What's everyone using for carpet in their hot rods that no longer have OEM floor pans? Where did you get it? I have a model A coupe, so it's relatively flat with a small trans tunnel so hopefully it wont be too hard get something to look right. Any thoughts or procedures/info would be appreciated. Thanks
Some Automotive carpet expertise would be helpful for future reference for me as well. Ive made a few attempts with unmolded carpet and got it in there but it had plenty of room for improvement.
I did the carpet in my 38 Chevy, the floor, for the most part is flat except the transmission hump. I went to the local carpet store (In my case Nebraska Furniture Mart) and found carpet that was close enough to the right color, I just used carpet tape (the hot melt style that real carpet guys use--I got it at a garage sale for $5?--maybe the iron that your wife doesn't use anymore would work?) to make seams, is it perfect no, but to the casual observer it looks fine. Well, as long as I don't focus in too closely
The only carpets I've had that looked good, were done by trim/upholstery guys. It's a tricky thing to do....hopefully some of them will chime in with some hints. And having a really heavy duty sewing machine might help! so you can sew seams and binding.
there was an old thread about guys using a certain glue for the edges instead of sewing. i found by searching 34 carpet. no time now, but will try and find it later if no one else does.
Here is a bit of what I learned from a guy that did my interior. Lay down paper( home depot painters paper) ,press in place and tape to hold, mark desired edges with chalk, remove and trim leaving excess to do final trim, place on back of carpet and cut!! Check this out and scroll around for more information.. https://49fordcoupe.smugmug.com/The-Interior/i-RS2qdcQ/A
Forty plus years of floorcovering experience ... and over a MILLION square feet of installed carpet over the years. I'll try to help you out. It can be intimidating to a novice, but it's really NOT too difficult. Attempting to install anything beyond "automotive grade carpet" is going to be a nightmare, so don't even bother trying to save twenty or thirty bucks by using some 15 year-old shag remnant left over from your living room. Using the correct material for it's intended purpose is about half of the battle. The difference is in just how much more pliable the "automotive" type carpet is. You won't find it at most carpet stores, either. You'll find it at upholstery/trim suppliers and wholesalers, so you'll have to put a little bit of effort into finding it. While you're there, pick up a razor knife like this, and get some extra blades. A razor-sharp knife and pliable "automotive" type carpet, and you're easily at 75% of doing a really nice job.
I have used carpet from Lowe's before. Like Vtx1800 said, use an old iron and carpet seam tape at your seams. Make the least amount of cuts necessary. I have also used the bubble style duct insulation under it. I layered it in the areas around where the trans tunnel meets the floor pan. I think I used three layers and each layer was 3 or 4 inches longer than the last. It helps the carpet to flow better with less seams. Here are some pics from when I did my OT c10.
Hoping to get some good tips and advise from this also. I'm trying to figure out how to get the carpet to lay right going over the trans hump.
I found that Lowes carries black, red, grey, and navy automotive style carpet. They call it office carpet. That's what I used in my c10. I think carpet, glue, insulation, was about 45 bucks.
To form your carpet over a transmission hump, you'll either be adding or subtracting a pie-shaped section, depending on it's location.... adding it on the convex and subtracting it on the concave. You will never need to use any sort of hot seam tapes or irons ... Again, the more pliable the carpet is, the easier your job will be.
My post is kind'a/sort'a on topic so maybe there is enough crossover to be useful. I have a carpet project coming up soon for my '50 Chevy panel truck and I've poked around on the 'net to get some ideas about doing the wheel well humps in the cargo area. I found this Youtube vid showing it done with this "4-way stretch" carpet (looks similar to boat carpet) that looks easy enough. I can see some possibilities for hot rods, 50's classics/customs, trunk liners, etc. There a link to the vendor at the end of the vid. I've no connection to them myself. I just noticed that it's a British outfit.
Here's the new carpet in my coupe, purchased at home depot and has a glue-on binding found at Bond Products. I made a paper/poster board pattern and used this to cut the carpet. The razor knife is definitely the way to go as it is Very sharp (ask me how I know). My A is flat so I could use the household carpet and that was because of the color that I wanted. Searching the net I found Bond Products which has a variety of glue on binding and that's what I went with (no sewing). . My only regret is that the carpet is a longer nap which is not the best to use with the Bond binding, but I really am happy with it. Good Luck with yours, Carp.
For my 1951 Custom I bought from a company named " Your Auto Trim Store" 1-888-212 8630. Installed it myself with 3M Super 77spray adhesive over a foil underlayment sound board that I also sprayed down with the same adhesive. Cut it with one of those knives pictured above bought at Lowes.
I've done carpet myself ,over the years a few ways,depending on my $ at the time or need too be how fanzy. Short nap/height is always best. One thing that helps is doing what ever you use ,in a way that lets you take it out to help shake it out an clean,more then just vac.; I have used glued in 2 part valcro strips on floor and bottom of rug,or stainless screws with dec. washer,even done snaps. Some types of carpet just don't have a weave type that stays together well an edge ravels out ,so looks messy. Others hold well an some can be melted a long the cuts to seal. Best looking way is to add a binding of vinyl on the cuts/there are some snap on types,but you can sew one on. Sewing with some vinyl color that looks good to you{left over from door panels or what ever. There a bit of a art to doing that,using sewing in the ditch.; This pic is from a HAMB tech I did ,about doing your own; Down lower on the page Post #54 is info about trimming the cut ,but there is some handy stuff added by others to my tech as well.;;https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/tech-sew-at-home-upholsrety-hot-rod.604077/page-2
I purchased bulk automotive carpet by the yard from Stockinteriors.com. After cutting and fitting I brought it to a local carpet shop to have the binding sewed on. To fit the contour the firewall hump I used a garment steamer to heat and shape the carpet.
I like Daytona Weave. Works best on flat floors, can't really be formed well. It is also rather expensive. Was used in a lot of 50's GM cars.
You can do carpet binding without a sewing machine too using Instabind https://www.bondproducts.com/instabind-carpet-binding-tape/
I did what '49 coupe did. I had the OEM rubber floor mats in all my '34's. A local guy replaced his rubber mats with carpeting from LeBaron Bonney. It totally changed the inside of the car. I decided to put carpeting in one of mine. I made craft paper patterns and traced onto the german square weave carpeting. I took the trimmed pads to a local upholsterer for matching tan welting. They came out great. Little by little I did all the other '34's. It quiets the inside down a lot.
I am also looking for carpet for a Model A coupe. my floor is pretty much stock, save the location of the shifter and E-brake. I have been trying to find a stock Model A carpet without the holes precut but not having any luck. I guess I will have to just get some bulk carpet and do it myself. Chappy
Automotive Carpet in my Model A and my first try at carpet binding. It turned out OK for a first try. I used snaps in the corners so it is removable for cleaning and to dry it out. Originally I had outdoor carpet, but it was pretty crappy and didn't stay in place.
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