Replacing the headliner in a 20's Hudson Sedan

rhurst
rhurst Member
in "How To" - Skills, mechanical and other wise
Does anyone have any experience in changing the headliner in a 20's Hudson Sedan. I have a 1923 Sedan and would like to replace the headliner.  It looks like there is no backing and I can't feel any support under the fabric. Is it just stretched across then nailed to a support board along the edge of the roof?  Then the wind-lace is racked over it?  I have not taken it
apart yey and thought someone out there could guide me through this step.
Robert

Comments

  • Geoff
    Geoff Senior Contributor
    Generally there are hood bows across, and tacking strips sewed in to the  head lining.   I have done three '29 Biddle & smart 7 passenger sedans, and these have a complete calico backing to which the  tacking strips are attached.  I have no idea of the '23  model though.  You will get the idea once you remove it.  You will need a staple gun.
  • rhurst
    rhurst Member
    Thanks Geoff   What no tacks on this? :)
  • Geoff
    Geoff Senior Contributor
    You can use tacks by all means.  When using tacks you hold the lining with one hand the hammer in the other, and the tack in the other
  • rhurst
    rhurst Member
    Got it..... it's the third hand  that gives me trouble!
  • AnnaCarin
    AnnaCarin Member
    edited May 2020
    With tacks, you actually use a tack hammer which has one magnetic end, which acts as your third hand. (Been there, done that - but only on furniture.)
    Do check out the Fisher body manual though - a step by step instruction with lots of tips and tricks for installing headliners on hood bows using tacking strips (they call them "listings").
    BTW, the instructions say you blind stitch the listings to the headliner. As you don't have visible seams across the headliner, this is likely how HMCC did it too. Blind stitch is the type of seam used for hemming dress pants invisibly, and you'll find it on any sewing machine made after the 50s. Check out Wikipedia's pic of how it's done; the part to the left would be the headliner, folded right sides together at the seamline. The listing is centered underneath the seamline. The straight stitches go through the listing only, while the V-shaped stitches catch a few threads of the headliner at intervals. From the right side, only a faint dotted line will show.
    With the complete calico backing Geoff mentioned, I imagine it would lie flat on top of the listing strip when sewing, so the straight stitches run through the backing and listing strip.


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