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Trunk Mat for a 71 Barracuda

Started by nicka, April 17, 2020, 07:06:56 AM

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nicka

I'm looking at purchasing a trunk mat for my '71 Barracuda.  I'm not going for an OE Restoration. Is there a preferred vendor?  I was impressed with the ECS Trunk Mat. Was wondering about other vendors.  I was able to remove the spare tire hold down bracket  and jack brackets from the original floor.  Looks like these mats have cutouts so wanted to get the mat first before reassembling the brackets to the new floor.

Thanks

anlauto

There's absolutely nothing on the market that comes close to comparing to the ECS trunk mat. HOWEVER, a lot of people don't want to spend that kind of money ($149.00 USD) so the next best thing would be a rubber mat from REM ($35-$65 USD)
I've taught you everything you know....but I haven't taught you everything I know....
Check out my web site ....  Alan Gallant Automotive Restoration

Cuda Cody



RUNCHARGER

One of the problems with the cheap mats that I have found is that the slots are punched in the wrong spots.
Sheldon

HEMICUDA

Quote from: RUNCHARGER on April 17, 2020, 07:50:53 AM
One of the problems with the cheap mats that I have found is that the slots are punched in the wrong spots.

Not only that, they tend to "curl up" on the ends over time.  I purchased 5 mats from ECS for all my personal cars and will NEVER use a cheap rubber mat again.

fc7cuda

Quote from: HEMICUDA on April 17, 2020, 07:54:05 AM
Quote from: RUNCHARGER on April 17, 2020, 07:50:53 AM
One of the problems with the cheap mats that I have found is that the slots are punched in the wrong spots.

Not only that, they tend to "curl up" on the ends over time.  I purchased 5 mats from ECS for all my personal cars and will NEVER use a cheap rubber mat again.

:iagree:

I'm sick of poor quality reproductions, do it right or don't bother.

As far as inexpensive for the OP, there may be some used ones available as they're replaced with the ECS one.  Post a want ad.  :alan2cents:

JH27N0B

I've said it before, so pardon me for saying again.  Other than ECS, the repro trunk mats on the market are basically pieces of Hefty garbage bags with a herringbone pattern printed on them.
So price wise, what is worse, $149 for a good repro or $49 for a chunk of garbage bag.
I've got one of the cheapo repros I bought for my Challenger a few years ago but decided I wouldn't use, if anyone wants one for a bargain price.


anlauto

It really does boil down to what the owner thinks is necessary when it comes to spending money. In "MY" shop I'm dealing with a customer right now spending a ton of money on his 71 Challenger....insisting on PolyGlas tires, part numbered hoses etc....

I went and showed him both an ECS mat and a REM mat, explain the price difference...his answer boiled down to price, saying that he'd likely never have the trunk open and if he did it would be full of car show stuff, chairs, cleaning supplies etc... :dunno:

It's unfortunate, because Dave @ ECS put so much effort into getting them as correct as possible, that I think we all should buy them to support the companies that do go the extra mile. :worship:  I once told Dave (R.I.P.) :andyangel:  that if he could get the price down to around $80....he could sell a ton more and wipe out REM altogether from the trunk mat business.
I've taught you everything you know....but I haven't taught you everything I know....
Check out my web site ....  Alan Gallant Automotive Restoration

JH27N0B

It would be interesting to find out how well the ECS mats have sold.  I hope they've sold a lot!
I bought one for my T/A, my convertible has a decent one in it, the previous owner must have bought a MCO when he restored the car in the early 90s.  My '71 has the garbage bag mat, which I'll buy an ECS for someday most likely but with the car in storage, no rush until I get garage space to keep it at home again.
With the cost of restoring a Mopar I can't believe someone would cut corners by buying something mediocre to save $100.  Wow look at me I invested $99,900 in my restoration instead of $100,000, aren't I smart!  ::)
This pinching pennies mentality is a why we in North America have become so dependent on Asia for everything from our trinkets to tires and electronics to really critical items like medicine and PPE, and now we are really suffering the consequences of our anything to save a buck mentality. 
Rant off, other than to say I hope ECS doesn't decide in a year or two to discontinue their trunk mats due to poor sales, and then once again I have to read posts here and elsewhere on a regular basis complaining "why doesn't anyone sell a decent trunk mat??".

HEMICUDA

Quote from: JH27N0B on April 18, 2020, 07:17:28 AM
It would be interesting to find out how well the ECS mats have sold.  I hope they've sold a lot!
I bought one for my T/A, my convertible has a decent one in it, the previous owner must have bought a MCO when he restored the car in the early 90s.  My '71 has the garbage bag mat, which I'll buy an ECS for someday most likely but with the car in storage, no rush until I get garage space to keep it at home again.
With the cost of restoring a Mopar I can't believe someone would cut corners by buying something mediocre to save $100.  Wow look at me I invested $99,900 in my restoration instead of $100,000, aren't I smart!  ::)
This pinching pennies mentality is a why we in North America have become so dependent on Asia for everything from our trinkets to tires and electronics to really critical items like medicine and PPE, and now we are really suffering the consequences of our anything to save a buck mentality. 
Rant off, other than to say I hope ECS doesn't decide in a year or two to discontinue their trunk mats due to poor sales, and then once again I have to read posts here and elsewhere on a regular basis complaining "why doesn't anyone sell a decent trunk mat??".

Amen to that brother. :slapme5:  I have absolutely no problem "paying up" for a part that is 100 times better than what is currently available that is 1,000 times wrong.  I've made 100's of thousands of dollars worth of tooling and parts reproduced and when I hear, "if you give that perfect reproduction part away for half the price" you'll sell a ton. :drunk:  The MOPAR market isn't big enough to spend the money to do it right and sell it for Camaro prices. 

In "MY" real shop, not my wife's house garage, I have zero problem paying up for a perfect part made to the original specifications especially since the only current piece available is absolute junk and the perfect part it's priced fair for what it is.  The price is extremely fair for what it is compared to the competition (or lack of). :headbang:  You have options, don't buy it if it's out of your price range.

Don't complain or give your "opinion" when you have no clue what you're talking about. :pokeeye:

   

anlauto

I was speaking with Tom and Steve of ECS last year at Carlisle and they said at that time that the mats were selling really well. I bought four on the Friday morning and I heard from another vendor that ECS were sold out by Saturday afternoon ????

I hope they will be around for a long time as well....Too many new products being brought to the Mopar World are being discontinued already due to poor sales :'(
I've taught you everything you know....but I haven't taught you everything I know....
Check out my web site ....  Alan Gallant Automotive Restoration


HEMICUDA

Quote from: anlauto on April 18, 2020, 08:28:00 AM
I was speaking with Tom and Steve of ECS last year at Carlisle and they said at that time that the mats were selling really well. I bought four on the Friday morning and I heard from another vendor that ECS were sold out by Saturday afternoon ????

I hope they will be around for a long time as well....Too many new products being brought to the Mopar World are being discontinued already due to poor sales :'(

You crack me up, you interjected yourself about the price being to high to sell with your "expert" opinion, now out of the other side of your mouth, you say how they're sold out? :looney:  :haha:  Being a parts reproducer, I can say with all certainty, if you need the part, get it while it's available because it will go away.

Shoooter

Since price vary alot between the two vendors and this is a hot ticket that might not be around for awhile could someone maybe reach out and see if we could get a group rate on a large order? I'm sure enough people would be interested?

JS29

I find price Is relative to the quality! If it's got better and more material to it. than (A) it will cost more to produce, (B) takes more time to produce, (C) ten times the quality, than three times the price of a poor quality anything is not out of line.  :yes: 

anlauto

The price is reflected in the quality for sure, hands down. You get what you pay for, no argument.

The point I was making....is that in my opinion, this "Mopar Hobby" is a lot bigger then the few people out there that want their cars to be perfect in every way. Believe it or not, there is a large segment of enthusiasts that could care less about "date coded this or that" or proper licensed reproduction parts, they just want their cars to look nice and they drive the wheels off of them....heck there is a LOT of those guys right on here on this website everyday.....If they see two marker lights virtually identical  with the exception of a molded/casted in Pentastar and part numbers, and one costs a lot less...a lot of these guys lean towards the cheaper parts, and there's no shame in that. The hobby is big enough for everybody.

It's the same for ALL the ECS products, the quality is second to none...Like their exhaust...It's the BEST in the world, and the quality is reflected in the price....but they haven't put Accurate Ltd. out of business yet....If both systems were available at the same price, the story might be different, but it's not...and there are customers for both levels of exhaust.

So to sum up the original poster's question about trunk mats. There are several different mats available at several different price points depending on your budget or relevance to you. :drinkingbud:
I've taught you everything you know....but I haven't taught you everything I know....
Check out my web site ....  Alan Gallant Automotive Restoration