NJRR
Well-Known Member
Hi guys- Here's some pics of my carpet install today. I used an ACC carpet with the mass backing. It is a very thick rubber backing bonded to the carpet and then it is form fitted to the floor pan. The quality was excellent. The backing was solid on the carpet and the fit was almost perfect to the floor pan. It was folded in the box and I was a little nervous about the form fit being ruined. I unfolded both sections and left them out in the driveway while I started removing the bucket seats, back seat bottom and shifter handle (seatbelts were already out). By that time, the carpets actually reformed into the shape of the floor pans. I started with the back section. As you can see in the pic, they leave a lot of extra on the edges that has to be trimmed. I used a double edged carpet knife, much better than a utility knife (no point to gouge the paint in the floor). I trimmed three times to get a nice fit up against the sill plates. The front was a lot harder. The extra carpet from under the dash, up against the firewall made it hard to get the carpet molded to the 4 speed hump in place. I had to slit sections, move the carpet up and to the side till i finally got the hump in place, then i slit it for the buddy seat bracket. Trimming under the dash was then not too bad. I used some of the felt insulation from the old carpet under the rear seat, as the carpet doesn't go more than 4" under. I figure it couldn't hurt. I got to reinstall the rear seat but didn't have time for the bucket seats, buddy seat, shifter bezel/boot, gas pedal and seat belts. Any suggestions on how to make the holes in the carpet for the seats to bolt thru? A drill will get twisted up in the carpet fibers.
Before I did the install, I cleaned up and vacuumed the floor pan. There was some minor surface rust when I pulled up the old carpet so I used a fine wire brush to remove it and then used some Rustoleum rust reformer primer as a prevention from any continued rusting. I also ran speaker wires to the trunk for a planned hidden stereo upgrade down the road.
All in all, I'm real happy. I think the heavy rubber mass backing will give me good sound and heat insulation plus it will prevent any water getting to the floor pan thru the carpet. If it does, it is easy enough to pull up the carpet as opposed to a dynomat type insulation which is glued to the floorpan. I'll post pics of the finished product when everything else is installed.
Before I did the install, I cleaned up and vacuumed the floor pan. There was some minor surface rust when I pulled up the old carpet so I used a fine wire brush to remove it and then used some Rustoleum rust reformer primer as a prevention from any continued rusting. I also ran speaker wires to the trunk for a planned hidden stereo upgrade down the road.
All in all, I'm real happy. I think the heavy rubber mass backing will give me good sound and heat insulation plus it will prevent any water getting to the floor pan thru the carpet. If it does, it is easy enough to pull up the carpet as opposed to a dynomat type insulation which is glued to the floorpan. I'll post pics of the finished product when everything else is installed.
