Headliner

Randy1944

Randy1944

Senior Member
I am interested in finding good supplier of the headliner for my 1939 pickup. I want to get the entire interior set of cardboard items as used originally. I hope to buy one that fits well and without a lot of cutting and fitting. I am currently looking at Mac’s catalog showing their headliners and panel sets altogether. Does anyone one have experience with Mac’s headliners? Many thanks.
 
I didn't think headliners were available in 1939 for the pickup trucks. It seems to me that was a new offering beginning in early 1940.

I did start a thread on the Ford Club site asking the truck experts about this. I would never even pretend to be an expert on the trucks.
 
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Kube, Okay, I had pieces of a headliner and panels and just guessed they were original. But, I do think I would like to put a new one in my truck, if it wouldn’t be to much of a problem. Now, I am wondering about the “fit” if they never came with one. Thanks
 
Randy1944 said:
Kube, Okay, I had pieces of a headliner and panels and just guessed they were original. But, I do think I would like to put a new one in my truck, if it wouldn’t be to much of a problem. Now, I am wondering about the “fit” if they never came with one. Thanks
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Randy, I don't know if the cab is the same as '40 so can't say if a '40 headliner will fit or not.
I have to believe others have installed liners in a '39 and hopefully they can chime in with their experience.
There is a small bracket in the center of your "ceiling" that extends downward perhaps an inch or so. A small oval head screw and finish washer was inserted through the cardboard and in to that bracket to hold the panel up.

I bought my panel kit from Lebaron but found out quickly it didn't fit as well as I would accept. I ended up buying the sheets of the proper green board and respective binding and made my own panels.

Let me (all of us) know how your project turns out please.
 
I have the Mac"s, cartouche catalog in front of me, and it has 38-39 colored cardboard like the originals, in black, green, and brown. whole kit for $345 plus oversized shipping. I have the 35-36 panel set, not installed yet, but looks good to me. Ron
 
I bought the headliner kit for my 48 F1 from Dennis Carpenter. It was a bit less expensive than the cartouche kit Mac sells. It fit well and was fairly easy to install, except for screw holes not lining up but I expected that.

That’s my only experience.
 
Many thanks for the responses. I have a new problem regarding a headliner. My truck is dark blue and dash is Tacoma cream colored and seat is dark gray colored. Any suggestions for headliner color? I am leaning toward light gray - manly to help lighten up the inside of cab.
 
Kube, that's a good question, when I got my truck it had been parked since 1966. I have knowledge of its history since new, first purchased for a local grocery, then repurposed for Coke a Cola, then parked. It could have had a headliner added in the forties or fifties I suppose but the windlass with the attachment nails and cardboard under the metal trim led me to believe original. You probably know better than I.
 
Would a 1940 Ford Commercial Truck Body Parts book answer this question?
I have a 1938 Body Parts List for Passenger Cars - Commercial and Truck (Feb 1938) and for Roof, they list a roof trim assemby 81C-813886.
Is that the steamed cardboard panel? It could be because the next parts listed are the retainers for the roof rail windlace (RH LH).
Dont know if this confuses the issue or not. But it maybe a place to start looking.
 
I bought the interior/headliner kit from Mac's for my '39 p/u. fits OK but there is some sag in the roof. Might be from the sound deadening material I glued on the roof under the liner coming loose and resting on the liner. Not sure. There is at least one source for a headliner for a '39 p/u, I believe either in fiberglass or ABS plastic. Think the company was in the central valley of CA, maybe Fresno
but I can't be sure.
 
37 truck said:
Kube, that's a good question, when I got my truck it had been parked since 1966. I have knowledge of its history since new, first purchased for a local grocery, then repurposed for Coke a Cola, then parked. It could have had a headliner added in the forties or fifties I suppose but the windlass with the attachment nails and cardboard under the metal trim led me to believe original. You probably know better than I.
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No, I probably don't know better. Trucks are still kind of a "foreign object" to me in many ways.
I'm eager to hear from folks that have researched these for a definitive answer.
During my research of 1940 half ton trucks, I'd found that "early" production had NO headliner. Later production did.
I'd also uncovered some evidence that the early models could have been fit with a headliner for an additional fee.
Apparently the headliner was so popular, Ford simply began to install it in all half ton pickups right at the assembly line.
How this relates to earlier model years and for that matter later models, I have no documentation to prove one way or another...
 
Randy1944 said:
I am interested in finding good supplier of the headliner for my 1939 pickup. I want to get the entire interior set of cardboard items as used originally. I hope to buy one that fits well and without a lot of cutting and fitting. I am currently looking at Mac’s catalog showing their headliners and panel sets altogether. Does anyone one have experience with Mac’s headliners? Many thanks.
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Can't help with Kube's question if the '39 p/u's came with a factory headliner or not but here is a link to an ABS molded headliner. Its more $$ than the cardboard one that Mac's sells but if I had it to do over again I'd probably go with the ABS one.
https://collectorsautosupply.com/he...MIp4LKyJ6K7wIVtzytBh13Kw71EAQYASABEgIao_D_BwE
 
I do like the sound of the ABS headliner. Has anyone actually seen one installed? Since I can’t look at one and see how it looks and feels, I sure would like to hear from someone that has. 51504, What issues have you had with your cardboard headliner? Thanks for the help.
 
Try Quiet Ride Solutions in Stockton , Ca. they make the ABS headliners and other inside panels.
 
Randy1944 said:
I do like the sound of the ABS headliner. Has anyone actually seen one installed? Since I can’t look at one and see how it looks and feels, I sure would like to hear from someone that has. 51504, What issues have you had with your cardboard headliner? Thanks for the help.
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Some minor issues of how the various pieces fit together and as I said the orrf sag but I'm not sure I can blame it on the headliner.
 
My 39 truck started as a 2 ton tanker \ fire engine. It can to me with a cardboard like headliner, red no less .My truck is now a halfton picup .IM looking into a new one as well . We put a fiberglass headliner and side panels in my sisters 37 Ford picup and it looks great. Interested in how you come out. I'm not too far behind you . Mike

Sent from my SM-A215U using Tapatalk
 
Randy1944 said:
I do like the sound of the ABS headliner. Has anyone actually seen one installed? Since I can’t look at one and see how it looks and feels, I sure would like to hear from someone that has. 51504, What issues have you had with your cardboard headliner? Thanks for the help.
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i put one in my 36 pickup, its a gloss black, you can paint them. they need to be trimmed to fit. i go the complete kit. it came with door panels, kick panels, and head liner. also the 2 cab corners and a strip under the rear window
 
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