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Driver's and Passenger's Floor Carpets

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LAW75

LAW75

Jedi Hopeful
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Hello fellow funsters...I am looking to purchase Concours Correct black foot carpets - driver and passenger-(not the entire carpet set) for my '66 AH BJ8. Anyone have an extra pair hanging around and looking for a good home? I tried Moss but they only will sell the full carpet package. Any idea as to source will be appreciated. Also, I presently have "Austin Healey" rubber matts that I have been told is not "correct". Thanks
 
Don't know who would tell you that isn't "correct." The AMCO floor mats with the Austin-Healey wings motif are period-correct aftermarket accessories.

For the carpet pieces you might try Geoff Chrysler of Rightway Heritage Trimming.
 
Editor_Reid said:
Don't know who would tell you that isn't "correct." The AMCO floor mats with the Austin-Healey wings motif are period-correct aftermarket accessories.

For the carpet pieces you might try Geoff Chrysler of Rightway Heritage Trimming.
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Good morning Reid. I won the Palmetto award.
Here is what I see on this issue and would appreciate your thoughts. 1. The "accessory" portion of the Guidelines do not mention the floor mats (I have the AMCO mats in question). 2. As you say, they are "aftermarket" accessories and although "original", since they are aftermarket, they would not be Concour correct. Am I wrong with this thinking? The head judge of the 3 judge panel that judged my car this past weekend pointed out a car next to me, without the rubber matts...the drivers side had the "Austin Healey" imprint on the base where our heals would rest while driving.
As a further follow up from your previous advice and "warning" to me (about a month ago), the Concours d'elegance judging was not a true Concours judging. The car that got "Best in Class" was a bj7, with chrome wheels, polished carbs, chrome rocker head (and many more Concours incorrect items...as I saw, about 12 additional infractions). Yes, that car, with all its bling, was very pretty. Sure, my car would improve with "beauty" if the wheels were chrome, along with the rocker head, etc....but I am a purist, attempting to abide by the Guidelines, which compels me to stick with battle grey painted wheels.
 
The after market mats are not a replacement for the correct carpets. Once you have the correct carpets laying atop a sheet of tar paper you can probably put the rubber mats over them. If the judges don't like them, you can take the mats out. Heritage can supply carpets (with the driver side heel pad you mentioned) made of the correct material, but I'm not sure if they will provide just the floor carpet. Give them a call. If you have to buy the entire kit, I'll buy the piece that covers the convertible top well from you. I bought a Wilton wool kit (beautiful material) and encountered some unintended consequences when I tried to lower the convertible top into the well. It now takes me a few minutes to lower and raise the top and I think carpet made of the original material may correct the problem.
 
LAW75 said:
Good morning Reid. I won the Palmetto award.
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I'm not sure what that is, but it sounds very good - congratulations!

LAW75 said:
Here is what I see on this issue and would appreciate your thoughts. 1. The "accessory" portion of the Guidelines do not mention the floor mats (I have the AMCO mats in question).
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The Guidelines could not possibly list all period-correct accessories. I'm not the best source for the current thinking of the concours regime, er, committee. In my experience, I would have considered the AMCO floor mats as acceptable accessories, and I don't know of any judges who would not, but perhaps the thinking on this has shifted.

LAW75 said:
2. As you say, they are "aftermarket" accessories and although "original", since they are aftermarket, they would not be Concour correct. Am I wrong with this thinking? The head judge of the 3 judge panel that judged my car this past weekend pointed out a car next to me, without the rubber matts...the drivers side had the "Austin Healey" imprint on the base where our heals would rest while driving.
Click to expand...

The floor piece on the driver's side should indeed have the small rubber heel mat attached to the carpet, and yes, it has "Austin Healey" on it, but that in no way changes the fact that AMCO floor mats are period-correct aftermarket accessories. That said, you're talking about a generic concours and not one conducted by the Austin-Healey Concours Registry. In a generic concours such as Hilton Head you're going to get judges with widely varying levels of knowledge of the marque, and it's very unlikely any of them will come anywhere close to the knowledge of the judges approved by the Registry. When judges like that opine, they are telling you more about what's "correct" by them on that day in their event, than what is strictly original.

LAW75 said:
As a further follow up from your previous advice and "warning" to me (about a month ago), the Concours d'elegance judging was not a true Concours judging. The car that got "Best in Class" was a bj7, with chrome wheels, polished carbs, chrome rocker head (and many more Concours incorrect items...as I saw, about 12 additional infractions). Yes, that car, with all its bling, was very pretty. Sure, my car would improve with "beauty" if the wheels were chrome, along with the rocker head, etc....but I am a purist, attempting to abide by the Guidelines, which compels me to stick with battle grey painted wheels.
Click to expand...

No surprise that the bling-laden BJ7 got Best in Class. Most concours events are beauty contests - after all, concours d'elegance means beauty contest - and bling will get you a lot of cred. The inspections conducted by the Austin-Healey Concours Registry could more accurately be labeled Concours d'Originality - they're all about originality and condition. In those inspections, over-restoration will often result in deductions, while in generic concours the engine dress-up stuff such as polished dash pots will get you approval.

My advice remains the same: Enjoy the generic concours events, but don't take them too seriously. They are a different type of event with a different purpose from the Registry inspections and their Gold, Silver, and Bronze ratings.
 
Congrats on 2nd place. Take heart; those of us who know correct vs bling, you've earned 1st place.
Next show, wear period clothing. Pin a note on your shirt, "concours correct". When they ask; reply, oh this, it's me or if I win, then it's my car.
 
Ausmhly, you are funny. We should change your sign in name to Don Rickles.

Thanks Reid. Comforting thoughts. I will not be deterred. I am shooting for real concours judging at Tampa next year.
 
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