69 El Camino headliner - brace?

[derekf]

I'm replacing the roof on my 69 El Camino, because the original roof had been cut 40 years ago for a sunroof that you can't get new seals for anymore.

There's only a single bow in the car right now (the rear) - the sunroof frame took care of the rest of the headliner support.



The brace was butted up against the rear of the sunroof, and I can't tell if it had been cut or not.



Looking at a youtube video where folks are doing the roof on a 1970 I don't even see the brace I've got, nor do I see one in David Sloan's '70 build thread (https://www.pro-touring.com/threads/...Elcamino-build!) but 69 might be different.

Does anyone know for sure if the 69 EC should have a brace for all the bows or do I have all I need already? If I need to replace the brace that's probably a thing better to do before I mount the new roof.

[raustinss]

Wish I could be some help , my only suggestion would be to look at a 69 chevelle .

[derekf]

I found this in a for-sale listing for a 68:



and this from a 69:



so I suppose it does need the brace and I need to go find one. There's an old-car junkyard about 50 miles away, reckon I'll be heading there.

[raustinss]

nice glad to see you found the answer ,good luck

[derekf]

So:

Good news! The junkyard does have a 68 El Camino.

Bad news: It looks like this.


Good news! the part is commercially reproduced!
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/opg-ch27411

Bad news: It includes two braces I don't need.

Good news! I ordered it anyway.

Bad news: It's backordered.

Good news: Supposed to arrive tomorrow anyway. Reckon this is the end of this saga; I'll get it installed over the weekend and can weld this new roof panel on.

[raustinss]

Lmao can't handle this emotional roller coaster

[derekf]

I spoke too soon - unending sagas don't get to, well, end!

I got braces.

I got this, which I didn't even know I needed:



I got the back brace, which I did not need:



And then rather than the headliner brace I expected, I got this.



It's too long to go front-to-back, and slightly too short to go crossways (though the bends in it do make me think it goes across).

Also, just to be annoying, the headliner bows in the kit are about .010 bigger in diameter than the factory rods, so they don't fit in the holes. Not that it's a big deal to grow the holes a little. They are the same shape as the single rod I have.

OPG isn't answering their phones today so I guess I'll get answers on Monday.