Making Headliner Bows. |
Begin with several sections of 3/16” mild steel rod. Make a 90 degree bend ¾” from the end in one end of each rod. Take one rod and insert the bent end into one of the holes in the roof side rail. Push up on the rod about six inches from the inserted end with your hand to bend the rod to match the shape of the roof. Follow the bend across the roof to the other side and make the same type of curve so the end of the rod is pointing downward. When the contour of the roof is matched on the bow, hold the bow in place and mark where the bow is next to the hole. Remove the bow from the car and trim to length ¾” beyond the mark. Then bend the end 90 degrees at the mark. Put the bow back into the car to check the fit, and make any necessary adjustments. When the bow fits to your satisfaction, leave it in place in the car and move on to making another bow in the same manner. Leaving the completed bows in the car until all are finished will allow you to keep track of which bows are done and what order they go in. When all of the bows are done, you can then transfer them in order into the headliner bow pockets. |
This article was submitted by Ron Fryer, who is a retired Upholsterer. It’s really great of Ron to help out his fellow car enthusiasts with these tips. |
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