• Welcome to the new SAOCA website. Already a member? Simply click Log In/Sign Up up and to the right and use your same username and password from the old site. If you've forgotten your password, please send an email to membership@sunbeamalpine.org for assistance.

    If you're new here, click Log In/Sign Up and enter your information. We'll approve your account as quickly as possible, typically in about 24 hours. If it takes longer, you were probably caught in our spam/scam filter.

    Enjoy.

SII carpet

mamoose124

Gold Level Sponsor
I purchased a carpet for my SII from Classic Sunbeam Auto and after laying it out in the car, I am unhappy with the fit. Several of you have indicated that CS and SS have decent carpets. My quetion: Is the SS carpet better cut that the one I received from CS or are they about the same? Or, is there a better carpet to be had out there somewhere? In additionm, I'm wondering about the best way to afix the carpet. I don't want to glue the carpet down, but I cant see how it may be made to fit nicely unless it is glued down. I was thinkiong if using velcro pads but the way this carpet fits, I doubt if velcro would secure the carpet tightly to the floor.
 

alpine_64

Donation Time
Did you order a series I/II set? The early cars originally had rubber mats and no false floor for passengee. So the floor mats are different shape.. Also different rear pans. So a series 3 onward set would not fit perfectly
 

bernd_st

Bronze Level Sponsor
That is one aspect. Certainly the side, tunnel and rear carpet pieces need to be glued down otherwise no proper fit. The front & rear floor and the rear deck pieces may use the original push buttons though. This allows to take them out for drying once you had a nasty rain shower...
 

mamoose124

Gold Level Sponsor
Did you order a series I/II set? The early cars originally had rubber mats and no false floor for passengee. So the floor mats are different shape.. Also different rear pans. So a series 3 onward set would not fit perfectly
Yes, it is a SII carpet. It is clearly mariked SII on the box and several carpet pieces have SII marked on the back.
 

mamoose124

Gold Level Sponsor
That is one aspect. Certainly the side, tunnel and rear carpet pieces need to be glued down otherwise no proper fit. The front & rear floor and the rear deck pieces may use the original push buttons though. This allows to take them out for drying once you had a nasty rain shower...

It is nice to know that gluing down the front tunnel is Ok. I think I will simply cut a hole for the transmission oil filler cap. Gluing down the long pieces for each side seems a good idea. My car no longer has the original push buttons and I am hesitant to drill any holes in the floor for them. I plan to use velcro to hold the front and rear deck carpet. Do you have any glue recommendations for securing the carpet?
 

sunalp

Diamond Level Sponsor
I plan to use velcro to hold the front and rear deck carpet. Do you have any glue recommendations for securing the carpet?

Mike,
While velcro might sound like a good idea, and it will work ( for a while at least) the carpet should be
held down by the correct carpet fasteners. The velcro when it gets damp will just peel off the floor.

If you're worried about rust, from drilling holes for the screws, you can paint them from under the car or seal
them with a dab of RTV to keep the moisture out.

When you think about how your car will be used, it's time getting wet will most likely be minimal. The correct
fasteners should have come with the carpet set. If not, I'm sure they can be sent to you.

AS far as glue goes, the Weldwood contact cement works very well.

Cheers!
Steve
 

bernd_st

Bronze Level Sponsor
Can only second to that. There is nothing better than the original fasteners. Especially for the front carpet pieces where they go upwards towards the firewall. The holes to be bored are very tiny if you apply a sticky grease or good wax the set screws will not create any new rust traps...
 

mamoose124

Gold Level Sponsor
Mike,
While velcro might sound like a good idea, and it will work ( for a while at least) the carpet should be
held down by the correct carpet fasteners. The velcro when it gets damp will just peel off the floor.

If you're worried about rust, from drilling holes for the screws, you can paint them from under the car or seal
them with a dab of RTV to keep the moisture out.

When you think about how your car will be used, it's time getting wet will most likely be minimal. The correct
fasteners should have come with the carpet set. If not, I'm sure they can be sent to you.

AS far as glue goes, the Weldwood contact cement works very well.

Cheers!
Steve

Thanks Steve, for the advice about the carpet fastners. Do you or anyone on this forum have a diagram of where one should mount these fastners? According to the SS catalog, you need about 20 per car. I would like to avoid installing these in inappropriate places if possible. Are these fasteners used on the forward hump for the bellhousing, ertc.?
 

mamoose124

Gold Level Sponsor
Can only second to that. There is nothing better than the original fasteners. Especially for the front carpet pieces where they go upwards towards the firewall. The holes to be bored are very tiny if you apply a sticky grease or good wax the set screws will not create any new rust traps...

I will take your advice about the fasteners. Do you have a diagram of where these fasteners should be placed?
 

sunalp

Diamond Level Sponsor
Mike,
To be honest, I've never seen a "diagram" for the fastener placement. I've never has to glue down the trans
tunnel or the side pieces. Of course I have later cars and they have the threshold runners that hold the carpet
on the sides. I've always been able to get the trans tunnel to lay on there. Just make sure that there is enough
to overlay the front floors . That overlay will be covered by the floor sections. By the way, the two floor sections
are the only areas that I use the fasteners as with peoples feet getting in and out, the carpet gets moved. I usually
use six fasteners per side. The only other area that you might consider using the fasteners is on the two panels
that are under the seat. Mine are held in place by the seat belt bolts.

as far as placement goes, I use two at the rear of the carpet, two in the middle and two at the top. It makes removal of
the carpeting a snap! (pun intended!!)

Don't be afraid to glue small pieces down if they move once installed. Another trick is to use black rubberized undercoating
on the floor. That way if you have a gap in the carpeting, you won't see it. That is assuming your carpeting is black.

Hope that helps,
Steve
 

bernd_st

Bronze Level Sponsor
Sorry I don't have a diagram for the proper push button base locations on hand. However if you have access to any original car you may take recordings where they should be located. Only remember that the front ones should be on the half circular hump under the firewall. I still have an old S2 body sitting in my garage so I may take pictures/ measurements for you later...
 

junkman

Gold Level Sponsor
The rear seat has 2 snaps on the flat near the back and 4 snaps over the edge of the front. Glue the side pieces against not over the seam on top of the sills so the firflex will seat down all the way
 

65beam

Donation Time
It's all a matter of personal preference. I use two snaps near the front of the seat, two in the area where the carpet starts to turn up over the fire wall and two at the top on the fire wall. There is no reason to glue the tuel. Subeam Specialties has the hidden snaps that don't show and they are by far the best to use.
 

Gordon Holsinger

Diamond Level Sponsor
I purchased a carpet for my SII from Classic Sunbeam Auto and after laying it out in the car, I am unhappy with the fit. Several of you have indicated that CS and SS have decent carpets. My quetion: Is the SS carpet better cut that the one I received from CS or are they about the same? Or, is there a better carpet to be had out there somewhere? In additionm, I'm wondering about the best way to afix the carpet. I don't want to glue the carpet down, but I cant see how it may be made to fit nicely unless it is glued down. I was thinkiong if using velcro pads but the way this carpet fits, I doubt if velcro would secure the carpet tightly to the floor.
The series 1 &2 Alpines when new had a mounded carpet on the transmission tunnel. I don’t think there was a specific pattern to the snap placement some of it was where the trimmer placed them. The floor was rubber mats
Today there are very few cars with original carpeting or interiors. Years ago there were many companies selling carpets for Brit cars some good and some bad.
 

SoCal'beaming

Donation Time
Thought I'd post pic.s of the carpet snaps I found on my SV, these were on the front vertical panel of the parcel shelf/rear seat (right/bottom only). ..... What kind of snaps do the heads on the right take?

.... David
 

Attachments

  • alpine rear carpet hawre 019.JPG
    alpine rear carpet hawre 019.JPG
    412.9 KB · Views: 34
  • alpine rear carpet hawre 018.JPG
    alpine rear carpet hawre 018.JPG
    536.9 KB · Views: 34

Gordon Holsinger

Diamond Level Sponsor
Thought I'd post pic.s of the carpet snaps I found on my SV, these were on the front vertical panel of the parcel shelf/rear seat (right/bottom only). ..... What kind of snaps do the heads on the right take?

.... David
The ones on the right are original and have not been available the ones on the left are what is available now trim shops boat supply places
 

65beam

Donation Time
Mike,
While velcro might sound like a good idea, and it will work ( for a while at least) the carpet should be
held down by the correct carpet fasteners. The velcro when it gets damp will just peel off the floor.

If you're worried about rust, from drilling holes for the screws, you can paint them from under the car or seal
them with a dab of RTV to keep the moisture out.

When you think about how your car will be used, it's time getting wet will most likely be minimal. The correct
fasteners should have come with the carpet set. If not, I'm sure they can be sent to you.

AS far as glue goes, the Weldwood contact cement works very well.

Cheers!
Steve
The local upholstery shop that makes my interiors does use Velcro in areas such as the fire wall. He uses the glue that he sprays out of 5 gal pails to secure the Velcro to the metal or the insulating material and sews the other piece of Velcro to the carpet. He uses hidden snap fasteners to secure the carpet in the floors. It's been exposed to a lot of days in the sun since finished in 2008 and the pieces secured by Velcro are still in place. Auto parts stores such as NAPA have spray cans of 3M trim glue that works great.
 
Top