'40 coupe upholstery question

R

russcc

Well-known member
What is the round trim around the interior of the door frame opening called ? Is it wind lace, or weather strip ?
Is there a good book on the Ford interior upholstery construction that shows how the headliner, door weather seal or wind lace is installed ? Where do you find it ? Thank you Fodbarners.
 
Believe it's called windlace, and I'm sure Lebaron Bonney has it. They can probably also provide information on installation. As I recall, the portion above the door hooks to pointed ears on the door tins.
 
It's held in by tacking it to the body via the tack strip attached to the body. The tins that screw to the body with the pointed claws are there for the headliner.
 
russcc: This will help. I used these instructions that came with my 1940 interior kit back in 1988. Practice making the 45 degree miter cuts on scrap wind lace before you install it. From the looks of the photos I think I used Contact cement to also hold the wind lace in place.
 

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More photos: Paint your headliner bows to prevent rust stains. They are numbered.
 

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A few more. Be sure and leave enough extra material to compensate for you headliner being stretched tight when you screw in your visors. Otherwise, your headliner material will be too short. I learned this the hard way. Entire LB interior kit, including seat, was about $550 back in 1988. You could probably use a cut down plastic bondo spreader as a "tucking tool" so as not to tear your material. Also, when installing garnish moldings put masking tape over the tip of the screwdriver so it fits tightly in the screw slot and won't slip out of the slot thereby damaging your headliner or garnish molding. TAKE YOUR TIME.
 

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If the prongs to hold the windlace are missing use pop rivets to hold it. Be sure to replace all the old tack strips. You can get the new material from Drake and other suppliers. Using the old original brittle strips in the car will cause you grief. Tacks and staples will no hold and eventually as the door pushes against the windlace it will come loose. You only want to do the job once.
 
"After" photos of mitered wind lace. Click "twice" on photo for good close up view.
 

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Do the Tudor sedans have the headliner attaching tins too? What creates the straight headliner edge shown over the windlace?
 
BABAR40 said:
Do the Tudor sedans have the headliner attaching tins too? What creates the straight headliner edge shown over the windlace?
Click to expand...

"Yes" tins are used there also. Below is shown a 4 door, but Tudors would have to have the 'tins" also. Perhaps someone with a Tudor can say for sure. I am straining my brain to remember, but I think there is a thin sheet metal trim strip that screws to the "tin strips".
You can see the screw holes in the tin strip photos. That thin metal trim strip has a radiused edge along its bottom edge and the headliner gets tucked up underneath that bottom edge thereby forming a straight edge as needed. OTHER FORDBARNERS PLEASE CORRECT ME IF I AM WRONG AS I CAN'T QUITE REMEMBER WITH ABSOLUTE CERTAINTY.
 

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The tin strips have what I call "shark teeth" on the back side. That is what grabs the headliner after it is tucked underneath. Some of the teeth become bent so they should be straightened to match the others. All 40 passenger cars have these strips. I should mention that there is also a tack strip on the front windshield header. This one should also be replaced as by now the original is shot.
 
GO to www. how-to-build-hotrods.com look under shawn appleman aka " SKIPSTICH" HE HAS THE ANSWER YOU NEED AND PICS HEADLINER-INSTALLATION HOPE THIS HELP YOU REAGEN
 
Going thru this myself right now. All info posted so far is way good.Same as what I found. However I could not figure out my back window,how to trim it or attach it. Turns out you have to pull the back window,yikes.
Also mine is a 41 sedan. May not be the same.
I recently ordered a headliner from a company. Came in wrong? Not sure probably my mistake.
Apparently there is a difference in a tudor and a tudor two door.One has 6 hoops and one has 7. They got me there.
The windlace in my opinion is not necessary unless the attachment methods mentioned previously by window frames etc are not any good.
 
I am not sure what you mean when you say, "The windlace in my opinion is not necessary unless the attachment methods mentioned previously by window frames etc are not any good."

If you're going to go to the trouble to install a new headliner, it will look fresh and new with new wind lace installed.
 
I ordered a headliner from these guys. dimensions are right on, quality and color just what I wanted.

https://wlsheadliners.com/

For nice cloth windlace in the same patterns once avaialble from Lebaron Bonney try these folks. Knowledgable staff, friendly folks, fast service, very reasonable prices, about 1/2 what the "usual suspects" want.

https://www.albrightssupply.com/

Good luck, don't be shy about asking for samples from either one.
 
I was thinking that if headliner tucks behind window trim that windlace would not be necessary. On my car I can tuck it behind front and back side windows. The center post has a covered panel I guess you would call it, that the short part of the headliner will tuck behind also.
The rear goes out the rear window and the new rubber covers the egde.
The front windshield trim covers it also.
I agree the windlace dresses it up but I am guessing not all installs are the same.
Also consider my opinion as only based on one car,mine. So really I dont know much.
 
I have never seen wind lace used anywhere else except around door openings. Never around windows.
 
19Fordy said:
I have never seen wind lace used anywhere else except around door openings. Never around windows.
Click to expand...

This is right, door openings. I'd imagine a rather dismal driving experience without it. Now, in some high end cars (Packard, Lincolns of the 30s) there was a small diameter coachlace covered welt cord that was a finsih between select parts of the interior. Very stylish in a proper setting. Packard also had a small welt cord behind the door panels. Seldom to never the case in our beloved bread and butter Fords.
 
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