[jdss]

How would I carpet around these roll cage tubes? The carpet will need to be cut but which direction? I guess I could but binding around the holes where the tubes are welded to the floor but I"ll have to cut the carpet to get to the hole.If I do that won't You see the cut seam?I hope my question is not to confusing.

[NEW INTERIORS]

Mr.Dan could answer this better then me, But I would make the cut to the shortest run.. If you take your time and glue it down right,You can do it where you won't know.. Making good cut's, Is the most important thing I would say..I'm sure Mr.Dan will post when he come's on..Good luck..

Plus.. a lot of thing will not show once the seats are in..

[cummingscustom]

Originally Posted by DanTwoLakes

It's going to depend on what kind of carpet you use as to how much the seams show. A cut pile carpet will be easier to hide seams than a loop carpet like the stuff in these pictures. It doesn't matter which way you cut it, as long as you cut all the pieces so they go in the same direction. If this was me, I'd use velcro to close the carpet around the roll cage. Sew a piece of fabric with one side of the velcro on to one side of the carpet, and then sew the other side of the velcro directly to the carpet. You'll have to fit the pieces of carpet so they bump up next to one another. Once this was done for all the pieces, I'd attach them to the rollcage with the seams in the least visible position and then screw them down or hold them down to the roll cage some way.

I think I would use padded vinyl or some type of heavy duty boat cover material rather than carpet. It would be a lot easier to work with, and you could use snaps or velcro or zippers to close the pieces.

Hey Dan are you thinking he means covering the actual roll bars? I wans't sure by your response.

[DanTwoLakes]

Originally Posted by cummingscustom

Hey Dan are you thinking he means covering the actual roll bars? I wasn't sure by your response.

I wasn't sure by my response, either. Boy did I ever blow that one. I deleted my post. He wants to know how to go around the roll bars, right? I couldn't figure out why he wanted to cover the roll bars with carpet! A mind is a terrible thing to waste.

You do it just like a carpet layer cuts around a toilet in the bathroom. You find the shortest distance possible and cut up to and around the roll bar. You then splice the carpet with carpet tape to close the cut. This stuff is about 5" wide and you heat it up with a special heat tool to melt the adhesive under the splice. You might want to get a carpet layer to do it for you, it would be money well spent.

[cummingscustom]

Originally Posted by jdss

How would I carpet around these roll cage tubes? The carpet will need to be cut but which direction? I guess I could but binding around the holes where the tubes are welded to the floor but I"ll have to cut the carpet to get to the hole.If I do that won't You see the cut seam?I hope my question is not to confusing.

Hello, I would agree that you would cut a slits to the closest points to the edge or as as Dan says the less visible. That said I have always cut tightly around the bottom of the bars and ran the slit to the nearest edge, but put some thought into it so both sides look the same and look for the easiest way to bind once all the cuts are in. From your illustrations it looks like you will have one slit that would run to the side and one that would run to the back. Another thought is to create a 2 piece carpet. The front carpet could go all the way to the back notching around the roll bars and slits running to the back, then your back piece would run straight across with similar notches with binding. Not sure if this make any sense.

I will attempt to attach a picture of a steering column that I did that will illustrate the type of cut out with binding you could do. Let me know if you can't see the pic.

Al

[DanTwoLakes]

Al is right, and has some good ideas. I think if you cut the carpet correctly, you won't need to bind around the openings. I think it would look better without the binding, but that's just me.

[cummingscustom]

Originally Posted by DanTwoLakes

I wasn't sure by my response, either. Boy did I ever blow that one. I deleted my post. He wants to know how to go around the roll bars, right? I couldn't figure out why he wanted to cover the roll bars with carpet! A mind is a terrible thing to waste.

You do it just like a carpet layer cuts around a toilet in the bathroom. You find the shortest distance possible and cut up to and around the roll bar. You then splice the carpet with carpet tape to close the cut. This stuff is about 5" wide and you heat it up with a special heat tool to melt the adhesive under the splice. You might want to get a carpet layer to do it for you, it would be money well spent.

Good stuff. Hey I never thought of using carpet tape. I always used vinyl carpet binding. It's a ***** to sew it on around the little circles but it looks great when it is done. The pic I attached does not show the binding around the column since this one had a billit cover.

Al

[jdss]

Thanks for the good ideas guys.I think I"ll try to do the binding around the bar. Actually I'll try it on a scrap piece to see how hard it is. If you look at the first picture I posted at the rear of the car where the floor jogs up and back,Do you think that should be a separate piece?

[cummingscustom]

First - the picture didn't show it but I would assume you are going to put down some heat shield and then jute felt?

As for the carpet it all depends on how well the carpet cooperates with you at the time of installation, but I usually like to cover as much as possible with one piece. That said from the picture it looks like you are going to need to carpet the side tubular pieces first unless you have panels that will cover that. Those will go on first then your center sections with binding will finish that off.

As I take a closer look you might better run your roll bar slits to the back a few inches back. Then make a separate back piece as you suggested that will come right up to the back of the bars. You could do a straight piece from left to right (and put half moon's around the bars). This will only work if you can carepet that hump with out too much trouble.

It's a matter of preference as Dan said but if you have some scrap put together a few test pieces. Ya practice is a good idea especially if you don't have much carpet to screw up (I have been short too many times). A helpful tip is to cut slits in the back of the binding on all inside corners and circles.

You will fight with it but in the end it will work and look professional.

Good luck... let me know how you make out.

Al

[DanTwoLakes]

It's hard to make any recommendations without seeing the car. For the most part, carpet is just common sense. Take your time and don't make any cuts until you're positive they are right.

It's really hard to go around a small circle, whether it's the inside of a hole, or the outside of a circle. It's even harder on something that doesn't give very much like carpet, and harder yet when the holes are in a large piece of carpet. If you're going to try it, use something for binding that is as flexible as you can get.

[jdss]

Heres an update.I got the carpeting in the car.It looks ok except for the piece that covers the trans tunnel.I can't get that peice to lay flat.I think its because the vinyl binding is pulling on it.I know its hard to see in the picture but im thinking of taking off the binding and cutting it in straight lines instead of a large curve like it is now.Before I put the binding on it layed ok with only slight wrinkling at the top not all the way around like now.

[DanTwoLakes]

Before you take it out, try to steam the carpet to get it to lay flat. You need something like a Jiffy steamer that most upholstery shops have. Carpet is really stiff, and most times needs some help to lay flat.

[cummingscustom]

Tunnel's are always a pain. That wasn't the type of binding I had in mind but you did a really nice job with that. I will attempt to attache a pic of the binding I was referring to.

Every floor pan has its own personality and each install is unique.

As Dan said there doesn't appear to be any need to start over. Heating the carpet backing will help it take its shape but you still may need to shim and glue to get this piece to lye flat.

Here is some guidance on how I attack custom carpets:

It looks like you are doing the carpet in sections (not a sewn all together), so you may need to lay the tunnel first so it can glue and stretch in place and cover all the way to the floor with out binding. If the top and/or bottom will be exposed (not over lapped) then I would bind just those edges. Most tunnels start out really fat and tall in the front towards the firewall the thin out as it goes back. I would dry fit the carpet to see if the wrinkles will smooth if I glue it and if it looks like the wrinkles will be too great to smooth the I will glue pieces of jute felt to parts of the tunnel as fill until I get a smooth surface to cover. If that doesn't work then sometimes the tunnel needs to be done in 2 pieces. Your application looks like it will be fine with some fill.

Once you get the tunnel looking good then you will trim your drivers and passengers carpets to but up to the bottom edge of the tunnel and bind the all the way around.

[cummingscustom]

Originally Posted by cummingscustom

Tunnel's are always a pain. That wasn't the type of binding I had in mind but you did a really nice job with that. I will attempt to attache a pic of the binding I was referring to.

Every floor pan has its own personality and each install is unique.

As Dan said there doesn't appear to be any need to start over. Heating the carpet backing will help it take its shape but you still may need to shim and glue to get this piece to lye flat.

Here is some guidance on how I attack custom carpets:

It looks like you are doing the carpet in sections (not a sewn all together), so you may need to lay the tunnel first so it can glue and stretch in place and cover all the way to the floor with out binding. If the top and/or bottom will be exposed (not over lapped) then I would bind just those edges. Most tunnels start out really fat and tall in the front towards the firewall the thin out as it goes back. I would dry fit the carpet to see if the wrinkles will smooth if I glue it and if it looks like the wrinkles will be too great to smooth the I will glue pieces of jute felt to parts of the tunnel as fill until I get a smooth surface to cover. If that doesn't work then sometimes the tunnel needs to be done in 2 pieces. Your application looks like it will be fine with some fill.

Once you get the tunnel looking good then you will trim your drivers and passengers carpets to but up to the bottom edge of the tunnel and bind the all the way around.

PS: I only did the carpets in this car. The interior was done twenty years ago by someone else and he isn't ready for a make-over.

Al

[DanTwoLakes]

I wouldn't claim that interior work either! The carpet is fine, but the rest of it...........

Al is right, the carpet would have been better if the tunnel was done first. Then the only binding would be to the carpet next to the tunnel. All you have to do is reverse the order of installation.