Headliner before or after the top?

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Model T Ford Forum: Forum 2012: Headliner before or after the top?
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Joe Fudge on Wednesday, October 17, 2012 - 11:08 pm:

I have a black, May 1926 Fordor that I am refurbishing for my family to enjoy. I need to put a new top fabric on the car and plan to get an upholstery kit to do the car. A couple of questions:
1) Can the headliner be installed if the new top fabric is already installed? Or does the top fabric need to be removed to install the headliner?
2) Any recommendations for who is currently best to get the upholstery kit from? (My car is black and has the gray-brown wool upholstery with the fine white stripes.)
Thanks for all replies.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Roger Karlsson, southern Sweden on Thursday, October 18, 2012 - 12:06 am:

Headliner was installed before the top at the factory. If a good top is already in place, it should still be possible to install the headliner, tack it to the sides and somewhat cover the tacks up with the wind lace?

Dave Sonoski has made a sketch on how it was made originally, see this thread: http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/29/28607.html


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By William L Vanderburg on Thursday, October 18, 2012 - 12:10 am:

I believe the top goes on last.

In my opinion, which will vary with other people, Classtique is the best. Their kit for your car is over 2 grand for the interior, and I am not sure if they do the top for your car or not.

It would not hurt to ask. Her name is Elizabeth Estepp, and the info is http://www.classtiqueupholstery.com/


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Warwick Landy on Thursday, October 18, 2012 - 04:11 am:

Joe-
I installed a new headliner while the top material was still in position. It was not an easy job and I was not really happy with the result. Easch section of the lining has a fold which tacks to the timber cross pieces. It would be much easier to tack the headlining in position and pull it nice and tight before putting the new top material on.Do it that way if you have the choice.
Regards,
Warwick.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Don Booth@ Bay City, Mi on Thursday, October 18, 2012 - 06:16 am:

I just completed my '27 Fordor last week. Bought the kit from Mac's because it was on sale. Mac's was NOT my first choice but Classtique was too busy to accept my business. I did save over $700.oo on the cost over Classtique but the quality of Cartouche is mediocre. The headliner is the first thing to install according to their generic instructions. So, I started with the headliner. I got the thing tacked up only to find they cut the material to the overall length of the top and left NOTHING to tack the front header or rear to. Needless to say my reaction wasn't a good one. The headliner looked excellent and hung almost perfect for a first time job. Mac's did make a new headliner and shipped it out very quickly. After tearing the first headliner out and tacking the second headliner in, I could not get a clean job of it. They slapped the replacement together and none of the rib sleepers were straight some were off by 1/2" to the ribs. The finished job is now up to par with what it is, a first timers attempt. The old saying is true, sometimes you get what you pay for...


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jim Patrick on Thursday, October 18, 2012 - 09:32 am:

I installed my Carter's Cut and Cover kit on my '26 coupe 40 years ago in 1972 and, since my top was installed first, I had to install the headliner after and I was pretty pleased with the outcome. The below photo was taken last year so it has held up very well and looks as good now, as it did when first installed.

I tacked the headliner to the underside of the exposed wooden roof frame as close to the edge as possible, starting from the center at the front and the center at the rear, working my way to the each corner, tightening as I went then doing the edges, taking care not to allow any bunching.

After the headliner was installed tightly, I had to come up with a way to hide the exposed tacks. The tacks at the front, above the windshield were covered by the vertical facing upholstery panel piece above the windshield. To hide the tacks around the sides and rear, I took a 12' piece of 3/4" flexible vinyl quarter round and wrapped it tightly in a long strip of matching interior material I purchased at a fabric store and securing it on the hidden back side with contact cement. I then nailed the covered quarter round to the underside of the roof frame using a wire brad gun with very thin wire brads which did not damage the material as it went through the material. The flexibility of the quarter round easily allowed it to conform to the curvature of the roof at the rear corners as I started at the front driver's side corner, butting the end up to the vertical panel above the windshield and ended at the front passenger side corner, again butting the end up to the vertical panel. Jim Patrick



Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jim Patrick on Thursday, October 18, 2012 - 09:36 am:

PS. Unfortunately, Carter's Cut and Cover, which made a superb, well fitting upholstery kit, with detailed instructions and drawings, is out of business. Jim Patrick


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