The latest project is to install sound deadening/heat barrier material, new felt padding and making new carpeting. With the bench seat being replaced by BMW powered buckets, custom carpet was needed. I got the felt and carpet from a local shop and selected Eastwood, mainly on price, for the barrier material. Lesson’s learned so far. 1: I smoothed the tar joints on the floor board by using a sharp scrapper, to minimize the sharp corners. Tar was cheap back then and the motto was, more must be better. 2: Clean the sheet metal for best adhesion, I used alcohol after I vacuumed. 3: Don’t get hung up on installing big pieces, smaller ones work better. 4: Save all your scraps, you will need them. 5: Use paper templates to get a good idea what the piece will look like. When you start covering the tunnel, the contours change pretty quickly, and edges don’t match up after the material is pushed into the cavities in the floor pan. 6: I found it helpful to establish lines on the floor, running from door to door as needed to provide a target for measuring and laying the pieces. More later, Chuck

 

Hey rket56. I was wondering if you have any good photos of the trim around the rear window of your ride?. I am at the last stages of assembly and am finding both the rubber window seal and the trim are giving me headaches. If you got into that part of it during your doings, got any pointers?
Thks,
Rocket 56

 

I haven't had the trim off, the paint is still as I bought the car. I will be glad to take pics for you tho, tell me specifically what you need. I'm guessing the rear seal has a groove or channel for the trim to fit into ? I just checked my shop manual and front and rear windows are not mentioned, only the side ones.

 

rket56,
Thanks for getting back to me. What I'm up against is two-fold. First, after installation of the window, [without trim], the rubber around the outside top of glass doesn't sit flat. It's bumped up where each of the trim clips mount. And there doesn't seem to be much room to squeeze the trim into place without chipping the paint, [paint is new]. I don't know if the trim is to be installed together with the rubber, as someone suggested might be, or afterwards. ??? No one I know has any real knowledge of the procedure, nor do my books direct me.
Secondly, the outside lower trim is a 4 piece arrangement, with a 5th piece that is made to cover the assembly at the center. But the latter looks way too big, or loose, to properly fit over the 4 overlapping pieces when assembled. Some photos of upper trim and rubber around window, and of the lower center trim would be of great help.
If you have time to review the project, I have some photos listed under Rocket 56. Thank you for any help you can offer. I really do appreciate it.
Fellow 56ster.

 

Hope these will help, Chuck.

 

hey rket56, do you still have the bench seat? might be interested

 

Sorry, the seat is gone to my friend who let me use his machine shop to make parts. I do have a brand new set of front coil springs that have never been installed if anyone is interested, and some other take off parts. Chuck

 

Thanks for the photos, rket56. Having looked really good at what I have, I think the one piece of chrome in question doesn't belong to the car. I have no idea where it came from. Oh well, easier for me. Thanks again.
To answer Marsman's question to you, I have two front seats, [benches], at least for redoing. They are completely torn up, no good for using as they are. The one I redid for my ride was stripped, dry-stripped to bare metal frame and primed/painted before reupholstering. I am in Connecticut, if Marsman wants the seat frame. Too big to ship.
M

 

Sound, heat barrier, part 2.
Some other things I have learned. WD-40 is great for removing contact cement from your hands. Masking tape is your friend, the blue kind. Use the edge of masking tape to mark your carpet for cutting. Leave the tape in place in case you need to trim a little more here or there, it’s easier to mark the tape with a flair tip pen and then trim as needed, remove the tape after you are satisfied with the fit. I used the tape to mark where the carpet and felt would meet so I could peel back the carpet, apply the cement and know where to stop with the contact cement. Any deep depressions or change in contour make it hard for the carpet to lay, I used additional felt pads in places where the carpet was loose. In my case I made slits centered over the top of the mounting rails to let the carpet move and conform, and then finished the cutouts after the carpet was cemented in back of the rear seat. I finished most of the edges out of the car with “glue on” beading, it requires a special long nozzle for a hot melt glue gun. Chuck