carpeting

[jkg2101]

I have a kirkham that is really done nicely (by me!). every part of the car is really just great, except for the carpeting.

I tried several times with the fancy wool carpeting to do it, but it just doesnt look great
the worst part is the trans tunnel the carpeting doesnt want to make the bends around the tunnel perfectly, and it looks like a hack job under the dash where i just cut the carpeting.

i think it would look better if the trans tunnel was 3 pieces, one for each side, and they were seamed together with piping.

i'm not the kind of person to leave my car with an upholsterer. i'm more of the do-it-myself type. anyone have any suggestions how to make the carpeting look really good? i think part of it would be binding the edges, but going around the 2 pieces of tubing that extend down from the middle of the dash is tricky.

[DanEC]

I don't personally like the sewn seams on the edges of the tunnel carpeting just because it doesn't look like the originals. It is hard to get the carpet to lay down on the sides of the tunnel. My ERA turned out pretty decent by gluing it down solid to the tunnel top. Then I sprayed down one side at a time and slowly smoothed and pressed the carpet into the adhesive from the top down. In some areas, you kind of have to work it with your hands/fingers to corrugate it (shrink it) so it doesn't form folds and wrinkles. In interior corners it's best to get the carpet down into the corner first and then work any excess material on either side to corrugate or shrink it up so it lays flat with good appearance

[66AC]

At a local restoration shop I was watching the upholsterer install some carpeting on an old Lincoln. He was using a hot steam gun which jetted both hot air and steam into the carpet in order to make it pliable and limp. I remember him saying that he used it on headliners and some seat coverings as well if they were reluctant to take shape.

This contraption kind of reminded me of once seeing a profession wall paperer steam off old wall paper from the wall. Probably the same device. Certainly worth looking into.

[Alfa02]

@66AC Correct, that's just what I was going to post The gentleman that will do my car, has the same 'Contraption' I asked if a household stream cleaner would do you the same job, he looked at me like I was nuts. These artist now a days . So I would say no. If anyone was thinking that. I asked the same question about the transmission tunnel on mine, he said with as many 356, 911 Porsches he has done (Pain in the a--), mine is a 'Piece of cake'. This is the same upholsterer that did such a great job on my last Z-car, those trans tunnels (One piece also), are pretty hard to get just right too, but he did a perfect job on that one. You may have to leave this job, up to a pro this time, my $.02 Cheers.