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Lightweight carpet install???

Old 12-26-2009, 05:09 PM
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Question Lightweight carpet install???

OK guys I need some tech tips, tricks, magic, voodoo, or whatever it takes to get a carpet to look good.

I bought the Speed Inc carpet and started with it today and I have no idea how to get this stuff to look nice. I have eight roll bar points going to the floor and these along with the rear tunnel are making me crazy!

For the life of me I can't get the rear tunnel section to look good. Are you guys doing a lot of cutting and stichingto make these look nice?

Any and all info will be much appreciated.

Thanks,

~Jim~
Old 12-26-2009, 06:00 PM
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they take alittle work to get rite...
Old 12-26-2009, 06:10 PM
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The best route is to leave the carpet unboxed and spread out indoors with heat or outside in the sun ...depending on your location outdoors might not be possible..we have 10" + of snow fall today. This will allow it to get back into shape after being boxed up. I will be waiting until spring to do mine so it can be left in the driveway while I prep the car in the garage.

most importantly have patience with the install and keep in mind it is not a stock carpet

edit : seen your location and outdoors is not going to work since you have seen the same snow
Old 12-26-2009, 06:18 PM
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Ya so much for the 1-3" we were supposed to get.

I let it sit out of the box for about 3-4 weeks and then brought it today to install. The back tunnel is absolutley a nightmare.

I have it in a heated garage 50+ degrees sitting in the car right now. it's laying flat but not no where near final fitment. Am I best to just leave it as it sit in the car and save it for spring/summer?

What are you guys suggesting to hold it down? Spray adhesive, velcro or something else?

Would a good heat gun make my life a little easier?

Thanks for the support.

~Jim~
Old 12-26-2009, 06:55 PM
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Mine fit right in. just cut a X to get it over the shifter. and lined the rear edge up to the top on the hatch front edge. And fit it form the center line out, down the middle. Got it over the factory seat studs, cut it for the hoop and door bars. had to cut a "U" to get under the dash around the mid brace. cut a little more to find under some of the middle brace stuff. Trimmed the side last, Left it long over the rear wheels and tucked it under the panels. Went easy I was moving right alot to get to a car meet that night.

thats it really, some pics fitting mine here
https://ls1tech.com/forums/drag-raci...ch-diet-8.html

Last edited by studderin; 12-26-2009 at 07:01 PM.
Old 12-26-2009, 06:58 PM
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Although I haven't gone this route with lightweight carpet. I'd figure out a way to hang it on the wall and let gravity do it's work. FWIW, I put ozite down in my car and spray glued it down.
Old 12-26-2009, 09:22 PM
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Originally Posted by studderin
thats it really, some pics fitting mine here
https://ls1tech.com/forums/drag-raci...ch-diet-8.html
Looks good. Yours fit pretty well. Mine isn't near that tight.

My rear tunnel has a lot of slop in it but I have the full section carpet not the convertible carpet.

The other problem is I have another set of bars coming of the hoop going to the tunnel about 2 ft in front of the shifter. I'm thinking a heat gun and some patience are in order.

Is spray adhessive the product of choice? Has any one tried a Velcro?

~Jim~
Old 12-26-2009, 09:42 PM
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thanks
Mine is dry, I think it would suck to glue it in. These are not cars your gona not work on for 100K miles you know. But The DAP (red can) contact cenment works great. I use it often on laminet countertops, and you do 2 coats on the laminet, 3 on wood depending how much it soaks up. let it fully dry to the touch, then connect the parts and apply some pressure. I dont think you could do a coat on the carpet backing, ya maybe try some good felcro??? Not sure how that would stick the the carpet. maybe to the contacr cenment to were the velco stick the the carpet.


any heat would help, just be carfull of the carpet melting. And the contact glue

I also removed the armrest brace, and the lower seat braket. The carpet dose have a "bunch" molded in for them. But that might be why yours fit diffrent?

Last edited by studderin; 12-26-2009 at 09:48 PM.
Old 12-27-2009, 10:42 AM
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Studderin: I still have the brackets in there. I'm going to try the velcro first and then if that doesn't work then I look else where. I'm trying to keep my cutting and stiching to a minimum but if the tunnel continues to be a pain I'm going to have to cut that whole tunnel section and tighten it up and stich it.

~Jim~
Old 12-27-2009, 11:51 AM
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We have never used anything to hold it in place, but it's not a bad idea to fit tighter in area's

a little heat can help shape it, but be careful to not burn or melt it

you can also try to put weight in area's to help form and hold it down for a few days
Old 12-28-2009, 03:09 PM
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I ended up cutting mine in 2 pieces to get it to fit better in the back seat area and overlapping the seam a little.


Old 12-28-2009, 03:35 PM
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Where did you cut it?

~Jim~
Old 12-28-2009, 04:05 PM
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Here:
Attached Thumbnails Lightweight carpet install???-rearcarpet.jpg  
Old 12-28-2009, 05:43 PM
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Thanks for the picture.

I have a few spots in mind for cuts but that line would help.

Thanks for the help guys.

~Jim~
Old 01-03-2010, 11:26 AM
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Ok guys I soent the better part of yesterday working on the carpet and I think I got it laying pretty well. (no pics yet)

I ended up cutting the carpet into 5 pieces. I cut the line that n20camaro suggested and that helped alot with the bunching around the tunnel. I still wasn't happy with the amount of extra material in the tunnel area so I cut the tunnel section out completley. This allowed a very tight fit over the tunnel. This left both rear seat sections seperate as well. I have a lot of sewing to do.

I then had to cut the remaining carpet width wise in half to get the rear sections to mate up to the front sections cleanly. I got the seems to line up perfectly under the seats so they wont be visable.

I tried out a heat gun before I started cutting but the heat gun really didn't work to well and it wanted to start fraying the carpet so I decided to sack that idea.

I purchasd some 2" industrial velcro to help keep the carpet secured as I went along and this stuff worked like a charm. I put a line down at the trunk and on the back seat portion to help it lay straight. I also put some on the tunnel to keep that piece down.

I'll try and get some photos as it sits now and then I'll get some completed as well. Thanks for the help guys it was very valuable.

~Jim~
Old 01-11-2010, 04:19 PM
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hi i got a 10 point roll cage in my 94 z28 and i rip half of it out to get the dash out and i have to put a new front half in or rip it all out but i was woundering how you colored or painted the roll cage did you do the cage out of the car then left the end clear to weld or did you do it in the car and pull the window? is it the same way you would paint the car? primer, base, clear or what thanks alot i
Old 01-11-2010, 06:11 PM
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I had everything out of the car and then primed(high quality) and rattle can painted it with Sherwin williams Pro paint in a can. Not sure how good it really is but it looks good. It was a pain in the **** to tape everything off in prep to paint the cage.

~Jim~
Old 01-11-2010, 07:45 PM
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Steam and an Iron will be your best friend while installing carpet.


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