Well I got the various backing plates on the body installed and put the repaired Radio back in the dash this week. It's a shame you have to almost destroy the right side dash to accomplish getting it in / out. Fortunately the new antenna and radio work ok after futzing with all those 50 year old plastic pieces and stripped out screws etc. . I also put the wheels back on and it's back on the ground. Yaaaa!
So, on to carpet work - has anyone used the Flat Line kit underlayment? I have that kit for my Coupe here ready to install after I remove the rest of the carpet up front. The instruction sheet that comes with it is rather lacking in detail. Any help to be offered?
Bruce
72 Coupe L48 4sp
Custom Blue/Silver/Pearl
(Click for a larger pic)
Not familiar with that product. Used Dyna-Mat in "BLKBRRD" when putting things back together ions ago. Each square piece was cut to fit so it was quite a task.
If the product you are using has an adhesive backing make sure the floor metal is clean, no left-overs from the previous carpet or under-layment, so the adhesive has a good surface to stick to. If the pieces are pre-cut be sure to test fit them before peeling the backing off. The adhesive used may not give you the opportunity to pull off a piece nicely once it is laid down.
A roller tool used for applying wallpaper helps to make sure each piece has good contact to the floor. They're small enough to get in the nooks-n-crannies of the interior.
Good luck and have FUN...!!!
Don't know if you're using pre-molded carpet but a lesson I learned when helping a friend install his was that a heat gun comes in very handy. Even though it was pre-molded, it wasn't exactly a perfect fit and the heat gun helped soften it enough to get it down into the tight corners. This was especially true around the rear wheel wells.
1973 L-82 4 spd
Thanks for the helpful tips. The carpet is from Al Knoch and not sure if it is molded or not. I'll have to pull it out of the box soon.
The insulation is pre cut and has the peel off sticky so it should be a bit easier to deal with than square pieces.
I did clean off all the remnants of the old underlayment and carpet - scraped it the best I could with a putty knife. 50 years of funk there.....
I think it would be wise to clean the floor with something, to get anything else remaining and the dust. Brake cleaner?
Another question - this would be the 3rd carpet set installed over the years so not much to go on. Under the seats are the seat belt retractors, they are out and refurbished to go back in. There is a plastic cover over them, I beleive the underlayment and carpet is cut away under the plastic shields before the covers go on. Or did the carpet go over top of the shields?
Bruce
72 Coupe L48 4sp
Custom Blue/Silver/Pearl
(Click for a larger pic)
Try this link to a YouTube by Flatline:
https://youtu.be/N54ttGCMlQ0?si=08ohuNHIEWiIEhFZ
I did a two layer method using different products on my 1979... more work to accomplish but i had a good helper.
Two layers: Noico sound deadener first. And a thin layer of closed-cell foam on top.Then the new carpet kit.
Another tip to do before laying the carpet.. Lay it out in the sun and let it warm up. It makes it more pliable and easier to work with..