I've got my new carpet in and have completed doing the rear and center sections of the cab. (really looking nice). I am going to be working on the firewall. I've removed the heater unit, (rebuilt all that). The accelerator pedal and just about everything except the steering column. I could use some recommendations or advice on what to do here. Should I remove the column? and install the carpet, or cut the carpet to fit around the column? I've never removed the column and am trying to avoid it if possible. The carpet kit came with a plug but since my column is not original, the shaft hole won't fit into the plug opening. I also have to cut out the opening for the battery cover, which I'm concerned about doing where it'll look good. Any recommendations on whether to carpet the lid or leave it the original metal? I'll be posting some pics soon on the whole interior carpeting. Also, is a good idea to use glue on the firewall?

 

I've got my new carpet in and have completed doing the rear and center sections of the cab. (really looking nice). I am going to be working on the firewall. I've removed the heater unit, (rebuilt all that). The accelerator pedal and just about everything except the steering column. I could use some recommendations or advice on what to do here. Should I remove the column? and install the carpet, or cut the carpet to fit around the column?

If you are careful, you could cut and velcro it neatly to the floor there.

I've never removed the column and am trying to avoid it if possible. The carpet kit came with a plug but since my column is not original, the shaft hole won't fit into the plug opening. I also have to cut out the opening for the battery cover, which I'm concerned about doing where it'll look good. Any recommendations on whether to carpet the lid or leave it the original metal?

My carpet edge is also velcroed. Not terribly convenient, but it only take a few seconds to peel the carpet out of the way for battery access. I don't suggest you cut the rug there. And a metal lid showing in the middle of a carpeted floor would look strange, at least to me.

I'll be posting some pics soon on the whole interior carpeting. Also, is a good idea to use glue on the firewall?

There are glues rated for higher temps. I would not install carpet in any permanent manner however.

 

I'd second everything Fenders has said here. I bought rolls of 1.5" side Velcro hooks and loops from McMasterCarr (an industrial products supplier) and have researched a few different contact cements to put my carpets in. I'm waiting to install until I figure out what I want to do with the steering column though. Mc Master has the cements too. They're on the web and will send you anything you can find and pay for from their catalog. They're great about returns too.

The Velcro approach will allow me to remove the carpets when I need to do work that would get them dirty.

 

My carpet edge is also velcroed. Not terribly convenient, but it only take a few seconds to peel the carpet out of the way for battery access. I don't suggest you cut the rug there. And a metal lid showing in the middle of a carpeted floor would look strange, at least to me.
Dewayne, I'm not sure what your saying here? Are you saying to only cut the sides and front and then velcro the front flap of the carpet to access the battery? The previous carpet was cut around the battery opening and then they glue the carpet to the lid, so when the battery lid was put on the floor it would blend in with the carpet. Of course it was still noticable. I'm going to take your advice on the velcro guys as to the steering column. Dewayne, any recommendations on what velcro to get? Thanks guys.

One more thing, Dewayne, I took your advice and went to Lowe's. I picked up the edging for the kickpanels. I found them in black also. I also picked up some carpet sills plates/ edges. Very cool! They are about 3/4" wide and come right up to the edge. Actually look like they were made for the truck. Cost about $4.00 each. Thanks for the great advice. (as usual). Ed

 

Two inch velcro will be strong enough for use up on the firewall. It's a little spendy. You could downsize it a little perhaps.

 

I'm going to put carpet over some sound deadener in my '53 for the cab. How hard is it to form non-custom carpet to conform to curves, etc.? Is that all attached with adhesive? I've seen steam being used on American Hot Rod. Anybody have any guidance on this?

How is truck carpet different from indoor/outdoor carpet?

-Scott

 

I'm going to put carpet over some sound deadener in my '53 for the cab. How hard is it to form non-custom carpet to conform to curves, etc.? Is that all attached with adhesive? I've seen steam being used on American Hot Rod. Anybody have any guidance on this?

I'll take a stab. In most any other vehicle, I'd say don't try it, But an Effie floor is pretty much flat, especially if you kill some of the contour with sound deadening material.

How is truck carpet different from indoor/outdoor carpet?

This is a guess, not a whole lot of difference. Auto carpet tends to be on a backing that is a little more pliable, which is handy to conform to curves. Functionally, I think you would get a similar service life. It could work if you can find something in a style you like.

-Scott

 

My upholstery guy made my carpeting in two pieces. The seam runs from door to door. The front section overlaps the back section and the lip is just under the rounded edge of the seat supports. The rough side edges are covered by the SS trim pieces from Sac Vintage Ford ($18). It takes me 30 seconds to remove the four screws from the trim, move the trim piece, and fold the carpet forward. Give it a try Ed. John

 

It sure would be nice to have a steamer for the install but they don't come cheap so unless you do it for a living it wouldn't pay to get one. As far as trying to fit the carpet around the column I would get the carpet to lay down on the rest of the floor and work the carpet up to the bottom side of the column and make a cut that will accomodate the column all the way to the top. Then come back and create the oval or circle that will profile the column. I wouldn't advise gluing the sound deadening insulation to the floor but glue it to the carpet. Glue can entrap moisture to the floor and cause it to rust. Good luck

Gear Up

 

I tack my carpets down to the insulated floor and firewall with 3M general purpose adhesive. If you just put on one medium to light coating, it will peel back easily, not even tearing into the double foil type insulation, about 1/4 thick, which I have all over everything in the cab.

If you really wanted to bond the carpet to the truck you would need probably 3 coats of the spray on 3M adhesive; therefore, by putting on just one coat, it will never move, but is easily "peelable". I just peeled some back on my panel floor yesterday, after 6 years in place, and reglued later on last evening with no problem.

I usually use commercial carpet, which will not retain moisture like deep pile. If you've ever done any seaming, you can make seams from the doors to the center cover, and they will be hidden/covered by any floor mat.

This is daily driver quality, of course. Also, you can buy carpet binding tape in many colours and, using special staple gun/staples made for this, with special adhesive, bind your own carpets and do a 95% professional job after practicing on about 2 feet of scrap carpet.

Being in the ceramic tile business, I was shown how to do the binding by a carpet installer who also did tile. This techique is used when someone buys a big piece of carpet to be used as an area rug and needs the edges bound. Next best thing to a carpet sewing machine.

 

Since I'm in the process of doing my interior I can probably shed some light on what I did and answer some questions. I ordered a carpet kit from stockinteriors.com The carpet appeared very thin and of poor quality. I also put some insulation down on the firewall and in the gully under the seat. I don't know the quality of indoor outdoor carpet, but the quality seemed pretty good for auto carpet. It also came with a heel a toe pad and a bushing for the dimmer switch, which I didn't use. The carpet for the effie is actually a square piece of flat carpet. The kit I bought required very little cutting or trimming. No holes are cut, etc. I use undercoating on the floorboard, then I applied the padding and only glued it to the firewall. The rest of the areas didn't need it. I took the recommendation from fatfenders and used 3M # 90 adhesive. Very good stuff. I didn't glue anything on the carpet except the rear under the gas tank, and I use very little glue. The sides, again I had fatfenders help me, I went to Lowes Hardware and bought some aluminum carpet edges which screw right into the edge of the floorboard and hold the carpet. I also took his advice and used 2" velcro and used it on the top edge of the firewall. I noticed it didn't stick well so out came the 3M adhesive and I applied it to the sticky part of the velcro, then attached it to the metal. Held good. All in all the job takes time. I didn't use a blow dryer or steamer on my carpet. The directions recommended you lay the carpet flat outside in the sun which I did. For the steering column. I measured the distance from the kick panel to the center of the column and made a cut, cutting around the shaft of the column. I found some carpet joint tape at Home Depot which simply peels off and you apply it to the back of the carpet. It bonds it together nicely and you don't see a cut. I'm still working on what to do with the battery cover or access to it. I hate to cut the carpet there and to access the battery I have to remove the sill plate and lift the carpet. I may go with the SS battery case which you can remove the battery from underneath the truck. Other than that I'm getting ready to install the gas tank and seat. Here's a pic:

 

Gear Up

It sounds like IMLower used self adhesive velcro the first round, before he used the 3M 90. What are our other choices? I am wondering what the contact adhesive might do in this application? I used a squeeeze tube adhesive similar to 3M weatherstrip adhesive. Holding for now, but the jury isn't in yet as it hasn't been there long. Not sharing the P/N yet, it will take some time to know.

Lower

I appreciate the confidence, but if Gear Up trumps my advice, remember he is the guy making a living doing interior. And BTW, I used a hard vinyl version of the Lowes floor trim in black. Your aluminum version should be just fine, but if it isn't anodized you are going to have to fight to keep paint on it, unless you left it natural aluminum. It will keep your carpet secured, and save your carpet edge from wear in any case.

 

I appreciate the confidence, but if Gear Up trumps my advice, remember he is the guy making a living doing interior.

Once again, I didn't know that Gear Up does interior work. So, Gear Up, maybe you give me some advice on what to do with the battery access cover. I've been going through several pictures of trucks in magazines, etc. I don't see too many with the opening cut, or maybe they cover it with a floor mat? Either way, the battery lid looks bad.
Fat- I know you used the black vinyl stripping. However, you recommended I check out Lowes, and I did, I just liked the aluminum strip better for my application. I did buy the black vinyl ones you referred to, but I'm going to use them on the edge of the kick panels. So credit is due, buddy! Now if I could get Gear Up to come over to my place and install the headliner? Smile.....

 

Thanks, guys. Great thread - very helpful. Does everyone agree to put the sound deadener (Peel and Stick) on the carpet and not try to bond it to the floor or does that apply only to the jute backing?

-Scott

 

Scortt

No, I'm certain that will not work well at all. The P&S works a lot like a heat sink. It has to have solid contact with the metal to kill the vibration. And it will fall right off the carpet backing. You'll have a mess. Warm it up, stick it to clean floor and you're set.