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Carpet Install.

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Old Aug 16, 2010 | 12:06 PM
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From: Everett Wa
Default Carpet Install.

I am getting ready to install new carpets on a '77. I still need to remove some of the adhesive that remained after removing the old carpet (I did not pull out the old carpet so I did not see how thigns were installed). The floorboards are in fair condition, and I was wondering if there is any value to painting the floordboards, etc before installing the carpet. Would a painted surface promote better adhesion for whatever is installed over it? What paint would I use? I dont know a lot about paints.

I was going to install fatmat and then am trying to decide what to install over that. Jute, reflectex? Does a person install the carpet directly over the reflectex or is some kind of backing still needed?

Any other tips for a carpet install?
Right now from reading other posts, I have:
-leave the carpet out in the sun for a few hours before starting.
-dont apply all the glue at once, get it in place and then do one half then the other, or something along those lines.
-remember to put speaker cables etc in.
-dont forget drain plugs.

Any tips for the fatmat install? All i know is that i need a 1-2" roller.

Thanks
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Old Aug 16, 2010 | 12:20 PM
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From: San Diego - Deep Within The State of CONFUSION!
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This is a good sized job, be prepared to pull all of the panels out of the interior. If any need replacing, go ahead & order them now before starting the job.

When I did it, I pulled all the dash panels out too, and resealed all the ducting in the AC system. Wouldn't hurt to replace the heater core now too, if you use it. Mine was blocked off when I put the stroker motor in, so I didn't replace mine.

Get a spray bottle of GooGone and use it to get rid of all of the glue on the floor. I painted my floorboards with RustOleum before using the spray adhesive on them. I then put down a layer of Reflectix to get rid of the heat problem. It's glued down, front to back.

The carpet then went in but I never did glue it down. Guess some folks do but I did not. It's never been an issue. Then all the interior panels and the dash go back in.

Mine got a new dashtop panel, rear quarter panels, and console when I did the carpet. It came out great and was well worth the effort. It took a month for my knees to recover
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Old Aug 16, 2010 | 12:28 PM
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Here's a few shots of the job. Seats wee done with BMW Champagne leather at the same time.

Reflectix on the left side:


Here's the Rustoleum on the steel floor:



Left Side done:


Right Side Done:


500W Amp behind seat:


Speakers tucked way back there:
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Old Aug 16, 2010 | 12:30 PM
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Guess i forgot to mention. The pretty much everything has already been stripped out. I bought the car after someone else doing a restoration got as far as taking everything off and then gave up. I think I'll also replace the dash pad, etc. Right now the only things in there are all the wires, with little light bulbs and various connectors hanging on the ends.

Every time I look at those wires i feel overwhelmed...

Sounds like maybe I can just place the carpet in initially and if I have problems, glue it down later?
Looks like you only painted the bottom section? Or was that mid-painting?

That looks really nice. I cant wait for the day when mine looks like that.
I have been working on this for so long. Life keeps getting in the way and slowing things down. Since I bought it as a unfinished project, I've never even been in it with a finished interior.

Thanks

Last edited by bmanops; Aug 16, 2010 at 12:33 PM.
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Old Aug 16, 2010 | 12:33 PM
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From: San Diego - Deep Within The State of CONFUSION!
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Originally Posted by bmanops

Sounds like maybe I can just place the carpet in initially and if I have problems, glue it down later?
Looks like you only painted the bottom section? Or was that mid-painting?

Thanks
That's Rustoleum not paint. Only did the steel floorboards, that's it.
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Old Aug 16, 2010 | 12:39 PM
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Did you have to remove the original finish before using the rustoleum?
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Old Aug 16, 2010 | 12:45 PM
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From: San Diego - Deep Within The State of CONFUSION!
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Originally Posted by bmanops
Did you have to remove the original finish before using the rustoleum?
What I did was use the GooGone I mentioned earlier, to get rid of the glue. 4 bux gets you a large spray bottle of the stuff.

Then I used a sanding wheel on the drill and polished up the steel to get rid of existing rust. It's been several years now and I've got no idea what it looks like now but it's probably exactly the way it looks in those pictures because the car is always garaged. The only water it ever sees is when I wash it so those floorboards can't have rusted at all.
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Old Aug 16, 2010 | 12:56 PM
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Great job. Looks good.
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Old Aug 29, 2010 | 03:31 PM
  #9  
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bmanops
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From: Everett Wa
Default Hmm

So, I followed suggestions of using goo-gone to remove the adhesive left by the carpet. When I moved on to wheel well area in the rear, pretty soon I found i was looking at fiberglass where the adhesive used to be. It would seem that goo-gone also removes the paint used in the interior on the fiberglass.

Now what?

I figure I should probably paint back over it, but i dont have experience painting fiberglass.

a. how should i prep the area to remove goo-gone, etc
b. what paint(s) should I use?

Thanks
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