VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1937-1945 1938 Headliner

My headliner had been replaced with a tacky one in the 50's so I have not seen fragments of my original for reference.

Replacement headliners are available in Beige, Taupe and Dark Taupe. Beige seems to be the most common that I have seen in restored cars and is almost a bright tan. The Taupe is approaching a light brown and the dark taupe almost looks like aged, dirty brown material.

What colour was the original headliner material in 1938?
What vendors have guys gotten headliners from that the quality/fit was good and colour was close to original?

Thanks

It was not a bright tan and while I ca not see the colors thr Taupe sounds more correct.

I'll post pics of the original material that was in my car. They're on the other computer that's off for the evening.

You got me thinking Tiny and I found a picture of your new headliner - picture has a floodlight on the package tray pointed into the rear headliner corner.

It looks a bit richer brownish than I remember. Is it close to your original? Would you prefer lighter or darker shade after living with it for a while?

It's pretty close. I'll post a photo or two of the original before the restoration. It'll be a door panel but the material was the same.

Thanks Tiny. That's interesting your headliner matches your door panels that closely but makes sense.

I have my original interior door and seat fabric despite no headliner and it's actually a light taupe material with chocolate 1/8" squares (taken from areas hidden from the sun lol as it bleached to a plain tan with no visible pattern). Similar to the attached image but with the opposite pattern so there is more light squares than dark ones. Sent a piece to Gene a dozen years ago and he did not recognize it. This fabric was used to make the Canadian Pontiac look a bit fancier than the Chevy that it was actually built from.

All of the similar model Canadian cars I've seen have a plain headliner so suspect they simply used the Chevy headliner. Unfortunately I have never seen an original Canadian Pontiac headliner to know for 100% sure but keep hearing "this new one from Vendor X is very close to the original I took out". Again, reinforcing the feeling that my car had the same headliner as the Chevy.

These details drive me nuts lol...

Here are two pics. The first showing the car fresh out of the barn where it slept for many years. The second showing the new fabric. The new fabric is a bit brighter but the old was very dirty.

Thanks Tiny. Looks like I was expecting as everything 1938 has looked similar to this colour, even with replacement headliners.

Where did you get your headliner?

The upholsterer who did the car got it from one of his suppliers. It's a synthetic that mimics mohair. He's since retired and I have no idea which company he bought it from. If the company that made it is still producing it any upholstery shop should be able to get it.

The headlining mimics mohair?

The replacement headliners I've seen the most are more of a flat, irregularly layered appearing material that reminds me of thin paper mache'. Surface to touch reminds me of swede but very thin.

I've seen a few also like a mohair that basically are a really, really. really low pile fabric with the material almost standing up like a "flat top" haircut..

Yep, the headliner was the same fabric as the seat covers and door panels. You can just see it (what's left of it) in the photo I posted.

Tim et al.,

I'll try to attach 2 photos of the headliner and door panels of my restored 38 coupe pickup. These components came from Hampton Coach back in 2011-12.

They are not too far from the color/texture of Tiny's original.

Jim

LOL I have those pictures of yours too somewhere! They look good and definitely taupe colour.

that is about as close you can get to original.......computor screen differences considered also.