Installing carpet for the first time....?

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Chryslerkid

Chryslerkid

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Hi all,
I am getting ready to install carpet into my '71 dodge dart 2-door /6 car. Does anyone have any good tips or information on things that'll make it easier as well as nicer finished look? Thanks.
:burnout:
:hello1::blob::glasses7:
 
lay the carpet set into the car, move it as far forward as you can on the front section tucking it under the dash insulation as you can, the rear section as far back as you can to make it fit into the floorboard pockets nicely, then have the trim panels and kickpanels in hand and see what needs to be trimmed before cutting anything. when reinstalling kickpanels etc. a pointy scratch awl is helpful to locate the holes for the screw's
 
Where the seatbelt anchor bolts are will be the hardest to find. Measure, mark, note, whatever. I find it best to do every thing else first, saving the trim at door sills for last.
All i can add to that is Be careful !
The threaded studs on the bottom of front seat tracks will bite you. They had temporary covers over them in the factory. I have found a few of those under original carpet.
The hooks in the floor for the rear seat bottom bite too.
 
Just trim a little at a time. You can always take off more but you can't really add carpet if you trim too much. What I did was lay it out in the sun and then got it in the car and just trimmed bits and pieces at a time until I only had a little bit extra all the way around. I wasn't satisfied with the way the carpet was laying so I put down plastic and set cinder blocks all over the floor to get the carpet to flatten out better. I left those in for a week and then trimmed what was needed and installed the trim pieces on the floor.

Then I went under the car with a soldering iron and made my seat and seatbelt holes. There was one seat belt hole on the center hump that was either blocked by the exhaust or drive shaft. I can't remember but I know I couldn't get my soldering iron in there to poke a hole through. So I grabbed a nail with some Channelocks and heated the nail up red hot and used that to poke a hole through.

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the tranny tunnel ones I run the scratch awl up from the bottom of the car to find them, the ones on the side I dont attach the sill plates or anything till they are in place by lifting the carpet and siting up the holes. redfish is on the money with be careful, measure plenty cut once...........
RedFish said:
Where the seatbelt anchor bolts are will be the hardest to find. Measure, mark, note, whatever. I find it best to do every thing else first, saving the trim at door sills for last.
All i can add to that is Be careful !
The threaded studs on the bottom of front seat tracks will bite you. They had temporary covers over them in the factory. I have found a few of those under original carpet.
The hooks in the floor for the rear seat bottom bite too.
Click to expand...
 
Okay I'll try that. Did you cut two separate pieces for the front and back of the car? Thanks.
 
laying it out in the sun while taking your interior out helped with the shipping folds plus got it alittle more flexible when i mounted the seats i used a straight pick and went up threw the bottom underneath the car
 
after i get it where i want it, i take a hot soldering iron and from underneath, i burn through the seat bolt holes, and the seat belt holes ,they are a lot easier to locate from the top and the bolts dont get caught up in the carpet, and it keeps the carpet from fraying . i also use truck bed liner in a spray can and coat the floor....i always start from the trans hump / firewall area and work my way back and out to the rockers
 
I've also found that if you lay it out in the car and then put it in ths sun for about hr or two before you try to do any thing it helps a lot X2 what they say
 
Did you guys use one big piece of carpet to cover the whole cab or cut it into two pieces? One for the front and one for the back?
 
My kit from ACC came in 2 pcs... fit was awesome and was very easy to install.

If you havent already done so... you might want to run a search on Sound Deadening/Vibration Damping Material that also serves as a heat barrier that you can put down before the carpet.
 

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What's the better route? Sound deadening material or the spray can bed liner stuff?
 
When installing carpet work from center lines. In other words mark the center of the floor and center of back side of carpet at its edges.

Trial fit front section of carpet using your centering marks as reference points, and make any cuts for floor shifter and or console as needed. Start small with the cuts, and expand with little nibbles until carpet fits down over obstructions.

Fold one side of carpet over the other along center line, spray transmission hump and toe kick area of floor with contact cement, as well as corresponding back side of carpet. Let spray cement tac over. Unfold and position carpet on floor working out any wrinkles making sure to reference your center line. Spray contact cement can be worked, so don’t worry about moving the carpet around for a perfect fit.

Now repeat process on other side of car. There will be a few wrinkles that won’t fully work out, but after a week or two those wrinkles will lay flat from gravity and heat from sun.

Next step is to cut in the door sills if needed. Peel back carpet enough to access slanted section of floor adjacent to sills, spray contact cement on floor and back side of carpet, than work it into position eliminating any wrinkles. Once you have achieved the best fit, trim the edge to fit under kick panels, and door sills.

Repeat the above with the rear section of carpet. Work slowly, keep checking center line marks, and make small cuts.

Once carpet is installed, and before seats are installed use an awl to locate seat bolt holes, and seat belt bolt holes. Using a fresh sharp sheetrock blade cut a small “X” over each bolt hole, and mark them as you go with chalk. With all holes marked and precut, seats, and belts will install easily.
 
wjajr said:
When installing carpet work from center lines. In other words mark the center of the floor and center of back side of carpet at its edges.

Trial fit front section of carpet using your centering marks as reference points, and make any cuts for floor shifter and or console as needed. Start small with the cuts, and expand with little nibbles until carpet fits down over obstructions.

Fold one side of carpet over the other along center line, spray transmission hump and toe kick area of floor with contact cement, as well as corresponding back side of carpet. Let spray cement tac over. Unfold and position carpet on floor working out any wrinkles making sure to reference your center line. Spray contact cement can be worked, so don’t worry about moving the carpet around for a perfect fit.

Now repeat process on other side of car. There will be a few wrinkles that won’t fully work out, but after a week or two those wrinkles will lay flat from gravity and heat from sun.

Next step is to cut in the door sills if needed. Peel back carpet enough to access slanted section of floor adjacent to sills, spray contact cement on floor and back side of carpet, than work it into position eliminating any wrinkles. Once you have achieved the best fit, trim the edge to fit under kick panels, and door sills.

Repeat the above with the rear section of carpet. Work slowly, keep checking center line marks, and make small cuts.

Once carpet is installed, and before seats are installed use an awl to locate seat bolt holes, and seat belt bolt holes. Using a fresh sharp sheetrock blade cut a small “X” over each bolt hole, and mark them as you go with chalk. With all holes marked and precut, seats, and belts will install easily.
Click to expand...

That make work but, not everyone knows the trans tunnel is not centered.
When installing one piece molded carpet I start with the heel pad at drivers foot well. That pad could end up too far forward, too far back, and crooked.
I get it squared where I want it and work away from there.
 
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