Carpet installation

[tahoe healey]

What is the original (proper) way to mount the carpet under the seats? Some kits have slits for the runners but Moss's don't. The Moss tape on installation shows the runners mounted over the carpet, no cut out.???
Thanks for any input.
TH

 

[bighealeysource]

Hey TH,
As far as I know it was put down directly over the tar paper and the seat
glides then installed over the carpet. That's the way I recall old original
carpet on a 64 BJ8 I had recently as well as on my 58 BN6. Of course if your carpets get wet from an unexpected shower, etc, will be a real pain to get them out to dry out. I also had a BT7 that had cut outs for the glides. Personally I prefer the clean look of installing the glides onto the carpet.The carpet mats
in front of the seats was installed with carpet snaps. I looked at the
Anderson/Moment book and does not specifically say but would imagine Roger
knows for sure.
Regards,
Mike

 

[andybj8]

Rich
Tar paper glued itself to the painted floor, then jute underlay laid onto floor (unglued with black latex side up) held in position by the female base of the carpet snaps and a black painted steel strip (slightly larger than the runners / wood strips).

A hard wood seat runner packer (also oiled or painted black)went on top of the metal plate with the seat runner sitting on top of this. The seat runner studs therefore went thru (from top) the wood packer / steel plate / jute / tar paper / floor.

The unbound karvel carpet had slots cut out for the runners and was held in place with the other male half of the snap.

Therefore the metal plate helped to compress the jute and the wood packer gave enough clearance over the carpet.

Some people dont cut the carpet but again sandwich it under the runners (believing it will give a cleaner look, which it doesnt if done properly), and I think you will find the studs are not really long enough.

cheers Andy

and as Mike noted you can get the carpets out if trimmed around the runners, maybe not the jute but it can allow it to dry, but then again most cars have a more pampered life now!

 

[Keoke]

Rich
Tar paper glued itself to the painted floor, then jute underlay laid onto floor (unglued with black latex side up) held in position by the female base of the carpet snaps and a black painted steel strip (slightly larger than the runners / wood strips).

A hard wood seat runner packer (also oiled or painted black)went on top of the metal plate with the seat runner sitting on top of this. The seat runner studs therefore went thru (from top) the wood packer / steel plate / jute / tar paper / floor.
TH---
The unbound karvel carpet had slots cut out for the runners and was held in place with the other male half of the snap.This is the correct way to do it.---Keoke

If you fail to incorporate the slots and your carpet gets wet you gonna have a devil of a time getting it out to dry everthing up OK.--Still Keoke :laugh:

Therefore the metal plate helped to compress the jute and the wood packer gave enough clearance over the carpet.

Some people dont cut the carpet but again sandwich it under the runners (believing it will give a cleaner look, which it doesnt if done properly), and I think you will find the studs are not really long enough.

cheers Andy

and as Mike noted you can get the carpets out if trimmed around the runners, maybe not the jute but it can allow it to dry, but then again most cars have a more pampered life now!

 

[AUSMHLY]

TH,
Yup, what Andy said. And well explained Andy!
And of course, what Keoke followed up with.

TH, I doubt the seat was bolted over the carpet, being the carpets have snaps, for removal.
If you have Moss's carpet kit, cut slits in the carpet so you can remove them, should they get wet.
One would consider having the jute removable also, for that is really what held the water, smelled like mold and rusted the floorboards. There are other product to use rather than jute, that will not absorb water. Just as there are other options rather than tar paper to seal the floor. These options are for folks who are not restoring to concours level. But those folks already know this.

Cheers,
r

 

[tahoe healey]

Are you saying the rear carpet has snaps as well as the front? I've never seen that.

 

[richch]

Yes, the rear floor carpets had snaps too.

 

[andybj8]

My car had 4 snaps for the front carpet and only 2 snaps for the rear carpet (I have seen that people note 4 for the rear as well).
I have therefore only used 2 in the rear as the runners help locate it under the seat, the 2 snaps are located approx 3" from the sides / tunnel and 3" in from the rear heelboard.
The front 4 are also around 3" in from front , sides and from seat runners.
The front / rear carpets meet level with the front of the runner, so the rear carpet slots are cut from the front.

cheers Andy

 

[Keoke]

What is the original (proper) way to mount the carpet under the seats?

TH
Correct carpet kits have slits for the runners. Unfortunately Moss's don't.

The Moss tape on installation unfortunately also shows the runners incorrectly mounted over the carpet.--Keoke-

no cut out.???
Thanks for any input.
TH

 

[Patrick67BJ8]

My car had 4 snaps for the front carpet and only 2 snaps for the rear carpet (I have seen that people note 4 for the rear as well).
I have therefore only used 2 in the rear as the runners help locate it under the seat, the 2 snaps are located approx 3" from the sides / tunnel and 3" in from the rear heelboard.
The front 4 are also around 3" in from front , sides and from seat runners.
The front / rear carpets meet level with the front of the runner, so the rear carpet slots are cut from the front.

cheers Andy

I think it's safe to say that because the carpets had snaps they knew their cars leaked when they built them and after they were on the road. Pretty much everything leaks one way or another on our cars...it's either leaking in or leaking out.
Patrick

 

[bighealeysource]

Oh well, I wasn't going for Concours level anyway as now that I have the runners
installed over the rear carpets, I sure don't want to remove them again to
cut the slits in the carpet. Just goes to show you, I should have asked
this forum and got the right answer versus doing what looked to be correct
from other Healeys I have owned in the past. As Andy said, I sure don't
plan on my BN6 getting the carpet wet enough for it to be an issue ! Plus,
used the closed cell heat insulation product versus the jute and it is not
a problem with water.
Regards,
Mike

 

[AUSMHLY]

Are you saying the rear carpet has snaps as well as the front? I've never seen that.

My car has them. 4 per carpet set. They are almost invisible.
Your local car upholstery shop will carry the snap set for carpets.
That's where I got mine, when I did the install.
I have the slits for removal.

Who's carpet set are you using?
Did the kit come with snap sets?

I installed Dynamat xtreme in place of tar paper and Low-e insulation in place of jute. So, should any water get in, and it will, I just unsnap the rugs, and wipe up the water off the Low-e.

If you look closely at the first photo, you can see the snaps on the rear of the passenger front carpet and the front of the rear carpet.

Rear carpet you can see the ring of the snap holder in the upper left of the second photo.

Cheers,
Roger

 

[CanberraBJ8]

Roger (and others) - I'm going to trim my BJ8 with Dynamat - and would like to know how much of the product was needed to completely line the cockpit?

cheers
Simon

 

[TimK]

tems Ordered I used 9 sheets (small amount left over) for my BN7 2-seater Price 1 of: Dynamat 10455 Xtreme Bulk Pack 9 Sheets [Automotive] Condition: New Sold by: Amazon.com LLC $139.90 Item(s) Subtotal: $139.90 Shipping & Handling: $17.14 Super Saver Discount: -$17.14 ----- Total before tax: $139.90 Sales Tax: $0.00 ----- Total for This Shipment: $139.90 -----

 

[CanberraBJ8]

Cheers Tim.

 

[CanberraBJ8]

How well does the Dynamat adhere? Having pulled the carpet which was glued down throughout the car, I've been rubbing the contact glue off with turps and elbow grease... The rear seat area is nearly done, but I've discovered that the PO sprayed the floors with undercoat, then a pitch based sound proof - but very thinly -and then the topcoat in blue. This means that cleaning the glue off this area is tending to dissolve the pitch layer and the topcoat colour is rubbing off...
Can I expect the Dynamat to adhere to the old glue etc (which is tenaciously sticking to the paint) as long as I rub it down with some wax and grease remover???

 

[healeyblue]

The dynamat will stick very well. If you are using the extreme, it also has a aluminum outer layer and that conforms and hold it shape very well making it stay in place as well. I used the Eastwood brand (it is the same as the dynamat extreme) because it was cheaper and you need about 2 boxes of the stuff.

 

[healeyblue]

If you are adding it for heat reasons, I can tell you that I have driven our car now and did not once feel any heat near the tunnel or the footwells. I worked on a BJ8 years ago and remember very well that after about 20 minutes of driving in the summer heat and the car at operating temps, my feet had gotten quite toasty. The sound absorption is nice too. The car feels so solid and there is no panel vibrations. I also installed a piece on the entire lower portion of the inside of the doors and they close without any rattles or tin can sounds, just nice and solid.
JIM

 

[CanberraBJ8]

Thanks Jim

What is the name of the Eastwood product?

cheers
Simon

 

[healeyblue]

Heres a link https://www.eastwood.com/eastwood-thermocoustic-material.html