The Ford Barn

signsup · 02-01-2025, 12:07 PM

Trying to get headliner for my 1942 Mercury 4 door Town Sedan and the shop does not have pattern for this model. I was under the impression that Mercury used the exact same body shell as the Ford Super Deluxe. The Mercury was 4" longer, but I thought that was all fender and hood extensions, not in the body.
So, would a six bow headliner pattern off a 1942 Ford Super Deluxe 4 door be the same as a 1942 Mercury 4 door Town Sedan? I presume materials were different between the two, but is the pattern the same?

I'll hang up and listen. Thanks in advance.

TJ · 02-01-2025, 12:32 PM

The body should be the same as the four door Ford. You are correct the extra length is in the frame, hood and front fenders. Ford head liner should work.

rotorwrench · 02-01-2025, 12:38 PM

While the Mercury did share the same basic body shell starting in 1941 and continuing through 1948, There were differences in the trim and refinement that went into the body shell. If you have all the rods that support the headliner, they need to be compared to a ford of the same body type to be sure that they are the same. My guess would be that they are but that is only a guess. There may be differences of the rear quarter windows but I don't know that with any certainty either.

Headliners take some time to fabricate due to all the listings that have to be sewn into each panel where the rods support them. If a person had a headliner from a Ford to measure distance between the panels from front to rear then that could be compared to rod positions if the rods are still with the car.

A trimmer can make up one if they know the distances and the width/length. There are generally some card panels back there that finish out the transition from headliner to the package tray and door pillars as well. The rest would be the armrests and their associated finish cards. Material for the sun visors would also be needed.

signsup · 02-01-2025, 12:49 PM

My understanding that the headliner shop would provide material for visors. This car does not have a package tray shelf, just the metal base and frame and no trim or lacework around the head liner. Absolutely no original fabric on the headliner and the six bows are in place to hold up the Home Depot insullation that Bubba installed. I'll go down to the shop and feel, just presumed that the bows slipped into a ctrack and then bolded up against the insullation and they fell where they fell and would slide in the track to conform to the loop or sleeves in the head liner material. But they may actually clip into mounts and are not adjustable front to back as I envision. So I could provide spacing measurements to the shop if they are fixed and they match a Ford pattern. Thank you for the guideance.

signsup · 02-01-2025, 02:28 PM

OK, got it now. The bows actually fit into small holes in the side trim or track and are fixed. Interesting one at the front that attached to the antenna mounting bracket on the inside of the roof line. OK Headliner in OK only appears to have 2 door patterns and I don't think I want to be his experiment on 4 door patterns, so I'll look elsewhere. Any leads appreciated. Will be military staff car so does not have to be museum correct for color or material.

TJ · 02-01-2025, 03:44 PM

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Try Acme Headliners in Los Angeles, Ca. They have doing headliners for years and can also cover your sun visors. They have a lot of patterns for V-8 Fords.

signsup · 02-01-2025, 04:30 PM

Are they owned by a coyote? I've seen a lot of their products on Saturday morning cartoons. I'll contact them on Monday. Thank you for the lead. Beep! Beep!

Kube · 02-01-2025, 06:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by signsup

Are they owned by a coyote? I've seen a lot of their products on Saturday morning cartoons. I'll contact them on Monday. Thank you for the lead. Beep! Beep!

Any shop that has a clue as to how a headliner, can make a headliner without a pattern.
That is not a very difficult thing to do. If the shop you checked with can't, I'd be apprehensive to have them install one.

signsup · 02-03-2025, 08:40 AM

This is from the vendor, OK Headliner:
i have the 46-48 ford- mercury 4 door 6 bow. it is a different part number than the 42 so i dont know what the difference is.

Nor do I. But as this is a mail order situation, it is not t a take the car and have them make one situation. Any comments on possible differences in pattern with what he has and my 42 Mercury Town Sedan? Different part number might be difference in fabric only, not pattern.

rotorwrench · 02-03-2025, 08:20 PM

I checked out multiple photos of for sale cars. First I looked at as many 1942 Mercury Fordor types as I could find and then switched to 1946 Ford Fordor types and I found some good interior photos of both. The distance between the 5th and 6th bow is very close together on both types. The others are very close to the same wider distances on both Mercury and Deluxe Ford cars, The standard fordor had solid rear quarter windows but the Deluxe Ford had flip out quarter windows just like the 42 Mercury. The arm rests looked a little different but that didn't involve the headliner. They both had the hump type rear shelf area behind the seat and the oval rear windows are the same for all intents and purposes. All were solid colors with the taupe, grey, or beige being common but there were other colors. What I don't know is whether the Mercury used a napped type cotton or mohair type material. On Lincolns I'd figure they used mohair but I don't know about the Mercury cars of the early V8 era.

tom1948 · 02-03-2025, 11:24 PM

I know that when I bought the headliner for my '48 Mercury coupe it was the same as the 1942-48 Ford coupe(sedan)

signsup · 02-04-2025, 11:10 AM

OK headliners is measuring his bow pattern and I will confirm to my actual bows. I'm leaning towards going with this headliner and if I don't like the way it hangs, could possibly move a bow or two by drilling new holes in the channel. Shade, material and price will go into the equation.

02-01-2025, 12:07 PM	#1
signsup Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2017 Posts: 205	1942 Ford vs Mercury body shell, headliner question. Trying to get headliner for my 1942 Mercury 4 door Town Sedan and the shop does not have pattern for this model. I was under the impression that Mercury used the exact same body shell as the Ford Super Deluxe. The Mercury was 4" longer, but I thought that was all fender and hood extensions, not in the body. So, would a six bow headliner pattern off a 1942 Ford Super Deluxe 4 door be the same as a 1942 Mercury 4 door Town Sedan? I presume materials were different between the two, but is the pattern the same? I'll hang up and listen. Thanks in advance.

02-01-2025, 12:32 PM	#2
TJ Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Napa,California Posts: 6,773	Re: 1942 Ford vs Mercury body shell, headliner question. The body should be the same as the four door Ford. You are correct the extra length is in the frame, hood and front fenders. Ford head liner should work.

02-01-2025, 12:38 PM	#3
rotorwrench Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 18,007	Re: 1942 Ford vs Mercury body shell, headliner question. While the Mercury did share the same basic body shell starting in 1941 and continuing through 1948, There were differences in the trim and refinement that went into the body shell. If you have all the rods that support the headliner, they need to be compared to a ford of the same body type to be sure that they are the same. My guess would be that they are but that is only a guess. There may be differences of the rear quarter windows but I don't know that with any certainty either. Headliners take some time to fabricate due to all the listings that have to be sewn into each panel where the rods support them. If a person had a headliner from a Ford to measure distance between the panels from front to rear then that could be compared to rod positions if the rods are still with the car. A trimmer can make up one if they know the distances and the width/length. There are generally some card panels back there that finish out the transition from headliner to the package tray and door pillars as well. The rest would be the armrests and their associated finish cards. Material for the sun visors would also be needed. Last edited by rotorwrench; 02-01-2025 at 12:57 PM.

02-01-2025, 12:49 PM	#4
signsup Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2017 Posts: 205	Re: 1942 Ford vs Mercury body shell, headliner question. My understanding that the headliner shop would provide material for visors. This car does not have a package tray shelf, just the metal base and frame and no trim or lacework around the head liner. Absolutely no original fabric on the headliner and the six bows are in place to hold up the Home Depot insullation that Bubba installed. I'll go down to the shop and feel, just presumed that the bows slipped into a ctrack and then bolded up against the insullation and they fell where they fell and would slide in the track to conform to the loop or sleeves in the head liner material. But they may actually clip into mounts and are not adjustable front to back as I envision. So I could provide spacing measurements to the shop if they are fixed and they match a Ford pattern. Thank you for the guideance.

02-01-2025, 02:28 PM	#5
signsup Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2017 Posts: 205	Re: 1942 Ford vs Mercury body shell, headliner question. OK, got it now. The bows actually fit into small holes in the side trim or track and are fixed. Interesting one at the front that attached to the antenna mounting bracket on the inside of the roof line. OK Headliner in OK only appears to have 2 door patterns and I don't think I want to be his experiment on 4 door patterns, so I'll look elsewhere. Any leads appreciated. Will be military staff car so does not have to be museum correct for color or material.

02-01-2025, 03:44 PM	#6
TJ Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Napa,California Posts: 6,773	Re: 1942 Ford vs Mercury body shell, headliner question. Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) Try Acme Headliners in Los Angeles, Ca. They have doing headliners for years and can also cover your sun visors. They have a lot of patterns for V-8 Fords.

02-01-2025, 04:30 PM	#7
signsup Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2017 Posts: 205	Re: 1942 Ford vs Mercury body shell, headliner question. Are they owned by a coyote? I've seen a lot of their products on Saturday morning cartoons. I'll contact them on Monday. Thank you for the lead. Beep! Beep!

02-03-2025, 08:40 AM	#9
signsup Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2017 Posts: 205	Re: 1942 Ford vs Mercury body shell, headliner question. This is from the vendor, OK Headliner: i have the 46-48 ford- mercury 4 door 6 bow. it is a different part number than the 42 so i dont know what the difference is. Nor do I. But as this is a mail order situation, it is not t a take the car and have them make one situation. Any comments on possible differences in pattern with what he has and my 42 Mercury Town Sedan? Different part number might be difference in fabric only, not pattern.

02-03-2025, 08:20 PM	#10
rotorwrench Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 18,007	Re: 1942 Ford vs Mercury body shell, headliner question. I checked out multiple photos of for sale cars. First I looked at as many 1942 Mercury Fordor types as I could find and then switched to 1946 Ford Fordor types and I found some good interior photos of both. The distance between the 5th and 6th bow is very close together on both types. The others are very close to the same wider distances on both Mercury and Deluxe Ford cars, The standard fordor had solid rear quarter windows but the Deluxe Ford had flip out quarter windows just like the 42 Mercury. The arm rests looked a little different but that didn't involve the headliner. They both had the hump type rear shelf area behind the seat and the oval rear windows are the same for all intents and purposes. All were solid colors with the taupe, grey, or beige being common but there were other colors. What I don't know is whether the Mercury used a napped type cotton or mohair type material. On Lincolns I'd figure they used mohair but I don't know about the Mercury cars of the early V8 era. Last edited by rotorwrench; 02-03-2025 at 08:52 PM.

02-03-2025, 11:24 PM	#11
tom1948 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: west palm beach florida Posts: 265	Re: 1942 Ford vs Mercury body shell, headliner question. I know that when I bought the headliner for my '48 Mercury coupe it was the same as the 1942-48 Ford coupe(sedan)

02-04-2025, 11:10 AM	#12
signsup Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2017 Posts: 205	Re: 1942 Ford vs Mercury body shell, headliner question. OK headliners is measuring his bow pattern and I will confirm to my actual bows. I'm leaning towards going with this headliner and if I don't like the way it hangs, could possibly move a bow or two by drilling new holes in the channel. Shade, material and price will go into the equation.