I am installing a new carpet kit on my BJ8. Is one supposed to cut the carpet so that it can slide in and out from under the seats, or does one just punch holes in the carpet, run the nets through it and leave it in place under the seats? I seem to recall that the carpet is supposed to be removable for cleaning.

If I'm supposed to cut the carpet around the seat tracks, is there a prefered method for doing this?

Legal Bill,
My carpet kit had slots cut out for the seat rails and bound around the edges. The slot is opened at the front of the carpet piece so you slide it in from the rear of the car. Have a good day!

John

Hmmm. Mine is not pre-cut and not bound. And I seem to recall a note that says not to cut. Maybe I need to have soem work done to the carpets before I can install them. Maybe I should call Heritage.

Thanks once again, John.

If you are going for original style then the carpets are not bound on a bj8. When I received my carpet parts from Heritage they had chalk marks on the cut lines for the seat runners. I fitted the carpet over the area just to make sure the chalk marks were correct and then trimmed with a pair of scissors within the lines and made final trim cuts to get them very close.

Ain't it fun,

George

George is correct. Also note that the carpets should have snaps. Four to each carpet.

Legal Bill,
Your next set of questions may be...
Do I put 60 pound tar paper on the floor or use something else like Dynamat Extreme.
Do I put jute over that or some other material? (I'd suggest a material that does not absorb water, like Low-e insulation or some heat resistant sound deeding material the hot rod guys use.
Do I put the snaps through that material? Yes, that material stays in the car, glued.

How's about some restoration as you go photos Bill?

Cheers,
Roger

Thanks roger. I have not tried to upload photos to this site yet. Can I do that as a non-paying member?

This car is a very faithful restoration. With the exception of the materials used for the brake lines, it could do pretty well in a concourse. Old timers in the healey club will probably remember Leo Gleason. Mine is one of the last cars he did. sadly, he did not finish and it was left to me to do a significant amount of the work.

I'll try to upload photos and post them.

I just tried uploading and got a message that all my photos exceed the file size imposed by the site. I'm not a big fan of electronic photography and I have no idea how to "resize" photos, etc. Sorry guys. I'd rather work on my car than learn how to work my computer.

Tray to implement a PICASA WEB ALBUM is free and easy need only a registration of your account -and solve all your problems( see the ex above) -after include in your message the link of your album
http://picasaweb.google.it/searunner44/RESTORATIONAUSTINHEALEY10061958#

^Good idea!! Thanks. I can do something like that with another weblog I belong to. Below are some links to S2ki.com, the Honda S2000 web site. Each thread has pictures of my car at various points in the reconstruction:

http://www.s2ki.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=651563&st=0&#entry14827499

Here is my paint before and after the buff-out:

http://www.s2ki.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=685877&st=0&#entry15810394

And here is a detailed thread I wrote about assembling the dash board with pictures:

http://www.s2ki.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=527603&st=0&#entry11493454