FHC resto nr. 152; Headlining

Slowly starting on the car’s interior. Well over a month ago I took a new headlining from the attic that had been lingering there since I restored 't Kreng. The idea behind it was that if I would hang it up in the Sun, the creases, from to many years in its original bag, would straighten out. They didn’t completely. So some doubts crept in as whether to use it or not. Probably fitting and stretching it would get rid of the last creases.

There was another problem though; it is a white lining. As it should be on a TR7, I know. But I hate white headlinings and prefer black anytime! So first thoughts were to fit it and paint it black afterwards. But I have decided not to use it at all. And there are a few reasons for it. The first ones being the already mentioned creases and the hassle of painting it in situ. But more importantly; while trawling through the headlining parts I have in the shed, I found out that this headlining has incorrect dimensions of the various sections between the listing rails. They all are at least 4 mm to wide for the listing rail's mounting holes. And one section is not even square. Which might prove to be a too much of a challenge to get it stretched correctly. The joys of parts “Made in England” 😟 Luckily, while going through my spares, I found this original headlining.

Certainly not fit for (re)use but it is more than good enough to act as a template from which to create a new headlining.

With that discission made it was time for the next one. What to use for insulation on the underside of the roof panel. Original plan was to use an EPDM closed-cell-foam rubber. And to determine the thickness needed I fitted one of the spare listing rails to one of the spare roof sections. Turned out there is absolutely no space between the rail and the roof skin. Luckily for me the sealed box that contained the original head lining also contained two pretty good sets of roof insulation pads. So that discission was an easy one!

And final job in the shed was to find a set of 8 plastic end caps for the listing rails. Luckily I do have a few boxes with various plastic TR7 parts. And sure enough there was a full set there. The listing rails I coated many years ago were also found in one of the storage cupboards. Conveniently hidden from view of course!