Why Glue in Carpet Sets?

[Norton47]

Just thinking out loud, but as I drove to work today, I was wondering about why some of the carpet set is glued in and part is removable. It would seem that with some work, most if not all the pieces could be installed with snaps. If the snaps were installed with just a smidgen of stretch, I would think the carpet would look ok.
I would think at least having the rear bench area on snaps would make sense. One would have to take the rear panels out to remove it perhaps, but it would not be that hard.

Thoughts and comments, please.

Maybe I am just reacting to the fact some PO glued down the under pad to the floor pans and I am having to scrape that all out.
I am also installing RAAMmat as a sound deadener on the firewall and floor pans and doors,and rear shelf. I have some plans for the rear panels also.

 

[Guest]

My experience is the only areas that seem to collect rust are the floorboards, in front of the seats. Remember, the carpet under the seats will be bolted down under the seat rails. In my last carpet set, I split the carpet under the seats, had the cut areas sew with a vinyl border, and slid them in place under the seats and around the rails. Kinda sloppy.

Be careful if you are installing glued-down sound deadening material, a great place for moisture to condense and cause rust, especially on the front floorboards and kick panels.

I never leave my front carpet set in when the car is idle for long periods. After having replaced my floorboards with new Heritage units, I don't relish doing that again.

 

[Norton47]

So Bill
Thanks for your input. I would like to explore this some more.

Your thoughts are that totally covering the floor pans with this type of self adhering mat, would lead to condensation problems, between the sound deadening material and the floor pan?
Wouldn't the condensate form on the most exterior surfaces, in this case the underneath of the floor pan and the top of the foil on the sound deadener?
What about if fully painted with POR15, then covered?

Maybe it would depend on how well it seals to the floor pan?

The factory squares of sound deadening seem to age well. We had one factory square come up from the metal and it was all clean original primer underneath.

Anyone else have some thoughts on this or practical experience?

 

[TexasKnucklehead]

I recently repaired a leaking clutch master cyclinder. While sitting in the garage, it would randomly dump the entire contents of fluid onto the floorboards via the clutch pedal. It took a while to realize the fluid was being completly absorbed by the thick carpeted mat and carpeting without leaving any puddle of fluid ontside the car. The paint is now peeling off the floorboard, but I wonder how this would affect your glued down mat...

 

[Brosky]

Norton,

I know that you were asking about the material for the carpets in another thread, but I just noticed that The Roadster Factory has a sale this month with $105 off of the Wilton Wool Sets. JFYI.

 

[NutmegCT]

My 2¢ -

On my TR3 I found the original jute pads glued to the (rusted) floorpans - both the bottom and the vertical areas under the pedals. What a mess to remove.

I finally scraped it all off, then used the original built-in hooks and snaps to hold my (new) heat insulation (Reflectix) and carpeting. No glue involved. Did this for *all* the carpeted areas.

Tom

 

[Brosky]

You did notice on my installation page that the only carpets glued were the ones that could fall down or were on the sides.

The floor pans sections are held down by the snap kit.

 

[Norton47]

Thanks Paul
I have asked for a sample for both their carpets.
I am going to close this post down and open one on sound deadening.
Thanks Guys.

 

[Don Elliott]

When I bought my TR3A brand new in 1958, the tan jute felt pieces under the floor carpets were not glued down. When I restored it all from 1987 to 1990, I cut and installed new felt underlay. It is not glued in. About once or twice a summer, after a heavy down-pour, I remove the seats and carpets to let them dry out. If they were glued down, I couldn't do this. And the floor pans would have rusted through. As it is, the paint on the floor pans under my carpets looks just as good as it did in 1990 when the new floor pans were finished and painted.