carpet installation?

[Brave Salmon]

Getting ready to install the factory carpet over the sound/heat insulation. Has anyone out there done this installation and could share a few tips? The book says to start at the front of the tunnel and glue it as you go. I've tried trial fitting to no avail so I guess I will have towing it unless someone can offer guidance. Once this stuff is glued down, it will destroy to foam:( if I have to move it.

[JRL16]

If it's going over coolmat from breeze use silicone to attach it. That's what I used and it allows movement before it sets. Pretty easy and it's not coming off. I did all the vertical pieces first then fit the floors and last the tunnel. Worked great but I'm sure others have had success doing it differently. Good luck.

[RoadRacer]

Interesting - I haven't read much about interior yet, not even looked at the manual that far in, but I screwed in my carpet on last two cars. Used those countersunk finishing washers. No-one does that?

[AC Bill]

[QUOTE=Brave Salmon;278514 I've tried trial fitting to no avail so I guess I will have towing it unless someone can offer guidance..[/QUOTE]

What do you mean by that? That none of the pre-cut pieces will fit in place, wrong shape, need additional trimming, or won't line up with one another at the seams?

[carlewms]

Some photos of your challenge would help also ... I am curious what you problem is as I am starting the process myself soon.

[Brave Salmon]

First, let me clarify the sound/heat deal. The stuff I used came as an option from FFR. One layer of thick black rubber like mat that has adhesive on the side stuck to the alum. panels. Over that is a 3/16 thick gray foam matting that sticks to the black stuff. The carpet goes on top of the foam. The spray adhesive can be put on the back of the carpet and the carpet put down. Once in place, the glue is permanent and will tear apart the foam if you try to pull it up. Because of the contour of the tunnel, shifter, and window switch, I can't simply lay it down and test fit it. It's not simple to hold it in place at one end and cut to fit the other. I think I will try the process that JRL sent. Do the flat sides and rear wall first. Unfortunately, the carpet is ment to be cut-to-fit so it will need trimming. Here is the floor area of the car with the front tunnel piece just laying there.67337

[DarthTedious]

Salmon, let me know how the silicon method works on the FFR heat insulation package since I haven't gotten to that point yet but am interested.

[Brave Salmon]

Ok, I started out by doing the rear panel and the two side pieces using 3m 77 spray adhesive. Went in real well with some minor trimming but no big deal. I then laid out the tunnel piece and the floors to see how close they are and found that the passenger floor and the tunnel are both cut wrong. The floor piece is so far off it wont even be long enough by at least a foot. the tunnel looks to be at least 7-8 inces to narrow at the rear. I sent pictures to jay and asked him to replace the screwed up pieces and perhaps sober up the guy who cuts this stuff.

Darth, I did not use the silicon as you asked, The 3m77 spray works great if you give it a few minutes to tack up before you place the carpet. I just sprayed the black rubber-like insulation and it stuck real well. When the car is finished sometime next winter, I plan to have all this ripped out anyway and replaced with good carpet so I didn't want the carpet to be non-removable by spraying both surfaces. I will post more after I get the new pieces and se how the spray works directly on the gray foam insulation.

[Ray]

Anyplace that you will have a seam, spray a 2-inch wide stripe of black paint. That way, if you have any miss-matches between carpet pieces, you wont see them.

Ray

[Brave Salmon]

You get the prize for best suggestion of the month! Thanks, I will do that.
Tom

[DaveS53]

In addition to Lizard skin sound control and ceramic insulation sprayed on the underside of the floor, I applied two layers of B-quiet sound control on the inside floor, then glued down one layer of 3/8" closed cell neoprene foam. I then cut another layer of 3/8" layer of foam for the floor, but did not glue it. The carpet was cut to fit, then glued to the second layer of foam, so it's removable. My console is made such that it rests on top of the carpet and holds it in place. Near the doors, I made aluminum sill plates to hold the carpet down and cover the edges. On the '33 it looks like a piece of thin aluminum angle could be screwed to floor or vertical body panel just below the door, to hold the carpet down. The aluminum could be painted flat black.

If you have areas that absolutely require gluing foam backed carpet to the car, you just have to live with the fact that it will be ruined if ever removed. I bought boat carpeting for my car and used boat carpet adhesive to glue the foam to the carpet, but can't remember if I used it to glue the foam to the floor. I may have used spray adhesive for that. Boat carpet adhesive is water based and allows time to move the carpet around.

Here's where I got my carpet and adhesive. Although you won't need a gallon of adhesive, it's silly to pay $23 for a quart compared to $36 for a gallon.
https://www.boatcarpetcentral.com/boat-carpet-glue

If you build a console that fits over the tunnel, it should be made to be removable, if you have switches on the console and wiring running through it.

[AC Bill]

Ok, I started out by doing the rear panel and the two side pieces using 3m 77 spray adhesive. Went in real well with some minor trimming but no big deal. I then laid out the tunnel piece and the floors to see how close they are and found that the passenger floor and the tunnel are both cut wrong. The floor piece is so far off it wont even be long enough by at least a foot. the tunnel looks to be at least 7-8 inces to narrow at the rear. I sent pictures to jay and asked him to replace the screwed up pieces and perhaps sober up the guy who cuts this stuff.

That does not sound normal, and an issue I have never of heard before.. I'm thinking you have the completely wrong carpet kit for a roadster, maybe they packed one for the 818, or a Coupe? Usually only a little trimming, on the odd section is required. Almost all pieces are good cut just the way they are, right from the factory.

I would test-fit every piece "now", as it may be the entire roadster carpet kit that you need.

[AC Bill]

Ok, I started out by doing the rear panel and the two side pieces using 3m 77 spray adhesive. Went in real well with some minor trimming but no big deal. I then laid out the tunnel piece and the floors to see how close they are and found that the passenger floor and the tunnel are both cut wrong. The floor piece is so far off it wont even be long enough by at least a foot. the tunnel looks to be at least 7-8 inces to narrow at the rear. I sent pictures to jay and asked him to replace the screwed up pieces and perhaps sober up the guy who cuts this stuff.

Darth, I did not use the silicon as you asked, The 3m77 spray works great if you give it a few minutes to tack up before you place the carpet. I just sprayed the black rubber-like insulation and it stuck real well. When the car is finished sometime next winter, I plan to have all this ripped out anyway and replaced with good carpet so I didn't want the carpet to be non-removable by spraying both surfaces. I will post more after I get the new pieces and se how the spray works directly on the gray foam insulation.

The main reason to use silicone vs spray adhesive, is that silicone gives you a few minutes to be able to shift a piece of carpeting around, to help line up the seams and edges with adjoining pieces. It will also allow you smooth it down so there are no creases, or bulges.

You may think now that you will tear out the interior next winter, and replace the carpet. Chances are good that might not happen. Once you have the car completed, and are driving it around, it becomes a lot harder, to start tearing it back apart.
Besides, done correctly, the FFR carpet looks great, and actually stands up pretty decent. I added the FFR roadster floor mats in the high wear areas.

[Brave Salmon]

Bill, this is the '33 hot rod carpet. I talked to ffr and they are sending replacement pieces. Thanks for the tips..

[erlihemi]

I only use adhesive on panels I can remove with the carpet attached or would never remove. Otherwise I use the little plastic push type fasteners intended for trim, Velcro, or the stainless trim screws with the countersunk washers.