New Carpet Time...

[photovette]

All Done With New Carpet...

This is my fifth time installing carpet in a C3. I finally got all the insulation installed--I hope it's going to quiet it down a bit. This is a view of the rear storage area (1977):

I decided to go with a charcoal/silver cut pile (truvette). Should look good with the black interior.

 

[Fishman]

Looking good... nice color choice.

And... that new car smell!

Post more as the project moves forward... Brian

 

[photovette]

And new leather late-C3 seats too--new carpet and new leather--I wish they'd bottle the smell as perfume!

And, I discovered the ONE thing that will really give you that new car smell--fresh engine paint heating up for the first time.

 

[Nut]

photo.... if you haven't bought the seats yet, and they are of the 78-82 (split in the middle back) type do NOT get the 4" bolsters. Unless you have VERY thin shoulders it's not the most comfortable fitting seats. Had I known I would have gotten the 2" bolsters. Good luck on the carpet project. I'll be doing mine likely later this fall.

........ nut

 

[photovette]

Yeah, I've heard from a number of people to stay away from the 4" bolsters. I ordered the 2"--Willcox will deliver them soon--they have the best price and service anywhere!

It's coming along--amazing how much better that 3/4" insulation looks covered by carpet. That's Truvette carpet--I bought 7yds and cut and fit it myself.

 

[lnirenberg]

Yeah, I've heard from a number of people to stay away from the 4" bolsters. I ordered the 2"--Willcox will deliver them soon--they have the best price and service anywhere!

It's coming along--amazing how much better that 3/4" insulation looks covered by carpet. That's Truvette carpet--I bought 7yds and cut and fit it myself.

That is a very impressive job. Make sure you post pictures of the rest.

 

[photovette]

Thanks! I'll post the front when I get it done in a few days.

I tried to get the late-C3 power seat track to fit (I miss it from my '81), but I couldn't force myself to take the grinder to the floor board.

What has been the scariest part was removing the rearview mirror mounting lug from where it was glued to the windshield. I had to lower the mirror 3/4" to clear the new scanner.

 

[srs244]

photo

that's really nice work. as i am basically in the throws of a complete interior restoration on a 78 pace car, i was wondering why you chose to go with regular sound deadening type insulation instead of something like dynamat (which is both a heat shield and insulation material)?? i was planning on using a heat shield through out the entire floor and rear shelf including the doors, but am open to any and all suggestions. a friend just did a frame off on a 71 and used dynamat and it is amazing what a difference it makes in the inside temp of the car (we live in the south florida area and the tropical climate can really produce some road heat transfer, not to mention riding on the exhaust system).

 

[photovette]

I'm from Florida too (Key West) and visit there very frequently, so keeping the heat out and the cold in is priority one! I did use a Dynamat type material under the regular insulation. Also, having spent many years on a submarine, I know something about sound silencing too. In order:

POR15 (rust proofing)
White rubberized roofing paint (vibration deadening)
Flexable silver-mylar self-adhesive roof flashing (heat reflective)
Dynamat material (heat reflective/vibration damping)
1/8" gray foam duct insulation (thermal barrier)
Silver-mylar faced 3/4" pressed felt insulation (interior sound deadening)
Truvette carpet (sound deadening and looks cool)

You can see some of the heat barrier at the bottom of the first image.

Remember, as a fashion/glamour photographer I transport a lot of women. So, I need sound proofing from the chambered exhaust outside (so they won't complain), heat insulation so they're cool and comfortable (so they won't complain), and sound deadening on the inside to cancel out all their yapping (now that they're finally happy).

 

[CQRT]

Photo:
I'm in the middle of the same project on our `74 coupe- - cleaned/scraped everything, POR first, then Reflectix-- and now the carpet with the gray padding on the underside. I honestly can't recall where I got the "molded" carpet - - it was one of the notable suppliers-- but I'm fighting with making it fit perfectly. For example, how did you attach the edge that flips over the lip behind the seats and in front of the storage comparment doors? How much did you leave under the door sill plates? What did you do in the "holes" in the rear corners of the back storage compartment and finally, did you cut out around the plastic seat belt covers(under the seats) and the seat bolt anchors or just create a "flap" to the front?

Many thanks--

 

[photovette]

I tried the pre-formed carpet sets one time--and was very disappointed with the fit. In my current project, I measure the area then roughly cut out that size piece of carpet. I then trim it to exact fit. I then place the plastic panel pieces in place and gouge out the insulation so it fits correctly and snuggly. Then spray adhesive--it sticks so well to the pressed felt you wouldn't believe it! I give it a few whacks with a rubber mallet to mould it into shape.

Today I installed a radar detector, a scanner (which has a nice feature of alerting you when there's a State Trooper within 3 miles of you), and a auto-dimming rearview mirror. The scanner audio output transmits to the car stereo. I also installed a motorized CB antenna (and CB) in place of the fixed rear antenna. The stereo uses a hidden antenna, and the scanner's antenna is wrapped around the back window under the trim.

 

[partspup]

That is one nice looking job you are doing.

 

[photovette]

Thanks! I'm pleased on how it's coming out too. Tomorrow I'm installing the mini-bar and ice chilling unit in the storage compartments behind the seats.

It's been a hard two weeks, but when I get done (this weekend), I'm heading for the Blue Ridge Parkway--ROAD TRIP!!!

 

[photovette]

Only the driver side left to do! I wish I wasn't doing so many commercial shoots lately, I'd have been done last week. Oh well, it's paying for all this--I'm trying to get it finished by Friday so it can be on a national TV show--I won't make it though...

Of course, my girlfriend has the proper attitude:

Glad to hear the corvette is almost done - I thought it looked good back when we first met! What will you find to do on it when you are finished with everything? You will just have to buy another one!

 

[photovette]

Just waiting on the new leather covered seat covers/foam from Willcox--I'm putting in late C3 seats.

 

[photovette]

The seats came in and it's ready to go cruising--unfortunately I pulled my back out clipping the new seat cushions in place--yowl! Lesson: don't do it in a Corvette--install new seat cushions that is--take'em out first!

 

[Smokie Joe]

new carpet time

Photovette,your new interior looks just awesome man.I read one of your posts that had a link to where you bought your carpet.All I could find on there was what they called marine carpet.Is that the same stuff that you used?What kind of backing do you have on your carpet?

 

[Tritium007]

Photo.....most awesome job. Need you to cruise down to Charleston and do mine when the time comes. Did you do any sub service down here? Been here since '85, retired, and thought I'd stay. Rode'em all, fast boats, boomers, tenders and set-up one of the MTS's here as well. Just like my tattoos..., it seemed like a good idea at the time. BTW, thanks for serving!

Mike

 

[Mr. Chuck]

New Car Smell & Toxic Fumes

The new car / carpet smell may come with a risk of toxic fumes as the adhesive dries fully. A check of the MSDS (www.msds.com) should give you valuable info if the fumes are a concern. Inside a close car the fumes can get really intense, especially after the car sits in the hot summer sun.

 

[photovette]

Thanks for the warning on the smell. I can't drive without the window open some anyway, so it never gets closed up while I'm driving.

Yes, it is the marine carpet--they have two; this is the cheaper of the two. It is soft and plush with a black rubber backing. It looks and feels like premium auto carpet--though, because of the environment it's designed for, it seems like it'd be more durable. I had some in the car for four years--a light beige, but because of the light color, it stained a lot from models' makeup and spilled Starbucks--this dark color should be better. It looks better by eyeball than it does in the pictures--I'll be doing a shoot with my pro-cameras this weekend, so I'll be able to capture it better. It trims very nicely with a set of kitchen scissors--be prepared to get in trouble if you have any females in charge of your kitchen.

I was stationed in Charleston the last 3 years I was in the sub service--I lived in Mt. Pleasant--to this day I have an intense fear of driving over tall bridges! You know the one I mean. I flew over to Holy Loche from there--the Nat Greene and one other. I loved Charleston and was planning to stay on, but it seems I was engaged to a top escort girl who owned one of the first internet escort services. Her business got busted and it made quite a political stink and news story at the time. If you follow my home site link you might recognize who my family is in S. Carolina politics--so pretty much I had no option but to leave the state and the Navy--which was easy since my CO's name turned up in the customer data base...

I ought to tell you about the time that I got the idea to invite every exotic dancer in Cocoa Beach to come down and tour the submarine (we were down there doing missile ops) at the same as a Congressman was scheduled to tour the boat.

I was just your typical, fun loving submariner.