1939P8,

On my '40 Business coupe, the #1 bow was at the front of the windshield

I am about ready to have the headliner installed in my 39 business coupe.  The rods are numbered 1-5.  Does the #1 go up front by the windshield or rear window?

Jim & Bob,

If the wife was out here this week I know for sure it would have been ironed.  Oh! Well.

Jim,

I only locked the material down around the front door and windshield.  It is pretty tight around the rods.  I probably should have cut the runner channel material on the rod closest to the front window which would have allowed me to pull it tighter.   In the picture I have only locked down the two front rods.  The second rod is very tight.  I would like to steam the headliner before I continue past the door column.  My wife has a clothing steamer which I will substitute for the hairdryer in Greg?s idea.   As far as the front rod I think I would do more harm then good trying to fix it now.  Anyway the sun visors should cover the imperfections. 

I am not going to go any further today.  I think I will bring the wife and her clothing steamer out here next weekend and continue the project.  For the time being the material can just hang for the week and get some air.  Anyway, I have been in the garage for 4 days now and I need to get back out into the real world.  I decided to call it quits for awhile.

Chet?

After the fact, I should have mentioned this before, but didn't know that you had the headliner still in the box all that time.

Like you, I had my headliner for the '40 in the box for four to five years, when we installed it two years ago, first I damp ironed it, that took many of the wrinkles out.

Looks good Chet,
Bob

Chet,
When I installed the canvas covering on the roof of my '41 woodie, I used pliers like what Mike described, that I found at an artist supply store. They are used to stretch canvas over a frame. I found them very helpful.
Jim Yergin

It looks like you might have to pull it tighter at the tac strips above the doors. They make a pair of pliers with 1 to 2 inch wide jaws. With these pliers you can really pull it tight without tearing  the headlinner. You can also use pliers to pull it towards the tacstrip above the windshield. I used a staplier to attach it  above the windshield while I was pulling,  then went back with the tacs.
Its looking good,
Mike

Thanks Merrill & Greg,

Thinks are going OK for a first try.  I have a few wrinkles to smooth out.  Tomorrow I will finish up the back.



For the blow by blow check out the link below?

http://www.chetscoins.com/1948p15/2010/11292010.htm

Thanks for the help,  Chet?

Chet if you have any wrinkles or bunches in the head liner, these can be worked out by using s stiff brush and a hair dryer set on medium heat.  If they resist that a bit of water in a spraybottle to dampen the areas a bit, thenn usig the dryer will usually work thig out.  If you have hard water us distilled as it will ot cause rings in the areas treated.

Glad you figured it out, When I did mine, for the first time, it ended up turning out great.  I was surprised it ended up tight and looked great. It wasn't as hard as I thought it would be.

Thanks,

I figured it out.  I tagged the rods when I took her apart so I am sure they are in the correct order.  As for the rubber parts they go on the bottoms of the doors.

Thanks Chet...

On the p-12 the metal rods are inserted into slots sewed to the back of the headliner. The headliner is on the rods when you insert the rods. You install the rods according to the numbers on the rods.

I will be installing my headliner tomorrow.  Today I am cleaning and painting the bows and edge trim metal parts.   My question is:

Do the metal trim pieces go on the car before the headliner material?  My assumption is yes and that the headliner and the door trim get pushed under the metal to secure them in place.   Please verify that my thinking on this is correct !!!

Also I have four rubber strip pieces and I don?t remember where these go.  Are these used on the doors panels or do they install with the door trim molding?

Thanks in advance,  Chet?