47-55.1 1948 headliner retainer(s)

[8man]

I am looking for the headliner retainer strips for the 48. The bad part is I don't know how many there are.

Does anyone have any pictures of the retainers in use?

I'm looking at a one-piece ABS headliner to be held up and don't know what it will need.

Thanks,
Robert

[8man]

I found the rear at Eckler's, but is there a front? If not, how is the front attached?

[joedoh]

there are two, a middle and a rear. the front slides under the windshield inside trim, the middle screws up to a welded boss on the roof after installing the front section of the headliner, and the rear screws to the inside panel. you need a center and a rear.

[8man]

Thank you, kind sir!

I am looking at the one-piece ABS replacement panel to be covered with headliner material. Do you have any experience with that stuff?

[joedoh]

never used one but its probably worth it to NOT wrestle with the cardboard. my wife and i would be divorced if we installed a lot of them. NO DONT MOVE WHY DID YOU MOVE AGGGGAAHHHHH

a one piece will only need the rear, i missed that in your first post sorry

[8man]

Thanks again. I think I know what to get now.

It's getting close to the finish line and I'm ready. I hope the next one goes a little faster!!!

[mr48chev]

Headliner retainer strips on a 48 are the windlace retainer strips. At least by the top piece on the sides http://www.classicpartsusa.com/categ...dlace+retainer

[8man]

Thank you.

[nvrdone]

hey 8man: I have an abs headliner in my '49 and love it. easy install, plus I installed sound deadener on to the roof before I installed the headliner.
It fits in above the windshield trim and then is held up by the back trim strip. Also, the windlace helps give it a finished look. It did need some trimming above the windlace strip for a really good fit.

[8man]

Thank you. That really helps.
So, the parts I'll need is the ABS headliner and the rear trim strip, right?

[TX3100Guy]

I am just now approaching plans for the interior of my 1953 five window. I have both a set of foam pieces and the seat frame in the bed of my truck (not the 53) headed to the upholstery shop tomorrow. I planned on having them cover the door cardboard panels with the vinyl version of the leather material that will be used for the seat. The shop has a supplier that can supply the exact same color and grain in both leather and vinyl.

I had asked them about covering the new set of cardboard panel in the vinyl and they admitted they really didn't think that was a good idea given the challenge that installing the cardboard headliner alone would present. Until this thread, I hadn't heard of a one piece ABS version of a headliner.

Is this available from the usual sellers, because I haven't seen it? Is it available in colors? Could vinyl be glued to the ABS?

[nvrdone]

chevys of the 40's shows p/n 3676357P 47-53 for abs headliner at $199.00.
Im sure other vendors have them also.

[e015475]

I just installed a ABS headliner from Roddoors...

https://roddoors.com/shop/ols/produc...iner-1947-1955

It was a little spendy compared to the others on the market, but it comes molded to shape, not flat. I had to trim about 1/8" off the front of it to get the rear trim strip to align. Says you can dye it, paint it or cover it - think I'm going to paint mine.

[e015475]

Here it is ready to go in the cab of the '49

[8man]

I am looking forward to a post of the install, with a "how hard was it" section.

Thanks.

[TX3100Guy]

Originally Posted by e015475

Here it is ready to go in the cab of the '49

First, great paint job, I like it!

Second, was the install difficult or time consuming. I've heard horrors about installing the traditional cardboard pieces.

[e015475]

The paint has been done about 4 years now. Sitting under the oak tree last summer. Thanks for the nice words.



The one-piece ABS headliner isn't particularly hard to install, it is just unwieldy for one person to handle

To start, I made some paper templates of the sun-visor holes so I could figure out where the hole/screws went once the headliner was in position.

I also ran a piece of masking tape along the rear of the cab and marked where the screw holes were since the holes are blind once the headliner is in.

I took a wooden stick and propped the headliner against the roof of the cab to hold it in place (working alone) Starting at the front I worked the headliner under the windshield rubber using a popsicle stick and a little windex. Once I got the rear of the headliner to align with the tape at the rear of the cab, I worked the windlace over the left and right sides of the headliner.

I measured the distance from the tape I put at the rear of the cab to the screw holes for the retainer, so that will allow me to drill the holes correctly. It is 16F here today, so this is a project for the spring along with installing the sun visors. I have a box of Killmat and I'll install some before the headliner goes in for good along with some foam or MLV (or both)

Hope this helps you some

Phil

[8man]

Thanks Phil, that was helpful.

[TX3100Guy]

Here is a photo of my front windshield/roof area.



Does the ABS headliner cover the front metal area above the windshield and then get installed behind the metal frame of the glass? I have the frame off on the passenger side for another project.

[e015475]

Yes the ABS headliner covers the front metal area. I tucked it under the windshield rubber but I imagine the retainer/trim would hold it in too. Think I'll call them tomorrow and ask if it is supposed to tuck under the windshield rubber. There were no instructions that came with the headliner

This picture off of Roddoors website shows it pretty well - note no sunvisors are installed.

https://roddoors.com/shop/ols/produc...iner-1947-1955

[TX3100Guy]

Originally Posted by e015475

Yes the ABS headliner covers the front metal area. I tucked it under the windshield rubber but I imagine the retainer/trim would hold it in too. Think I'll call them tomorrow and ask if it is supposed to tuck under the windshield rubber. There were no instructions that came with the headliner

This picture off of Roddoors website shows it pretty well - note no sunvisors are installed.

https://roddoors.com/shop/ols/produc...iner-1947-1955

Their website does have an install instruction set that includes a template for installing the sunvisors.

https://websites.godaddy.com/blob/79...=1659724522363

[nvrdone]

yes the abs headliner installs under the windshield trim. I think that would be easier than installing it under the glass seal.

[TX3100Guy]

Originally Posted by nvrdone

yes the abs headliner installs under the windshield trim. I think that would be easier than installing it under the glass seal.

Thanks. That does seem a tad easier to accomplish. Guess its time to place an order!

[8man]

I ordered mine yesterday. Printed the instructions this morning. Should have it next Monday.

Thanks for the help, guys.

[TX3100Guy]

I'm planning on also ordering the rear cab cover since I've relocated the fuel tank to under the bed. This helps solve a question I had about what to do back there.