Carpet Install Question

Mike

Pro Stocker
May 27, 2003
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New York
Im finally getting ready to finish my interior in the 81 coupe and I have a question. When you install carpet do you start from the front or the rear ? I have ACC mass backed carpet. No sound deadener. Bucket seats and console. My buddy is going to do most of the work with my help. Hes installed carpet in at least 6 cars. He says you usually start in the back and work your way up because the carpet is molded to fit in the two rear wells. He has a steamer and all of the tools and adhesive. One of my other friends says the exact opposite. He says its more important to start in the front so the heel pad is in the right position.

The plan is to do this Thursday night. Looked on Youtube, couldnt find much. What do you guys think ? Im sure some of you folks have done this before.
 

LS6 Tommy

MalibuRacing Junkie
May 15, 2004
15,847
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North Jersey
I've only done one or two carpets and I can't honestly say which end to start with, but I will say if it's a factory style mass backed carpet DO NOT glue it down. It doesn't need to be. If you ever go to change it again it will be a HUGE mess.

Tommy
 

Mike

Pro Stocker
Thread starter
May 27, 2003
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36
New York
Just to give you folks an update, the carpet is installed and looks great. If it wasn't for the tall console and shifter brackets it would have been finished in an hour. The brackets made it a little difficult. If I had to do it again I would have put the carpet in first, marked out and cut the carpet before the brackets were welded in, and reinstalled it after the welding was done. Live and learn. I'll post a few photos tomorrow.
 

t5montecarlo

MalibuRacing Junkie
Oct 21, 2007
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garage-scene.com
I remember the console brackets made my Vega carpet install difficult. I ended up cutting one of the holes in the wrong place and had to fake a patch with a leftover piece of carpet. Luckily, the hole was near the rear edge of the console and not too visible.
 

oldschool

Frequent Racer
Nov 13, 2003
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concord, NC
To answer your question (late) the instructions with mine said start in the back...I did that and it fits great but is almost to short in the front....

Looks great !!
 

LS6 Tommy

MalibuRacing Junkie
May 15, 2004
15,847
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North Jersey
Looks great! Is that a 2 piece carpet? All the OEMs I've seen were one piece.

How about some more info or pics of your tach installation. I have a vintage GM logo Monster tach and I wanted to do something similar, but I don't want to drill into my dashpod if I don't have to.

Tommy
 

Mike

Pro Stocker
Thread starter
May 27, 2003
1,709
0
36
New York
LS6 Tommy said:
Looks great! Is that a 2 piece carpet? All the OEMs I've seen were one piece.

How about some more info or pics of your tach installation. I have a vintage GM logo Monster tach and I wanted to do something similar, but I don't want to drill into my dashpod if I don't have to.

Tommy

Thanks. Its a one piece carpet from ACC with the mass backing.
I dont have any other views of the tach. Its attached to the pod with 2 small SS screws and lock nuts. I plan on taking it back off before I start driving the car so I can make a small plate to put on the inside of the pod for support. Nothing too heavy. Maybe 18ga steel.
I have a smaller Autometer tach for my wagon that Im going to mount the same way when it goes back together.
 

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