need help with carpet install in race car
#1
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need help with carpet install in race car
i've got the Ozite carpet ready to go in... i finally got everything done that i wanted to do....
i dont have the back seats or the mounts... and i dont have a console...
whats the best place to start and whats the best place to end....
any tips or tricks to getting that carpet to form in the back seat "dips" or over the DS hump?
Thanks,
Tyler
i dont have the back seats or the mounts... and i dont have a console...
whats the best place to start and whats the best place to end....
any tips or tricks to getting that carpet to form in the back seat "dips" or over the DS hump?
Thanks,
Tyler
#4
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Im in the middle of putting mine in right now. I still have the brackets for the back seats so I think Im going to leave them exposed through holes in the carpet.
I stared with the tunnel, glued it down to the crest of the tunnel and started working from the center out. I went to the front of the passenger side, have that all done. Over the hump for the exhaust and everything. It seems that you just have to take your time and stretch the carpet when it needs to be, cut it when it needs to be. I took my time, took me 2 good hours to do the tunnel and passenger side. I will continue to work on it a few hours a day here and there till its done, Im in no rush. I plan to mold it as exact as I can to the floor boards, that way in the summer, when Im not racing, I can have the stock carpet fit over it to provide more sound insulation.
As far as the rear seats go, I have no idea. Been wondering that myself. Maybe with a heat gun or hair drier I can stretch it enough to glue down in the dips on the sides of the tunnel.
I stared with the tunnel, glued it down to the crest of the tunnel and started working from the center out. I went to the front of the passenger side, have that all done. Over the hump for the exhaust and everything. It seems that you just have to take your time and stretch the carpet when it needs to be, cut it when it needs to be. I took my time, took me 2 good hours to do the tunnel and passenger side. I will continue to work on it a few hours a day here and there till its done, Im in no rush. I plan to mold it as exact as I can to the floor boards, that way in the summer, when Im not racing, I can have the stock carpet fit over it to provide more sound insulation.
As far as the rear seats go, I have no idea. Been wondering that myself. Maybe with a heat gun or hair drier I can stretch it enough to glue down in the dips on the sides of the tunnel.
#7
I installed a few carpets on vehicles before (warranty work) and Im by no means an expert but after the first couple of times I found it easier to let the carpet lay out for a few hours to relax and then install it by starting at the front-middle and work your way out from there. But again, that was pre-molded and I really dont know how to go about it on an un-molded carpet...Maybe a light mist of water and a heat gun to form it?
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#8
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Lay out in sun (opps 9 degrees out) or heat gun will help make it work easier & form better. The spray on carpet glue worked great, I think I used 3M?? I used the real thin carpet, I don't remember who made it, but it came out good. I started with the floor so I didn't bang up my knees. I left all the mounts & brackets for if or when I put everything back.
#9
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Friend of mine is an apholstry guy, he told me the ozite ( I bought mine from the above site) will stretch in the rear humps, but he told me it would be alot easier to just leave the back a little long and use some weights (he suggested a couple bowling *****) to help stretch it overnite in those spots. He's done this type of stuff before several times, and he said at any point that it becomes hard to stretch it to the floor coutours, leaving somethign heavy on it overnite usually takes care of it, stop working on it, go in the house, come out the next afternoon after work, and viola, carpet stretched enough so it will now fit where you want it to go! He also likes the 3M spray adhesive, trick with it is to get the carpet stretched so it will fit first, then spray the stuff, let it get tacky and then lay the carpet in on it. He said when we're done with my interior, it should look as if it was molded carpet (but won't ever come back out LOL) He also said it should take about 4 hours, let it stretch overnite, and then another 4 hours to get it done and looking 100%
I'll have my car back from the chassis shop probbaly in a couple weeks, the rollbar is getting painted, then the carpet is getting installed. I will try to get pics of it when it's done.
I'll have my car back from the chassis shop probbaly in a couple weeks, the rollbar is getting painted, then the carpet is getting installed. I will try to get pics of it when it's done.
#17
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I'll be doing this for the second time next weekend after I get my car back from getting the rollbar installed. There will be alot more beer consumption this time since I have to work around the bars. I'll post pics up when I'm done
#18
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Well along the lines of the steam gun you might consider
one of those little Wal-Mart electric heaters, a 1500W
ceramic one should be gentle enough and effective.
Might set you back 10 bucks if you don't already have
one.
one of those little Wal-Mart electric heaters, a 1500W
ceramic one should be gentle enough and effective.
Might set you back 10 bucks if you don't already have
one.
#19
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Do you guys know where I could get the 3M spray adhesive. My car is having the 10 pt. cage and kirkey seats installed and then I have to install the Ozite carpet. How much adhesive will be needed. Thanks.