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Floor carpet replacement

Maintenance/Repairs
#1

My sister has a 2004 Chevy Classic that has been pretty well stained from the kids when they were young.
Kind of like in our house when the grandkids are over. My wife thinks that 7 & 9 year olds don’t need sippy cups
While sitting on the carpet eating…Yeah, right!!!
Now that the kids are grown and are not eating and drinking and spilling in the car, she would like me to
replace the carpet for her.
Do any of you have opinions on aftermarket carpet or would factory carpet be much better fit. If it’s even available.
I researcherd it a little and I can get aftermarket, moulded carpet for about $125, but before spending anything
I’d like to get the opinion of others. This carpet is supposed to be moulded to the spacific car but with no knockouts
for shifter, console, seat bolts etc.etc. The picture they show looks moulded real nice, But I’m leary about weather it
will be that nice when it arrives.

Any pointers at to laying this stuff and get a nice finish would be appreciated too.

Yosemite

#2

Basically you remove the seats and any trim at the doors.

Remove the old carpet and clean the entire bare floor.

In the mean time the new carpet will be sitting in the sun.

Lay the new carpet, pull out the razor blades and trim the new carpet to fit.

They say it’s a direct fit carpet, But it depends on how you want the the end result to look.

Tester

#3

Thanks Tester.

I already checked out what I’d have to remove and it is pretty basic.
Two bolts in each seat, four in the console, 2 seatbelt anchor points and the moulding along the doors.
I never heard about letting it lay in the sun though…good idea.

I have friend that says that he ordered one and there were so many bulges
when he was finished, that he put the old one back in. He left it unfolded for a week before install like the maker says, But it didn’t do any good.

#4

when I built yachts, in my youth, for a horrible company, which shall remain nameless, the pre cut carpets seldom fit properly. the most important part was to apply spray glue to both surfaces and the most, most important part was to let the glue tack up in the air for a few minutes before installing. but to do that you have to get it right the first time. I would usually fit the carpet, lift half of it up and sit and wait for the glue to become tacky. then lay it down and repeat with the other half

#5

@wesw‌

Ah?

We’re not talking about marine application interiors. But automotive interior application.

And there’s no spray adhesive involved.

Tester

#6

live and learn. please educate me

#7

I’ve had carpets out and cleaned them before. I agree that there’s no glue under any, but
this friend said that the carpet he got…you could have glued it, but because it was not preformed right in the first place…it wouldn’t have helped a bit.
I’m just leary that I’ll get the old one out and the new one will fit like crap.

Yosemite

#8

Sorry it took so long to get back to you guys…I was ironing my princess dress!!!

The granddaughters princess dress!!!

What we Grandpa’s won’t do!!!

Yosemite

#9

awww…

#10

The fit of the carpet depends greatly on the quality of the carpet moulder. Aftermarket can be hit or miss, so research the supplier as much as possible. One hint I’ve recently seen is to put some bolts loosely in the anchor points for the seats, seatbelt anchors, and console anchors before you fit the carpet in. Makes finding the holes easy and helps the minimize the cuts.

#11

Thanks Bustedknuckles, good idea. Better than fishing all over with a ice pick.

Yosemite

#12

I replaced one in a 79 Firebird that I ordered from a Hot Rod magazine. It fit perfectly and I only had to cut holes for the front seat belts. I hope yours goes in the same way.

#13

After removing the carpet Place the old carpet on top of the new carpet and line up all the holes and mark them with chalk on the new carpet. This helps in cutting new holes for all of the seat bolts easier.I replaced the carpet in my mustang and it was good quality and was easy to do.