carpet seam

[realn96]

Before I start cutting the carpet to fit. I don't have the original carpet to use as a template! my question is where should the seam for the front carpet fall in relation to the sill plate lets say second screw from the front of the car? I am using that as a guide because it seems to be real close to ending near that screw..  Its a 71 4spd car fwiw.

[Burdar]

My 

Position the carpet so the heel pad is in the correct location.  The seam will fall where it does.

[realn96]

My 

Position the carpet so the heel pad is in the correct location.  The seam will fall where it does.

not really sure of  the correct location. I have it pretty far forward under the gas pedal. But with out having an original carpet  to look at I kind of just guessing!

[Burdar]

Different years used different heel pad styles.  On my 73, there is a cutout and molded line in the heel pad that follows the shape of the floor pan.

Have a look at this picture.  There is a notch in the left side.  There is also a molded line running from the notch to the right.  I placed the heel pad so the molded line was where the floor pan starts sloping up towards the firewall.  This molded line is so the heel pad can bend in that location.

I think a lot of people put the heel pad too far back.  They have it laying flat on the floor.  The factory put the notch and molded line in the pad for a reason.  It makes sense to have it farther forward where I described. 

It's hard to tell in the picture, but it almost looks like that carpet could be moved farther forward. Can't really tell if the heel pad angles up towards the firewall or not.(the picture is not mine...just something I found on Google)

[Burdar]

Maybe this will be more clear?  This is where I think the factory intended the heel pad to be located.

[realn96]

Yes I know exactly what you mean I did the same exact thing. Thanks for your help. 

[303 Mopar]

I pulled my carpet up until it hit the steering column, and it lined up the heel pad too.  Not sure if this is right but I didn't want a lot of the sound deadener showing on the firewall.

[realn96]

My carpet was made by Trim parts. Not  the ACC carpet that most use. So I didn't want to go by that. I lined it up just like Burdar showed in the picture. Because to be honest, that is really the starting point and the most important part of the carpet.. .02

[Mrbill426]

@Burdar  Excellent, that's what I needed, thanks!

Maybe this will be more clear?  This is where I think the factory intended the heel pad to be located.

[DeathProofCuda]

I am just finishing up trimming my new ACC carpet, so this is pretty fresh for me; however, I had the benefit of having my old original carpet to use as a template.

I used ACC carpet with mass backing.  The mass backing material provides a fairly crisp outline of most of the prominent floor pan contours, which probably aids the fitting process.

The front section of the ACC carpet has the finished seam along the rear edge.  I measured the distance between this seam and the foot pad on my original and ACC carpet to make sure they were the same.  Then I laid the front section of my original carpet back in the car to see where the rear seam hit along the floor pan (top photo).

Outside of the car, I laid the original front carpet section over top of the ACC in order to figure out where to trim the front edge (second photo).  I did this trimming in several steps to make sure that I didn't trim off too much at once.  The new carpet was in and out of the car to check fit multiple times.

I also used the bottom left corner of the 4 speed hump contour, and the carpet contours for where the floor bumps up for the seat mounts, to make sure that everything was lining up right.

[Mrbill426]

@DeathProofCuda I don't have the old carpet to compare with but does I this alignment look right??  It seems so but as you can see there is a LOT extra carpet up front on the firewall.  I have it sitting with the jute pad in the footwell.

[DeathProofCuda]

@Mrbill426

Yes, the position of your heel pad looks right to me. 

I have the front of my carpet trimmed a bit lower to clear the steering column and clutch linkage, which is how my original carpet was, but either way works.

[Mrbill426]

@DeathProofCuda thanks; I've been fiddling with these carpet pieces for a couple days now.  Next up is  trimming for the automatic console   

@Mrbill426

Yes, the position of your heel pad looks right to me. 

I have the front of my carpet trimmed a bit lower to clear the steering column and clutch linkage, which is how my original carpet was, but either way works.

[DeathProofCuda]

I'm in a similar boat.  Have been fiddling with it a bit here and there over the last week.  Biggest challenge for me so far was fitting the slot for the retractable front seat belt on the driver's side.  I still have to do the passenger side.  As usual, I'm stressing too much trying to get it to "lay just right" even though most of it will be covered by the seats.

Good luck with it.  Looking forward to seeing your car at one of the area Mopar shows this summer. 

If you haven't already, try using an old soldering iron to melt all the holes for seat bolts, belts, and any bezel trim.  Makes nice clean holes!

[Mrbill426]

@DeathProofCuda , Yeah I used a soldering iron in the belt bolt holes; worked very well.  I was hoping to have it at the Mopar Magic show in Gig Harbor on the 30th but it doesn't look like I'll have it "safely" ready by then, so I'm shooting for SUNBUST in Graham in August.

I'm in a similar boat.  Have been fiddling with it a bit here and there over the last week.  Biggest challenge for me so far was fitting the slot for the retractable front seat belt on the driver's side.  I still have to do the passenger side.  As usual, I'm stressing too much trying to get it to "lay just right" even though most of it will be covered by the seats.

Good luck with it.  Looking forward to seeing your car at one of the area Mopar shows this summer. 

If you haven't already, try using an old soldering iron to melt all the holes for seat bolts, belts, and any bezel trim.  Makes nice clean holes!