The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Interiors Headliner...

Carl ,

I am envious that you have the A-1 Advanced Design Parts store just up the street that you can just walk to for your parts , however most of us rely on the internet parts venders and their claims of how their parts fit . In my experience 99% of the parts I buy in my “ internet-derived “ buying sprees fit just the way expected , and of course I have bought some pretty bad knockoffs but I knew that going in and not use and shelved ……...Not this time……

The discussion about the quality of headliners seems to be ancient , I decided to hopefully become part of a solution , not to help myself per se because I am already out part money + shipping , but to help the next guy who comes along and pay good money for a bad part .
We also had to suppliers Classic Parts of a America and BowtieBits taking your position that it is the buyers fault .

Yes , it seems that Rick and NPD is also trying to find a solution , it is highly beneficial for him to do so on many fronts , first he can sell this part with the utmost confidence that it will fit , and also he gets his admittedly Chevy Truck startup catalog face time in a very good market with Stovebolt .. Smart business savvy in my opinion.

So before we start blaming bad parts on internet buying inept wannabes , lets see how this plays out before assigning blame .
Dan

My comment was that we don't "assume" every customer is a numbskull as a knee-jerk attitude going-in. We take enough time to at least take a look at the situation. If after we peel back a few layers of the onion, we find nothing serious wrong with the product, just an inept or incorrect consumer, then we deal with it as tactfully as possible.

We're getting close to our 40th year.

Dan, I've left you in the hands of Kirk Hansen here at our Florida headquarters, and I've given him some input before I leave town for 5 days. I'll be back on Wednesday. I don't keep up with emails or internet when I'm with family . But Kirk will carry-on with this issue. It looks like we need to determine if "humpbacks" began life as panel-trucks or pick-up trucks. Due to their low volume, they must've been hand-built from one or the other.

In any case, I've gotta run, but I'll certainly check back when I return to town. It's my girls' Spring Break.

Dan, as I stated earlier, and very specifically, my comments were NOT directed at you. Your parts fitting problem is very real. My comments were to illuminate the tough spot which vendors are in when dealing with the onslaught of inexperienced buyers (again, not you). My apologies to you if my prior "wording" contributed to your misinterpretation of my point.
Carl

Karl Hanson from NPD contacted me for my home address and said that Brian at Repops [ Mantco ?] is going to be sending me a replacement panel to check for fitting . I am not sure if this is one that has been changed based on this thread or not but will post any findings as to fit .
Dan

Update ,
I wouls like to thank Rick Schmidt and Kirk Hansen of NPD Parts for putting me in touch with Brian at Montco / REPOPS the manufacturer of the 51-53 HEADLINER that NPD and Classic Parts of America sells . I do not know who else jobs from Repops They can be reached at 3182 71 south Mena Arkansas 71953 Phone 479- 394-4500

Brian called me and told me that they have a front piece of my 2 piece headliner that is about 2 inches wider than the non fitting one I have , Montco/ REPOPS sent me this and an uncut piece that was about 4 inches wider that I could cut it myself .

When I received the liners from Montco/ REPOPS the “cut “ one was the same non fitting size that I had and the uncut piece is a different shade in both pieces will need to be painted , no problem


Brian at Montco/ REPOPS insists that they are using factory blueprints to make these liners … If this is true consider these points…

1 . Why is it that the front one is short and the back one is longer?[ see here ] ] Does Brain at Montco/ REPOPS really think that GM had on their assembly line someone paid to trim the back liner to fit ?? Most likely they were cut to fit in the first place?

2. If Brian at Montco/ REPOPS believes that someone is paid to trim the back piece why is the front piece short? Wouldn't they also have that person trim the front piece also?

Factory exact my arse ..

So the bottom line is I have what I need to make a liner that fits …. But the bad thing is they will keep selling the old one with no modifications to correct it.

My ,[ and this is my opinion only ] , recommendation that if you are planning to by a 2 piece headliner for your 51-53 truck ask who makes it for them and if they say Montco/ REPOPS …. Do not buy it, and be wary of any Parts Catalog that continues to sell this headliner KNOWING it does not fit .
Dan

I think I will just wait until the dust settles before I get a head liner. It is probably one of the last things to do anyway. Keep us posted on any positive developments. Steve

I decided to move this to the Interior forum since this is a pretty good discussion about the headliner (specifically) problem; and perhaps parts in general. I thought Neverdone gave us a good bit of information and had good follow-through.

We have not usually had a lot of hammer-throwing type posts when a part is wrong. I think good feedback is always helpful, especially if we want to get the stuff that is correct. Not only does it happen with our truck stuff, but on lots of things we get on-line.

One / some day, and with some help, we may figure out a way to have a place in the forum to handle these issues. (It *could* make the Greasy Spoon blush )

For now, I have asked Neverdone if he has gotten any farther. I am terribly curious.

Peggy

Peggy,

Just read the posts on the headliner problems. I just finished installing my 2 piece headliner in my '49 that I purchased from Bowtie Bits. I also purchased one from Jim Carter. Both headliners fit the same. Front piece was short by 1/4"-3/16" on the passenger side and the rear piece was short on the driver's side in the very back curve by a 1/4". Tried to purchase the headliner from NPD, but they still do not have it listed in their catalog. So, to date it appears that the vendors have not corrected this problem and NPD still has not found a vendor to supply a correct 2 piece headliner. I guess I was one of the lucky ones that was able to get a headliner with minimal fitment problems. Just thought I would update with my findings. Thank you for bringing this back to our attention.

Tim

Just another note to bring to the attention of the members. It seems there are quite a few of us who have ordered the colored wind lace that fits into the channel along the doors of the AD trucks. This colored wind lace bunches up and wrinkles in the back corner of the doors, where the black rubber wind lace does not. Here is another issue that probably needs to be addressed with the vendors who supply this wind lace. I noticed in an earlier post that someone mentioned that the colored wind lace is not as pliable and that due to it being a vinyl based material that this may be causing it to be less pliable? Any thoughts on this?

Tim

I have to agree I think I'll wait to order a headliner.

Can't try it my self but someone that is installing it now might
try using a hair dryer to help it around the corner. If it is
indeed vinyl then heat should soften it enough to allow you to
form it. The rubber, not so much since once it is vulcanized
it it's taken a set and heat won't soften it very much.
dg

After receiving various aftermarket parts from the vendors that supply them for these AD trucks and returning them for fitment issues, I have come to the conclusion that many of these "aftermarket" parts are inferior made at best. Issues such as loose fitting mechanisms, thinner than original gauge metal, short cut fiberboard items and items made from non-OEM specified materials have created quite a few headaches. I understand that trimming and adjusting are issues we all must face with restoration projects, but a "board stretcher" (joking) and rebuilding "new" reproduction parts should not be in the mix. I have done quite a few restoration projects in my years, but have not run into as many problems with parts as I have had with these reproduction AD truck parts. If we as members of Stovebolt don't bring these issues to the attention of these parts vendors, then all we do is complain about this among ourselves. So far I have had good luck with Jim Carter and Bowtie Bits concerning parts problems with verification of the problem by the vendor, and attempts to replace the defective part. I think the real problem is that many of these reproduction parts are not made in the GOOD OL" USA! Off shore supply of parts made in China, Taiwan, Korea, etc. just don't measure up to the original parts specified by GM. I'm sure GM had engineering drawings and material specifications for each and every part produced for these trucks, but through the years these engineered specs and drawings were either destroyed or lost. As Forrest Gump said..."That's ALL I've got to say about that."

Tim

fixit,

Don't forget he also stated "Live is like a box of chocolates (or in our case a foreign box of parts), you never know what you're gonna get!"

:-)

Chris

Sorry, I couldn't help it.

Chris,

You hit it right on the head!!! Like it!!

Tim

Did this headliner question ever get resolved ?

I have my originals (well the ones I took out) for patterns

I was hoping this thread had resolved for the best vendor

( I was going to go to local guy,but they are retiring, too bad ,probably had original material )

Just-a-hacker,

Don't think this headliner issue got resolved. It seems in most, if not all cases the original cardboard headliners the bolter's get from the popular vendors are cut short in various areas and you have to improvise to get them to fit. I think the best we can do is to point these problems out to the supplying vendor and maybe....just maybe one of these vendors will get it RIGHT!!

Tim

Before you took it out, were there any gaps?

The vendors were being made aware of the misfits they were
selling even back when I brought Old Blue home in 2005.
The complaints seem to fall on deaf ears.
If you're talking about using your old one for a pattern
Dennis, just remember to add extra to the edges due to
shrinkage. That's the mistake that the guys made when they
copied the repro headliners that they're pushing.
From what I've seen, the plastic ones are the best answer.
Have a friend that just had the upholstery shop install
his and it looks great.
dg

Denny

not familiar with the plastic, how do the look ?

I think mine fit fine,but are raggedy on edges, probably not a good idea to put them back in

Dennis

My two bits, I ordered a head liner several years ago. It came in, I was surprised it was made of card board material, and neutral gray color.
It was split in two pieces, front and rear. Amazingly it connected with button snaps in the front and rear pretty good. I used a spray glue to attach to the top only it did not hold very well. I ended up rigging it with a small size PVC pipe. Bowed it from one side to the other. It supports the liner but just does not look great!
Well, I just read the Tech Tips. Looks like they did not send me something with the liner. Some kind of clip to snap the back to the front?

glenn...buddy....??? Think you been lookin' at too many of
those stock car interiors down there at the Darlington race
track. Button snaps, PVC and spray glue??? The interior of
these AD trucks was a little cleaner than that.

Yes Dennis, the plastic ones are one piece and have enough
material at the edges that they cam be trimmed to fit. And
they conform to the curvature of the roof much better than
the cardboard, which was originally panel board by the way
not cardboard. BIG difference in price also. I've not
installed one myself, but was looking over the one a friend
had his upholstery guy put in his '50 and it looked great.

dg

The middle piece you are missing is the floating bow (mid-49 on). This piece is bent like an "S", so top goes in then bottom, it does not attach to anything but the cardboard liners. It will look a bit like this when installed (early fixed bow example).
https://www.flickr.com/photos/advance-design_parts_co/18149693683/in/album-72157631867396207/
The bow does not come with the liner kits, I am not sure if they are reproduced? Do you have the rear screw in bow as shown in the picture?

Brad,
nice pics
going through your pics, I see you used Heim joints on steering connection, great idea

Thanks, they allowed me clearance so I did not have to use any spacers on the modern 8-lugs (1991 Suburban).

?? Were they race car parts ?

Yes, Speedway Motors offers them in a wide variety of applications. I built the adjustable pitman arm, bought their steel tie-rod and added the heims. Everything bolts up with 5/8" stainless bolts with locking nuts. I have 4600 miles on the set-up since 2011.

Brad, that looks so nice! Is that a radio antenna I see?
Mine does not have any of the trim parts. It snapped onto snaps that were already in the truck. The middle section overlaps a good bit so it would need to be trimmed to join up even. Noticed yours has a brace in the center of the top. Mine does not have that, looks like it never did.
I will try to look around for those parts, makes it look so nice!

Glenn,

It is actually the control cable for this directional signal I found on a 1954 farm truck. You pull the lever and the arm goes up to signal. The guy I bought the truck from says it was pretty popular here in the west for signaling the combines as they were filling?
https://www.flickr.com/photos/advance-design_parts_co/8129047985/in/album-72157631867396207/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/advance-design_parts_co/8129080864/in/album-72157631867396207/
Here is the arm as installed on the bed of the '54.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/advance-design_parts_co/8130556264/in/album-72157631870734114/

I have a pic of my dad driving a flatbed with one of those signals on the truck





...pic...

That is exactly it, these appear on trucks in the Chevrolet full-line sales catalogs from the AD years, in one of them a school bus has two mounted, one front and one back.

Well I have never? I guess it will keep your arm dry in the rain!
Most people out there driving today would not know what the signals mean in the first place.

What do you guys think of LMC Truck parts? It may even be out of business, I will check?

LMC is one of the top suppliers among a few dozen others. They
can be kind of pricey on some items, so like a medical opinion,
it's a good idea to get a second opinion on the costs.
80 or 90% of the reproduction items all come from the same
manufacturer but prices vary from one vendor to the next.

dg