
 

I am getting ready to install a new headliner in my 31 Coupe. I recently purchased 17 ft of hard rubber 1/8 in thick x 1 in approximately from Mac's. A few years ago I purchased 16 ft of a canvas like material from Bratton's. I made 3 new roof ribs - 1 pine and 2 cherry. The cherry looks to be too hard to get staples in. So I have just ordered 4 new ash roof ribs. It appears that Bratton's wants their material to go on the top of the roof ribs and that seems correct. I expect to install the roof material I got from Classtique recently after I install the headliner.


My question is where on the roof rib does the 1/8 in thick hard rubber go and how should it be installed?


Thanks,
Vic

Re: Headliner Installation Question
 

When I installed my headliner in my 31 Tudor, after the top was installed, the kit instructions said to attach the headline to the sides of the bows. I used tacks supplied with the kit, equally spaced along the bows. Your rubber striping may be used on top of the bows under the chicken wire?

Re: Headliner Installation Question
 

Many of the older Fords have a screen wire like chicken wire attached over the ribs to act as a simple light weight structure that will resist downward pressure applied to the finished roof. A heavy muslin goes over that to keep the padding in place then the padding followed by the cover over the top. Finishing the side varies also. Some have trim pieces and some have hidem welting tacked on.

The old wood rib bow cars did use the ribs to tack the listings sewn into the headliner. The listings are just strips of muslin or the like and they should align with the roof ribs or bows. A person has to have the headliner straight so marking centers is a good idea before starting. Tack the listings from the center of the bow out each way to keep the liner straight and hopefully as centered as possible. Work from front to back or back to front in some cases so that the bows are always accessible to tack to.

This is the general idea. Not all cars are the same and some required modifications to the procedure.