1981 Console Carpet?
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 2,660
Likes: 994
From: Rock Hill SC (Charlotte NC Area)
2022 C8 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2022 C7 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
1981 Console Carpet?
Starting work on cleaning up the interior of my 81, and replacing some older worn pieces. The original carpet in the whole car is in really good shape, but the backer board on the passenger side of the console carpet is cracked/broken and somewhat frayed along the edge:
My initial thoughts are to keep the carpet and just replace the backer board. I know various vendors sell replacement boards. So...can you remove the original carpet from the original backer boards without destroying the carpet?
Any suggestions or tips would be appreciated!
My initial thoughts are to keep the carpet and just replace the backer board. I know various vendors sell replacement boards. So...can you remove the original carpet from the original backer boards without destroying the carpet?
Any suggestions or tips would be appreciated!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 5,943
Likes: 61
From: Southern NH
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 4,000
Likes: 299
From: New York
I toyed with the idea of using black door guards , you have seen them in a roll there about 1/4 inch and install along the doors outer lip from top to bottom . I figure that it will protect that edge along the counsel and allow it to tuck nicely into the grove provided on the counsel
Something like this
http://www.ebay.com/itm/U-Style-Flexible-Black-Car-SUV-Truck-Door-Edge-Guard-Trim-Molding-Roll-Strip-Rim-/330896012588?_trksid=p2047675.m2109&_trkparms=aid%3D333002%26algo%3DRIC.CAT%26ao%3D2%26asc%3D8%26meid%3D6477408961588228318%26pid%3D100010%26prg%3D1088%26rk%3D1%26sd%3D110903556976%26
Something like this
http://www.ebay.com/itm/U-Style-Flexible-Black-Car-SUV-Truck-Door-Edge-Guard-Trim-Molding-Roll-Strip-Rim-/330896012588?_trksid=p2047675.m2109&_trkparms=aid%3D333002%26algo%3DRIC.CAT%26ao%3D2%26asc%3D8%26meid%3D6477408961588228318%26pid%3D100010%26prg%3D1088%26rk%3D1%26sd%3D110903556976%26
Former Vendor
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 76,656
Likes: 1,851
From: Jeffersonville Indiana 812-288-7103
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
Believe it or not... they all had their issues on the side panels when delivered.
Maybe not that bad and I'm sure some of the edge has been lost. I have a picture somewhere and I'll look for it of a very low mileage car with the same issues. The area right where the parking brake console meets the shift plate was always a horrible fit too.
Here is a all original car with very low miles.. I don't have one of the drive side but it's worse.
Here is the kick panel as delivered new.
Maybe not that bad and I'm sure some of the edge has been lost. I have a picture somewhere and I'll look for it of a very low mileage car with the same issues. The area right where the parking brake console meets the shift plate was always a horrible fit too.
Here is a all original car with very low miles.. I don't have one of the drive side but it's worse.
Here is the kick panel as delivered new.
Last edited by Willcox Corvette; Mar 24, 2013 at 06:28 PM.
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2011
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From: Fort Wayne, IN
Former Vendor
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 76,656
Likes: 1,851
From: Jeffersonville Indiana 812-288-7103
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
My best advice is to pull the edge of the carpet just a tiny bit above the board line. There are grooves under the shift plate and console that are supposed to allow the boards to fit up inside them. If you leave it a tiny bit long there, you'll have better results.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 12,654
Likes: 3,116
From: Shamong, NJ
The console side panels on my 81, with the exact same slate gray interior, looked about like that when I picked it up new in November 81. I was able to play around with it a little, and get it fitting better than Bowling Green did, but it's never been perfect. 31 years later, there's still a bit of the edge showing.
Pro
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 632
Likes: 38
From: Roseville CA
My best advice is to pull the edge of the carpet just a tiny bit above the board line. There are grooves under the shift plate and console that are supposed to allow the boards to fit up inside them. If you leave it a tiny bit long there, you'll have better results.
That's what I did. Picked up the backer board at Home Depot and used the old board as a template.
Here's the results:
Last edited by Yellow1980; Mar 24, 2013 at 08:19 PM.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 2,660
Likes: 994
From: Rock Hill SC (Charlotte NC Area)
2022 C8 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2022 C7 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Thanks for the suggestions! Perhaps I can adjust it a little better when I take it all apart (I haven't gotten that far yet), since the original carpet can't be removed from the backer board. The carpet itself is in such nice condition, I'd hate to replace it just for that. Just seeing that much of the backer board bugs me, though, since the drivers side isn't that obnoxious.
I am planning to replace the shifter console anyways, and possibly some other odds and ends...if I ever sit down long enough to get my shopping list figured out.
OH...and those two black interiors posted above look awesome...nice work, guys!
I am planning to replace the shifter console anyways, and possibly some other odds and ends...if I ever sit down long enough to get my shopping list figured out.
OH...and those two black interiors posted above look awesome...nice work, guys!