Surprise!!

[Norm's Coupe]

Was going to do a quick job of bending tabs up and inserting the headliner into the rear of the roof down by the package tray. Had left that small portion of the old headliner in so I wouldn't forget how it was attached. Thought it was like the seat back covers and the liner would just slip over the tabs and bend them down.

MURPHY'S LAW DECIDED TO VISIT!!

Got all the tabs bent up and still could not pull the small piece of old headliner out from around the package tray area. Looking closer I found that the original headliner was sewn to a wire, and that wire was from end to end holding the headliner down under the tabs. That's a problem. The new headliner has no loop in it for that wire, and no wire is sewn into it. So.........was off to the trusty True Value Hardware for new wire. Guess what guys, they don't sell the old type close line wire anymore, that would have worked perfect. Then looked at the small steel dowels. I needed about 5 feet, they only come in 3 foot lengths. The dowels are weldable steel, however I didn't want to drag out the welder for a small job like that, so started looking for a coupling. Couldn't find a 10/24th coupler either. So......finally ended up buying a steel expansion pin slightly smaller than the steel rod. Got it home, drove the pin into one end of the first rod, then drove the other rod into the other end of the pin. Nice and tight, good enough since this really doesn't get any stress anyway. Can't pull it apart and once it's clamped under the tabs, it's not going anywhere.

I probably could have done without the rod but it helps when pulling the headliner to get all the wrinkles out and keep it even down there. Will just roll the headliner around it as I install it. then clamp it down, similar to the original setup.

Anyone else notice that steel rod at the rear of their old headliners when they removed it? If so, did you replace it or just use the steel tabs in the package tray?

All this putzing guess I won't get the headliner done again tonight. Also ran into another slight problem. The dome light housing I blasted and painted won't work either. The dome light in the car only has one wire. The one I just blasted and painted has two wires going to it. Going to forget about playing with that for now. Can always paint the one in the car some other time when I have nothing else better to do.

[BobT-47P15]

Norm......some days if not for bad luck, a person would have no luck at all.

[wldavis3]

Norm,

The "other wire" in the two wire dome light must be just be a ground wire.

I can't imagine having a dual filament dome light (dim and bright???).

I guess there have been crazier things invented before!

[Norm's Coupe]

Guess you could say that Bob.

Got back out about 7:30 PM after dinner. Worked on getting the rear of the headliner in with the new wire/rod. Was a little more time consuming using the wire/rod, but got that part finished and the rear window molding back in, and a rough opening cut out for the rear window. Just need to trim it off after completing the whole headliner. Then it started getting dark (was working outside for more light) so quit. All that's left now is to cut an opening for the dome light, mount it back in there and stretch and tuck the sides in. Probably another couple of hours work. Doing it by myself so it takes a little longer that way.

Thought that extra dome light I refinished last week was the same as the one in the car. Had the same cover as the P15. However, like I said it has two wires. Could just switch sockets. If I have to do that though I may as well refinish the original one and keep it. This extra one must be for 49 to about 54 Plymouth. Think they went to two wire in 49. Will look at the wiring diagram for the 49 - 54 and check it out. Oh well, have a nice part to sell or trade I guess, so not all is lost on the extra dome light.

[55 Fargo]

Bob,I know the feeling of luck like that. Hey Norm, if anyone can figure out another way to "skin the Cat" it's You LOL. About now I would rather have a headliner problem than a leak at the back of the engine, now this was Murphy's Law, or maybe there is a reason for my misfortune.........Fred

[Norm's Coupe]

Fred, I agree. Would rather have my problem than have to replace those plugs in the rear of the engine.

Bill Davis really has me scratching my head now though. I still haven't checked the wiring diagram on that dome light question. Sounds like he only has one wire going to his though. Oh well, I'm not going to lose any sleep over that now. Can always look that up, it's an extra part now anyway that I don't need.

Fred, the reason for our misfortune is simple. We're working on old cars and nothing ever seems to go as smooth as we think it will. After earlier tonight I feel like my grandfather. He was alway tinkering with something, and a lot of times didn't go as smooth as he thought either. Then the air would turn blue from the words coming out of his mouth. Old German you know. (No offense meant to people with German heritage, I have a little myself). He did that so much his bird even started cussing up a storm. :D Use to embarrass my grandmother when company was in the house and the bird started cussing up a storm. :D Especially if the company happened to be someone from church.