I am getting to the point where my 26 can be driven. I want to put in a carpet. The man that had the car had a old office carpet cut to fit. I am looking to replace this carpet. But I can’t find carpet that will fit. I thought buy industrial carpet and cut myself. And or I could take out old carpet and clean and see how it looks. What do you think? Thanks Jerry
Any auto upholstery shop will have remnants of carpet and underlayment. You're not talking about covering a mid-60s station wagon floor but an area about 3' x 4'. When I put the 5 speed in my OT pickup, I needed to cover the new tranny cover. When I asked at a local auto upholstery shop how much to do the job, they gave me the material and told me to remember them when I got a bigger project. Ask, it can't hurt.
A pattern should be easy to make. Don’t need to try to make a pattern from one big piece of paper but from many smaller pieces. Start with as large a center section of paper as you can make to fit and just add smaller pieces with tape that will fit right to the edges. Mark and cut pedal slots or holes. Mistakes can be patched or adjusted with more paper and tape. I’m anal so I then make a final one piece pattern from the multi piece one. Any binding you might want would be the most technical part IMO. Not many have a binding machine(that all thread binding) but a vinyl or leather bound edge is also nice and many can do that. Even if you then feel a distant pro is best you can send a cleaned up and refined pattern to them and have a carpet made. I’d just do it myself though.
x2 on rubber floor mat. Easy to cut, easy to clean, waterproof, looks right. Lots of options on Amazon in various patterns--here's a link to "wide rib" mat that I used; looks like this:
I drove my "Hot Rod" for a year to dial in the ride, and all the other details of a new build. I quickly learned that even with plywood floorboards, it became uncomfortably hot even during a short drive. I used Dynamat and Dynaliner under the temporary carpet I purchased at Home Depot. When I had new carpet made, all I had to do was replace the temp stuff. You wont be sorry using quality products.
I cut up an old trunk mat for the flooring in my '26 T, from a '55 T-bird I believe, it's got that kinda-sorta houndstooth pattern in it, I like it.
I think I’m going to put sound insulation on it for right now. Then clean up old carpet until I get it all sorted out. I think you are all right. Especially no rush to put on nice stuff. I have to get seat reupholster first it’s just springs. I’m going to go old school on that. Thanks Jerry
I think you'd be nuts to put carpet in a T roadster unless it never sees so much as a wet road, let alone rain! The rubber mat is the wise answer.
Rubber mat is probably the best choice. I even made aluminum floor boards because of having to change out rotten wood.
Blake27....is that by any chance marine carpet? Looks quite similar to that type which I put in my T Roadster. It got completely soaked one time and since I put it in using Velcro strips I just pulled it out, hung it up and let it dry. The wide stripe rubber mat looks nice too. Lynn
No, actually it's super cheap Home Depot carpet cut off a roll and sold by the foot. Since I have a top and side curtains I've never gotten moisture in the carpet. If I ever do get it wet, it's held in with Velcro. I now have 29,000 miles and have driven in rain and snow, so far so good.
Could consider using a piece of rubber backed carpet runner that is used at entrances etc.. It wont let water through, will wear like iron and help with quietening.
Model T floors are not water tight, best to let water out not try ang keep it on the surface. I have been caught in some heavy rain in mine and its best to let it out or you will end up with a small lake and as for sound deadening, all the noise comes from the wind and tires. JW
@jerryt I'm enjoying watching your truck come back to life. Maybe you could combine all these threads in to one thread and we could see everything in one place? Maybe a moderator could help? Thanks