VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1937-1945 Headliner and Windlace

Finally got a chance today to test fit my headliner from Chevs of 40's. It fit great and only took 5mins to do a quick install and check fit and extra material. Nothing ever goes that quickly.

I also got a windlace kit. The door windlace is obvious but there is a smaller version of the same style windlace included in the kit. Only about 8 feet long which I suspect is the "wire-on" part of the kit. Where does this go? I believe a slice of headliner material covers the windshield pillars as my visors are already recovered so not sure where this short piece should go?

My car was missing the headliner so have not touched any of these pieces before and just want to make sure the kit is complete as there were no instructions and the packing slip is not very clear...

Over the top of the doors Tim. In the pics below you'll see where it terminates at the windshield garnish molding and by the seat cushion.

Thanks Tiny. I had seen it described as "door wire-on" so makes sense. So the windlace with the thicker bead goes all around the door perimeter as well, but continues all the way down to the bottom of the door openings.The top of the door opening will have the both the larger and this smaller one then?

Yepper. This is the best picture I have showing the whole thing as it came from the factory. This is fresh out of the barn, just got it home, pre-restoration.

Perfect. Thanks. Looks like an "eyebrow" over the door... I was going to go looking for your pictures like this as you sent me a DVD way back prior to the primer and then paint stages...

Well, my 37 coupe headliner was finished just today. Long story about getting material etc. I have the hampton coach installation instructions for the headliner and interior kit I purchased many years ago. Don’t know the best way to get it to you, any suggestions. My daughter lives in Alberta. Small pieces of headliner material cover the metal retainers at the bottom front of doors behind kick panel. Don’t be too quick to cut anything, speeking from experience.

In 1936 GM cars (wood bodied) there was a piece of wire-on over the doors. The headliner and the windlace tack down to the wood, and then the wire-on is used to cover the tacking area between. The final effect looks like a double row of windlace. I am not sure if this method would apply to a steel body. What year are we talking about?

It's a 1938 Business Coupe. It only has a tack strip above the doors - a thick one. Going from memory it's at least 1/4" and maybe as much as 3/8" thick and 3/4" deep. The double row of windlace effect is about right if you look at Tiny's original interior pictures above, especially if you save them and then zoom in...

Sounds like that's probably where it goes.

Hi Tim,

Did the Chev40s headliner colour match your orig headliner colour? Did you get biege or taupe and what is your trim code? I suspect our trim codes are probably the same and wanted to order a headliner.

Thanks for the help,
Mike

Hey Mike, my original was long gone, replaced with a 1950's white vinyl with textured white dots lol. I did see several original 1938 Canadian Pontiac headliners in person and they looked like a medium Taupe just like the Chevies I have seen over the years. I paid attention to this since I wanted to find fabric that was like the original.

I have managed to get a 1941 Canadian Dealer Option album (closest I have found to 1938) and it shows all the Canadian accessories and interior fabric options and there were indeed more options than Chevy for the fabric and it appears the headliner stayed the same between all model lines in Canada.

Sending you a PM