best quality carpet for 77
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 5,943
Likes: 3
From: Wildwood IL
The majority of the carpet available from catalog vendors is made by ACC (Auto Custom Carpet) and is good quality. Most here will agree the best comes from Al Knoch but is more $. Reguardless of the manufact, don't expect to "drop it in and go". All will need to be trimmed to fit properly.
Eddie
Eddie
Racer
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 268
Likes: 13
From: Palmdale Ca
I ended up with Willcox.
I bought what I thought would be the best and ended up returning it. I then bought Wilcox and it fit great and looks better than the expensive stuff I returned.
For carpet I vote for Willcox.
I bought what I thought would be the best and ended up returning it. I then bought Wilcox and it fit great and looks better than the expensive stuff I returned.
For carpet I vote for Willcox.
Racer
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 484
Likes: 0
From: McComb Ms.
i had a long term trim shop owner tell me all the carpet comes out of a shop somewhere in alabama, anniston i wanna say is the town/city. he told me you can get any color you want there for one price while vendors usually charge a special order fee for off year colors. one things for sure, you should go here or to a vendor who sells this insulation product while you have your carpet out. Best investment i made to my project car.you will be so grateful u took this advice. one pkg covers floor to around 3\4 way of the seat give or take...be a different car i promise http://www.lobucrod.com/
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 9,127
Likes: 2,327
From: Pottsville, PA. USA Home Of America's Oldest Brewery Yuengling
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 188
Likes: 20
From: Victoria Texas
I bought mine from Al Knoch at the Corvette Expo in Houston a couple of weeks ago and paid $165.00 I think. I haven't yet installed it but it looks to be pretty quality. I'll post pictures when I get around to installing it.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Every 2027 Corvette Engine Explained
Joe Kucinski
Designer Imagines A Corvette That Looks More Like a Corvette Than the Corvette
Verdad Gallardo
10 Ugly Corvettes That We Still Kinda Love
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 11,874
Likes: 263
From: Arlington Va Current ride 04 vert, previous vettes: 69 vert, 77 resto mod
your only install issue will be around the seat belt "tubs" in the floor....make sure you think the install through in that area
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 7,720
Likes: 12
From: Chattanooga TN
The majority of the carpet available from catalog vendors is made by ACC (Auto Custom Carpet) and is good quality. Most here will agree the best comes from Al Knoch but is more $. Reguardless of the manufact, don't expect to "drop it in and go". All will need to be trimmed to fit properly.
Eddie
Eddie
Yep. Most you get comes from ACC. Their customer service leaves a bit to be desired. I would buy from Al Knoch.
Racer
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 268
Likes: 13
From: Palmdale Ca
I vote for Willcox carpet
I started out with AK carpet and ended up with Willcox. Here's why:
1.) The AK carpet doesn't have the "pinch welds" installed for the door area, you'll have to use your old ones. This is a very visible area and I'm an amateur. Sounds like a small detail but wasn't to me.
2.) The AK carpet isn't cut out for the storage compartments, you'll have to make the cutouts yourself.
3.) This was the biggest surprise and a show stopper. The AK carpet had problems in the areas were the carpet was molded, it had what looked like small bald spots. When I turned the carpet over the carpet piles had been pulled through to the back (in the areas of the bald spots).
I'd do business with AK again in a heartbeat, just not for carpet. My leather seats and door panels are AK and they're top notch, I'm happy with them. Their customer service is great and they took the carpet back with no trouble at all.
Do a search and you'll see I'm not the first person to have problems. Haven't read anything bad about Willcox carpet. I have read that the carpet everybody sells comes from one (or two?) manufactures.
All I know is the carpet Willcox sold me looks great and fit better. It had the storage compartment cutouts and pinch welds already installed. I like Willcox's carpet MUCH better.
My 2 cents.
1.) The AK carpet doesn't have the "pinch welds" installed for the door area, you'll have to use your old ones. This is a very visible area and I'm an amateur. Sounds like a small detail but wasn't to me.
2.) The AK carpet isn't cut out for the storage compartments, you'll have to make the cutouts yourself.
3.) This was the biggest surprise and a show stopper. The AK carpet had problems in the areas were the carpet was molded, it had what looked like small bald spots. When I turned the carpet over the carpet piles had been pulled through to the back (in the areas of the bald spots).
I'd do business with AK again in a heartbeat, just not for carpet. My leather seats and door panels are AK and they're top notch, I'm happy with them. Their customer service is great and they took the carpet back with no trouble at all.
Do a search and you'll see I'm not the first person to have problems. Haven't read anything bad about Willcox carpet. I have read that the carpet everybody sells comes from one (or two?) manufactures.
All I know is the carpet Willcox sold me looks great and fit better. It had the storage compartment cutouts and pinch welds already installed. I like Willcox's carpet MUCH better.
My 2 cents.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 40,422
Likes: 792
From: Redondo Beach, California
I was surprised that the Al Knoch carpet I ordered for my 68 was not the correct color and the twill/loop pile twist was not the same as the original. The original was medium bright blue interior. The Al Knoch carpet was a lighter blue, with a perhaps slightly grey tone. The loop twist had larger loops. The storage compartment "holes" were cut out though (someone reported that theirs weren't).
The NCRS has a restoration video (DVD) for 68 Corvettes. One of the videos shows a interior carpet install.
A new lesson I learned: Several times I've drilled holes into carpet and into the underlying fiberglass/sheetmetal to install things like metal T-tops strap hoops, etc. Never a problem until this weekend,... drilling a hole to install the 68 shoulder belt retainer plastic "cups" the drill bit caught a carpet loop pile thread and produced a "runner" (runner as in nylon stockings). Kinda ugley. Now before I drill a hole in the carpet, I use an Xacto knife and cut the loop pile threads to prevent runners.
The NCRS has a restoration video (DVD) for 68 Corvettes. One of the videos shows a interior carpet install.
A new lesson I learned: Several times I've drilled holes into carpet and into the underlying fiberglass/sheetmetal to install things like metal T-tops strap hoops, etc. Never a problem until this weekend,... drilling a hole to install the 68 shoulder belt retainer plastic "cups" the drill bit caught a carpet loop pile thread and produced a "runner" (runner as in nylon stockings). Kinda ugley. Now before I drill a hole in the carpet, I use an Xacto knife and cut the loop pile threads to prevent runners.