Headliner bows

[1Bad454]

Does anybody know what order the headliner bows go in? were they marked from the factory? 

[72 Monte Carlo]

From a post 20 years ago.

Here's a way to determine sequence for the headliner rods:

Stand all five rods on the floor holding them together to check length.

*The very shortest and smallest diameter rod is rod #3 and goes in the center tube.

*The next shortest rod is rod #2 and goes in the #2 tube (forward of the center tube toward the windshield)

*The #1 rod is only about 1" longer than #2 rod. It has a more shallow bend on the ends and goes in the front tube closest to the windshield.

*Next is #4 rod and it goes in the tube immeiately behind the center tube toward the back glass.

*finally, the longest rod (#5) goes closest to the back glass.

 

You may have to cut the tube to give yourself some sliding room for adjustment. You probably need about 3/4 of an inch on each side. This can be accomplished after you have the headliner hanging by reaching up behind the headliner and slitting the tube as needed.

Start at the rear inserting the rods and work your way to the front.

[1Bad454]

12 hours ago, 72 Monte Carlo said:

From a post 20 years ago.

Here's a way to determine sequence for the headliner rods:

Stand all five rods on the floor holding them together to check length.

*The very shortest and smallest diameter rod is rod #3 and goes in the center tube.

*The next shortest rod is rod #2 and goes in the #2 tube (forward of the center tube toward the windshield)

*The #1 rod is only about 1" longer than #2 rod. It has a more shallow bend on the ends and goes in the front tube closest to the windshield.

*Next is #4 rod and it goes in the tube immeiately behind the center tube toward the back glass.

*finally, the longest rod (#5) goes closest to the back glass.

 

You may have to cut the tube to give yourself some sliding room for adjustment. You probably need about 3/4 of an inch on each side. This can be accomplished after you have the headliner hanging by reaching up behind the headliner and slitting the tube as needed.

Start at the rear inserting the rods and work your way to the front.

Great info! Thank you sir.

[Rob Peters]

15 hours ago, 72 Monte Carlo said:

From a post 20 years ago.

Here's a way to determine sequence for the headliner rods:

Stand all five rods on the floor holding them together to check length.

*The very shortest and smallest diameter rod is rod #3 and goes in the center tube.

*The next shortest rod is rod #2 and goes in the #2 tube (forward of the center tube toward the windshield)

*The #1 rod is only about 1" longer than #2 rod. It has a more shallow bend on the ends and goes in the front tube closest to the windshield.

*Next is #4 rod and it goes in the tube immeiately behind the center tube toward the back glass.

*finally, the longest rod (#5) goes closest to the back glass.

 

You may have to cut the tube to give yourself some sliding room for adjustment. You probably need about 3/4 of an inch on each side. This can be accomplished after you have the headliner hanging by reaching up behind the headliner and slitting the tube as needed.

Start at the rear inserting the rods and work your way to the front.

Doug,

That is some really great information.  Thanks for posting it.  I have never seen it so simply stated.

rob

[overdrive]

Ronnie and I talked today about headliner installations. Afterwards, since the listings that the support rods slide into are always too long, I did some measuring on my '71 original headliner. I laid out the center line on the headliner and measured to the ends of the listings on one side, and then I doubled it to get the total length needed for each listing. I also measured a set of bows that I removed from one of my parts cars. #1 listing/bow is at the front. The photo shows the different bend radius of bows 1 (top) and 2, as was mentioned previously. 

#1, listing is 42 ½", bow is 48 ⅛"

#2, listing is 42 ½", bow is 47 ¾"

#3, listing is 42", bow is smaller diameter.

#4, listing is 42 ½", bow is 52"

#5, listing is 44 ½", bow is 54"

I watched a YouTube video recently, and I posted the link to it in a reply I made in another thread in this group. The guy in the video showed that he cut and trimmed the listing for the 3rd bow at each of the plastic clips that the bow snaps into, so that the listing fabric doesn't get trapped between the clip and the bow. I've not seen a factory installed headliner done that way, and I've never done it that way. The bow covered with the listing fabric will snap into the clips without having to trim the listing at each clip. He added an unnecessary step, and that also allows less support of the headliner at each clip. 

Dan 

Edit, I doubled checked my measurements and adjusted a couple. 

 

[1Bad454]

Great information Dan! I look forward to your findings. 😎

[overdrive]

I made corrections. I was surprised to find that the dome light is not centered. I've never bothered to look at that, but you can get behind the car, get low and in line with the trunk lock and the rear view mirror and it's easily seen. 

Dan