COMET CENTRAL

New to this site. My first post……
I just purchased a 1963 Comet custom 4 door sedan in beautiful shape except for the headliner. I probably will not have the car for a few weeks since it needs to be transported from Mass. to NC.
There are stains on the headliner in about 4 places.
I’m assuming it may be coming from surface rust on the bottom of the roof? I thought I saw somewhere that there was also padding from the factory between the roof and the headliner. Hopefully the stains are from the padding rather than rust.
Is there indeed padding above the headliner?
Has anyone had this issue with their Comet?

My plan when I get my Comet will be to remove the headliner , clean up and treat the metal as needed, then have a new one put in professionally.

Any companies better than others when it comes to correct quality headliners?

Thanks for any input. Much appreciated.
Doug in NC

Welcome aboard, Doug! Where are you located in NC?

Jim

Jims65cyclone wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 06, 2023 10:59 pm

Welcome aboard, Doug! Where are you located in NC?

Jim

I am located in Hendersonville close to Asheville. Moved here in 2012 from the Raleigh area.

Ah! Close to Pigeon Forge. Looking forward to meeting you and your car at the Gathering next June.

Jim

Jims65cyclone wrote: ↑

Fri Jul 07, 2023 6:04 pm

Ah! Close to Pigeon Forge. Looking forward to meeting you and your car at the Gathering next June.

Jim

Sounds good. Pigeon Forge is not too far away from us. My wife loves to go to Cherokee. We head to Pigeon Forge from there. Always a good turn out.

Well, I figured out where the staining came from on the headliner. MICE!
Everywhere there was a stain there was nesting material made from the insulation between the headliner and the roof. Also, some chewed up nuts came tumbling out.
I am so grateful it wasn’t a rusty roof under the headliner.
Mystery solved. Some expensive mice $2000 mice!

.

..."I hate those meeses to pieces..."

'was hoping original headliner pic was not what I first thought - and it was ... MICE


Nothing I hate more than a beautiful car with the putrid odor of Camphor (Moth Balls) wafting out at a show or cruise. Parked next to nice '65 Corvair at a show last Sunday and had to move from the sickening camphor stink in the hot sun. I think the mice do stay away from the mothballs but ruin everything else in the car.
'
Dryer Sheets, Electronic Piezo- devices and 'mousebait' all are supposed to give some protection. I like 'Irish Spring original' soap for a deterrent - don't know if it actually works but sure smells 'springtime fresh' rather than moth balls stench when door is opened...

the only barn I never have mice problems has snakeskins under cars in spring when I remove them. Symbiotic though - I found mouse nests with snake skins used in making them...

... skins decorating garage wall @ 6-8'


rattler ?



hav e fun

Well, I was going to give the old "have you ever smelled moth balls?" joke, but I will leave it along. LOL.
Fortunately, no moth ball or evem mouse urine smell in the Comet. It must have been pretty old. I found a few nuts in the trunk too along the lower side of the right fender.
When I lived in northern Indiana as a teen in the 70's I had a ground hog climb inti the engine compartment on my Cutlass. Turned on the engine, heared an aweful noise, opened the hood and had fur everywhere and a busted belt.
Same thing happened with my 73 Firbird Formula but this time it was a mother cat and her kittens. Man, I felt terrible.
Those are the not so good memories of my old cars.

Maybe I should have the upholstery shop put a few fake snakes about the headliner this time.
Thanks for the reply,
Doug