Road Runner Nest

Ok, getting ready to put in my carpet from Year One. Got the center console with buckets. Anyone got any advice to keep me from doing something disastrous when fitting it? Is the rear section supposed to go so far forward? Seems like it will end up in front of the buckets almost.

Yep had the same problem.Just trimmed the back section to match the length of the old piece.I started at the console brackets and kind of moved outward.Make very small cuts at a time checking frequently.Seemed like i had 3 hours in trimming alone.

BRIAN

I didn't have an old piece to go by, as there was a house carpet in the car when I bought it, lol. Whereabouts under the buckets did you end the rear section?

Right behind the front bolt holes. it will give you about 6 inch overlap with the front piece.check and make sure before cutting.

BRIAN

Thanks man. Sounds good to me.

Well, never try to beat the sunlight when you're doing something critical like cutting carpet. Of course I messed it up. I think I can save it but I felt pretty stupid. I kept telling myself to lay the console on first to see where the edges go before cutting. But do I listen to me? Nope. Ended up cutting too low in a spot or two. I think I can patch it, but I learned a lesson. Good thing it's not a show car.

eek
Greg, lesson learned - Years ago I found out the best way to attack a job, and I mean any job you need to do on the car, is to do it right after the morning breakfast and coffee, you are wide awake and you have the whole day ahead of you.....
...... never do a quick job at the end of day, the time goes by to quick and you seem to get confused much quicker.

I just thought I had Mad Cow Disease!

Maybe what the cows needed all along was just coffee. Guess they won't run out of cream.

You can fix this problem quite easily.
I accidentally trimmed to much off of the Cuda's console area when I was cutting it.
Go to a fabric store and buy some upholstery thread that matches your carpet color. Then trim a piece to fit (if you have the piece you cut out your laughing). Using a good strong needle you can loop stitch the cut piece back in at about a quarter inch spacing, pulling the stitches really tight every now and then. Every now and then brush your fingers across the seam a few time to blend the pile together and sink the thread into them, then continue stitching.
For added strength you can also attach a piece of heatable carpet tape over the back of it after stitching.

Once it's stitched and layed flat, you will never see it, and the console will help hold it down.

Good tip, thanks man.

question...my car and an all-original 71 charger in town have carpets that are cut too low...you can see a lil bit under the console....is it likely that the factory made the mistake as well?

I have 2 cars...one has way too much carpet(looks to be factory) and
the other is short and it is not too hard to see the firewall...I'm sure this
one is factory.

guess it depends on what day of the week or if it was a new guy on
the assembly line

take care scott

I wonder if the new carpets at the factory (back then) fit better than these Year One pieces. Seems to be kinda lumpy in places, presumably from being folded to the size of a postage stamp for shipping. Hopefully it will relax and conform a bit better over time? Thanks for making me feel a little better about my screw up, btw!

We have a carpet manufacturing plant here(no classic car stuff...just toyo's)

anyway they steam this stuff into shape...and it is very wet...if it gets
boxed to soon and thrown onto a shelf....I'd bet it'd look like a fifth grade
love note when opened.!!

I use a little spray bottle of water and rubbing alcohol (for evaporation)
and a hot hairdryer (my wife's best one) on the bad spots...the rest will
eventually go away.