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Headliner Wires / Bows

Posted: Thu Aug 01, 2019 2:20 pm
by Martin Langer
Hello,
My MY53 project car is incomplete.
Besides others, the spring steel wires / bows for the headliner are missing.
Can someone please provide the length for the Pre-A steel wires, without the rubber ends?
All 3 have just 1 part number - 356.53.405, so they should all be the same length.
Thank you!
Martin

Re: Headliner Wires / Bows

Posted: Sat Aug 03, 2019 4:05 am
by Aki Ruohonen
I did have a same issue of lost bows with my '53. I ended up making them 50s beetle bows. Those are basically identical material and easy to obtain. You need to just trim the other end and fit a piece of rubber hose to the end. I did not record the length but it was fairly easy to determine once you try them on the car. Unlike in factory I also decided to paint the bows in order to prevent possible surface rust to stain the new headliner.

Br,
Aki

Re: Headliner Wires / Bows

Posted: Sat Aug 03, 2019 1:50 pm
by Spencer Harris
Steve Harrison posted some good photos and commentary during his '55 restoration a few years ago. I emailed him, but he didn't record the length of his original bows.
viewtopic.php?f=4&t=21404&p=217337

Re: Headliner Wires / Bows

Posted: Wed Aug 07, 2019 4:35 pm
by Martin Langer
Thank you Aki, I will work with the early VW bows and take up the advise of painting them.
Thank you Spencer, for trying to get Steve involved. His reports and pictures are a big help for me and many others, I presume.
Martin