Upholstery

[Vernsmith]

I am going to attempt reupholstering my 38 coupe myself. I received the kit shortly before Lebaron Bonney closed the doors. 

and everything seem straight forward, except how the head liner and wind lace around the door is installed. Can some one please

show pictures or tell me how this is done.

[Ken/Alabama]

First make sure tacking strips in the body are in good condition  or better yet replace them. New ones are available in plastic.  I would also re wire the dome light and switch and make sure it’s in good working order.  There is also a wire that goes to the trunk light that runs along the right side from the dome light switch location to the trunk light.  You don’t want any bad wiring behind your new headliner.  Clean and repaint all the headliner bows and keep track of where they come from.  If your car still has the old original insulation in the roof that’s held in with the wooden slats, I would strongly recommend removing all the old  stuff and use some of the new products available like Dyna- Mat or Fat-Mat with the peel and stick application.  The wind lace goes in first around the door openings then the headliner on top of that.  Place the bows in the headliner sleeves and slide the headliner towards the middle to expose the ends of the bows then starting with the rear bow attach bows to the body with the screws. Once they are in place start working the headliner towards the ends of the bows side to side to remove wrinkles . The forward most bow is held in with some tabs that bend over it.  Then go to the rear blelow the window and pull it down taught and tack it . Keep working back to front , side to side. Do not trim anything until it’s all tacked in place. To hide the edge of the headliner around the door opening there is a hydem strip, it opens up in the middle where the tacks or staples go then it folds shut to hide them and gives it a finished look.  

Edited July 22, 2019 by Ken/Alabama (see edit history)

[John Kelso]

Good work, very nice job!

[Vernsmith]

Thanks Ken,   The part I didn't get was the "hidem strip", I thought it was finished differently.  Hope mine comes out as nice as yours.