trucks with carpet
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Senior User
Joined: Oct 2003
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From: Vancouver Washington
trucks with carpet
Between 76 and 79 which trucks came stock with carpet and the door panels with the trim on them. Were these things optional or did they come with a certain trim level? My 78 f150 custom is pretty barren with no a/c, no extra trim, and a rubber floor mat. If I decide to buy another i want to have a more cozy interior and more options like a/c and all the extra gauges. with mine its basically like im driving in a cold metal box especially with no door panels.
Last edited by 78f150custom; Dec 18, 2003 at 04:31 PM.
Posting Guru
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From: northern ca
I think it was part of the ranger package, but could prolly be ordered separately.
you could try JC Whitney, they have carpet kits and door panels, and you can get a cluster with guages at the junkyard.
you could try JC Whitney, they have carpet kits and door panels, and you can get a cluster with guages at the junkyard.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 1,165
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From: central Alberta
There's nothing stopping you from adding all the creature comforts you desire. The wreckers are full of these trucks. The carpeting was usually found in the topline Ranger and Ranger XLTs. There was also the Explorer option packages. These were originally available just for dressing up the Custom series but evolved into a multilevel package (Package A,B,C,etc) by the late seventies available on both the Custom and Ranger series. On a late seventies Explorer, you could typically find carpeting, tilt steering, special striping and other goodies. I had a 79 Custom F150 Explorer a while back with 460, dual tanks, tilt, carpet, slider window and traction lok axle.
mike
mike
Senior User
Joined: Dec 2000
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From: Northwest Iowa
Out of the 30plus trucks I have bought and dissasembled for parts for my 79 Crewcab shortbed 4x4, 79 Bronco and 77 Shortbed 4x4, more floors are rusted from the rubber mat. The rubber mat does not breath whatsoever. So, if it gets wet underneath, it will stay wet for eons. As for carpet, it will breath and finally dry.
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We at FTE would prefer that all technical info be placed on here in the forums.
Customs usually got rubber mats.
Everything above that trim line would get carpet.
The Ranger explorer got thinner carpet than the XLT & the Lariat got more than the XLT.
Door panels definitely had differences compared to the custom.
From two-tone colours on the explorer ,to door chrome trim to woodgrain trim insets, & finally to larger amounts of Woodgrain panels for the lariat.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We at FTE would prefer that all technical info be placed on here in the forums.
Customs usually got rubber mats.
Everything above that trim line would get carpet.
The Ranger explorer got thinner carpet than the XLT & the Lariat got more than the XLT.
Door panels definitely had differences compared to the custom.
From two-tone colours on the explorer ,to door chrome trim to woodgrain trim insets, & finally to larger amounts of Woodgrain panels for the lariat.
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Senior User
Joined: Dec 2000
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From: Northwest Iowa
Yes, carpet holds moisture and rubber mats do not.
Do a test, take carpet and put on bare flat steel. Take a rubber floor mat and do the same. Douse with water, lots of it.
Let stand 20 some years. Pull carpet, yep maybe a little rust, now take up the mat. OOOhh, rusted all the way thru.
The theory here is, H2O does not evaporate thru a material such as rubber. That is why wet suits are made of neopreme rubber. But if you did have a hole in that suit, its takes forever to dry it out.
Unless a vehicle is very well protected from the elements there is going to be some rust in either case. Ford and the other auto makers did not seal the floors or any other part of the vehicle well enough to withstand 20 or more years of torture.
Do a test, take carpet and put on bare flat steel. Take a rubber floor mat and do the same. Douse with water, lots of it.
Let stand 20 some years. Pull carpet, yep maybe a little rust, now take up the mat. OOOhh, rusted all the way thru.
The theory here is, H2O does not evaporate thru a material such as rubber. That is why wet suits are made of neopreme rubber. But if you did have a hole in that suit, its takes forever to dry it out.
Unless a vehicle is very well protected from the elements there is going to be some rust in either case. Ford and the other auto makers did not seal the floors or any other part of the vehicle well enough to withstand 20 or more years of torture.
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Posting Guru
Joined: Jul 2003
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From: East Central Florida
Also most OEM Rubber mats had/have a felt sponge on the back of them to give rubber above it more moisture it can't evaporate.
I'm with classyfish on this one 100% I believe mats kill floor pans faster than carpets!
Here in the Bikini State we got a grip on rust out problems!
FBp
I'm with classyfish on this one 100% I believe mats kill floor pans faster than carpets!
Here in the Bikini State we got a grip on rust out problems!
FBp
Senior User
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 126
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From: kentucky
I an f250 4x4 supercab xlt. It has carpet, nice looking black and wood trimed door panels, A/C, cruise control, the interior is in great shape. But, the floor panels are rusted out. Not for long!!!
Elder User
Joined: Apr 2001
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From: MT
FYI, the carpet is not the problem. Carpet dries, the jute pad is what holds the water and never dries.
I pulled my carpet (dry) and the jute backing was soaked.
Plan is to Rhino line the floor and re-install the carpet.
Also the up-scale trucks came with carpeted kick panels !!
( by the E-Brake peddle)
I pulled my carpet (dry) and the jute backing was soaked.
Plan is to Rhino line the floor and re-install the carpet.
Also the up-scale trucks came with carpeted kick panels !!
( by the E-Brake peddle)
Posting Guru
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From: South...
Hey! I like that rhino-lining under the carpet idea...maybe I'll do that with mine.
BTW, my 78 F150 Ranger/Explorer has carpet and the carpeted kick panels. I pulled the carpet loose on the passenger side cause some gunk spilled on the carpet (previous owner) was eatin' the sill plate. Looked under the carpet - NO RUST!!!
Pretty excited about that!
Scott
BTW, my 78 F150 Ranger/Explorer has carpet and the carpeted kick panels. I pulled the carpet loose on the passenger side cause some gunk spilled on the carpet (previous owner) was eatin' the sill plate. Looked under the carpet - NO RUST!!!
Pretty excited about that!
Scott
Junior User
Joined: Dec 2003
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From: Athens, TX
Classyfish...........Can't argue with the facts! I have seen the same thing.......carpet versus rubber floor mats. Carpeting has come along way since the late 70's. Goodies like, quality, vapor barrier, sound deadening, heat protection from CC. Rubber floor mats are still rubber. Sure they have all of those goodies now, but the moisture from rain or snow runs off rubber and into every crack and space instead of absorbing into carpeting and then drying.
Junior User
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 54
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From: Athens, TX
redeye rye........sounds like they just plain abused the truck!
I guess I am pretty lucky. I am restoring a 1951 F-3 pickup. When I got it, the rubber mat had been long gone. I am glad. Floor boards and cab are rock solid. It was a North Dakota truck originally. Thanks to ND for not using salt on the roads!!!
I guess I am pretty lucky. I am restoring a 1951 F-3 pickup. When I got it, the rubber mat had been long gone. I am glad. Floor boards and cab are rock solid. It was a North Dakota truck originally. Thanks to ND for not using salt on the roads!!!
Freshman User
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 43
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From: Indiana
It's possible some abuse may have occurred, considering my ol' truck spent most of its life in the river bottoms, and it doesn't help that the state of Indiana uses road salt like its goin' outa style. It is very hard to find a solid truck over 20 yrs. old around here.