TR2/3/3A TR3 Carpet Question

[mountainman]

What kind of glue should I use to glue the capert to foot well and sides.
Thanks
Greg

 

[martx-5]

The carpet on the sides I used 3M spray on contact cement. I think it was #77 or #90. Both are good. I believe the #90 is supposed to be stronger. Also, don't forget the fuzzy seals for the front of the door. The lip goes under the carpet. I think I used a couple of screw to hold things together in front of the door.

For the footwells, there should be those nasty spring clips that hold the carpet in place at the top. The section on the floor should be held in place by those "invisible" snaps.

 

[Geo Hahn]

I favor as little glue as possible as sooner or later the carpet will have to come out for drying on the line. I, too, used screws to hold the kick panels (don't recall using any glue) the drivers side gets a lot of help as the dipper switch bracket helps it stay put.

...For the footwells, there should be those nasty spring clips that hold the carpet in place at the top. The section on the floor should be held in place by those "invisible" snaps.

You're not a full-fledged TR3 owner until you've clamped a finger in that mouse-trap concoction. The invisible snaps are Veltex I think.

 

[Twosheds]

For the footwells, there should be those nasty spring clips that hold the carpet in place at the top. The section on the floor should be held in place by those "invisible" snaps.

I always thought that the nasty spring clips were used to attach the rubber floor mats, not the carpet?

 

[Geo Hahn]

Quite right -- TR3s (and 2s and 3As) did not have carpet on the floor, they all had rubber mats. Of course for years those mats were NLA and most folks used carpet and held it with those clips.

Front carpet is still supplied with most or all interior kits -- maybe because that's what people want -- maybe out of habit -- or maybe due to an assumption it is correct. TRF and possibly others offer the original style mats.

The mats really make a lot of sense there -- carpet gets wet and stays wet and anyway I have Amco-style rubber mats on top of the carpet anyway.

 

[martx-5]

Piggott mentions that TR2s up 'til TS5089 had footwell carpets. Not that it matters, as carpets in that area do look so much better then the rubber mats. As long as you can easily remove them if they get wet, they shouldn't be a problem. As Geo says, you can always put a mat over them if you want.

 

[TR3driver]

OTOH, TS13571L did not have those clips (until I installed the ones from TS39781LO). No clips, no holes, no sign that the area was ever "restored". I don't recall them being TS110xxL either (but it's long gone).

 

[Don Elliott]

My early 1958 TR3A (TS 27489 LO) came new with black rubber mats. Each was held with two snaps much like a crown about 3/8" diameter just ahead of the carpet that is secured under the seats by the seat tracks - and a third snap of the same type and size up the top of the center of each firewall at the far end of the footwell. When I restored my car from 1987 to 1990, there were no holes for the screws which retain these snaps. And when I finally bought repro black rubber mats in 1991, there where two snaps but the location was different than the originals by about an inch in each case. It was then that I drilled the holes for the round snaps and installed the snaps onto the floor pan to be correct for the repro mats.

I keep the black mats for the TRA and VTR judges. The rubber mats will wear through with the heel of your shoe in about 30,000 to 40,000 miles. So when I bought my new interior in 1990, I ordered two sets of red carpets for the front floors and for the far end of the footwell. I run one pair of these red carpets every day and if I'm showing the car in the village square show, I put in the 2nd set of still brand new red carpets.

Below are my everyday carpets about 3 years ago with about 90,000 miles since they were installed in 1990.

BTW, I've driven "TRusty" more than 2200 miles - already -this summer.