Installing carpet, questions though...

[CudamanTom]

Installing new carpet on my cuda convert.
How much do you leave/trim at the door seals? also over the lip or not? And what about in the area where the rear panels and rear seat goes?
Any pics would be great!!! 

Thank you, 

Tom

[dfrazz]

This is one of my winter projects....   

[BIGSHCLUNK]

I've been down this road and its not that complicated.  The first thing I will say is GO SLOWLY. Empty the interior including kick panels, shifter ect. Lay out the carpet, let it "breathe out" to get the packaging folds out of it. Secondly a SHARP Exacto/razor knife. Seems that cutting carpets kills blades. I always start in the shifter console area. And spread out from there. Most guys that I know that have screwed up their carpets screw up in the shifter zone. One guy I know was so bad he bought a second carpet. Leave plenty to go up under the dash. Start fitting your panels over and make a chalk line, then add a few inches to it and cut. Put the panel back, trim out what else is needed. By the time your on the final cuts, you should have your "eye" and cutting without the need for secondary trimming. GO SLOWLY and save the  for after       

[CudamanTom]

Thanks a bunch Bigs,
My interior is stripped so I'm good there.
So what about the door edge trim (where the door shuts)? Do you fold over the door edge and let the chrome trim molding hold it in place or trim at the door edge and let the trim molding cover the edge?
I have the pre-formed carpet so where it goes in place is somewhat easy but at the doors is what I'm curious on. That and the rear side panels.
Thank you for your input.
Tom

[Topcat]

Be Careful when you cut out the hole for the high beam switch.

This a tricky area. Use weights and heat it underside with a heat gun.

You think you have it where you need to cut then you may see later you were off.

[soundcontrol]

First I left some to go over the lip and I thought the sillpaltes would hold it nice, but it ended up that they got to high and the door panel got stuck everytime I opened the door. So I cut them just enough to be even with the lip and still be covered by the sillplate. I don'y know what's correct, but thats what I did.
Have to be very careful there, it's easy to cut to much, I waited with that until my seats where in, and I also pushed down on the carpet as far as possible
between the seats and the door opening so I wouldn't cut too short.

Under the back seat I left enough so I could cut holes for the backseat hooks. The rear side panels, I think I left too much there, it was hard to tuck everything in, probably have to cut some more off later, I'm gonna leave a few inches to go under the panel.

[roadman5312]

One of the tricks I learned was for the seat track/seat belt holes. Once my carpet is trimmed in I come up thru the bottom of the holes with an awl to mark location.. Heat a long pointed round bar with a propane torch, then push it thru the hole from the top side. Makes a very nice cauterized hole.

[CudamanTom]

Thanks guys 

Your providing some great tips and what to watch out for.

Very much appreciated. 

Any more input???

[BIGSHCLUNK]

Be Careful when you cut out the hole for the high beam switch.

This a tricky area. Use weights and heat it underside with a heat gun.

You think you have it where you need to cut then you may see later you were off.

I've always used ACC carpets and the hole is already there. I got some pics someplace........

[CudamanTom]

I've always used ACC carpets and the hole is already there. I got some pics someplace........

I purchased ACC carpet but there are no holes. It's the thick plush stuff with insulation backing too.

[anlauto]

I've never seen an aftermarket carpet with a hole for the dimmer switch.

[roadman5312]

I've never seen an aftermarket carpet with a hole for the dimmer switch.

                                                           

[BIGSHCLUNK]

Ok, I just dug through 3 different computers to find some pics of NIKKI's carpet. Another crucial factor in BHO  (BIGS humble opinion) is to use anchor points (as shown in a copule of pics), I used screw drivers, needle nose pliers, whatever I could so I wouldnt loose my bolt hole and to insure proper location of the next hole that you will need to punch through. YES, I misspoke  you have to put in your own dimmer switch hole. Using anchor points will really help with this, I still recommend starting in the console area and working outward from there.

[BIGSHCLUNK]

Go slowly, keep the beer our of your work area!  Seat belt area is very important.  The server wont let me put more pics up right now!!!! No my flle is not to BIG!!!!    I'll be back..........

[HP_Cuda]

I would say the usual mistake is in the four speed area and in the fact that the driver foot rest area is positioned too far back. Once you have those places set - you are good to go. This is true even if you have to cut the top portion of the carpet because it curls over at the top because it hits your heaterbox, vents on either side, etc.

Go slow - measure twenty times cut once.