carpet swap planned!! who's dont it? what should I know?

[teknotexan]

I found a black carpet from a MX-3. I want to swap it in to my 323. I also want to do the trunk/gaas release while I'm at it. Has anybody done this? How long and hard is it?

[cablemirc]

I found a black carpet from a MX-3. I want to swap it in to my 323. I also want to do the trunk/gaas release while I'm at it. Has anybody done this? How long and hard is it?

i've done it, and added the release as well. EVERYTHING has to come out for the carpet swap, and unless you feel like cutting the carpet (which i did) to go around the dashboard support, you'd have to lift that up too. the release is a bit more complicated, a sedan one wont work, but i have hatchback gas and hatch release cables and trunk latches here.

[jnorion]

I would highly recommend cutting around the dash... you will never see it and you can even staple it or duct tape it back together or something. After you've spent the time to pull everything else out it's not worth the effort to move the dash also.

[D323]

might consider layering some sound deadner under there if you have the time/cash.

[teknotexan]

sound deadener? what's that?

[teknotexan]

one more thing: i noticed that the two side panels, door trim, rear seat, rear trim?, and center console will have to be removed, but what else? the entire underdash? that's not a problem, since I've done it so many times, it's literally an art form for me. are there extra panels that'll need to be removed that I am not awar of??

[jnorion]

Front seats of course. The bottom portion of the B-pillar. Other than that I think you've got it all.

[D323]

sound deadener? what's that?

dynomat and other brands make material thats like a pad that you can lay down that helps deaden sound.

intruder did a good job of doing this before installing his sub in his trunk. Sound deadening is something audio buffs do to help the sound quality.

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/609176/2

[mike_moss]

Just to add to Donnie's post:

...race guys rip it out cuz it's heavy.

[1st Gen]

I’m probably way behind the curve on this but, back when I worked at an upholstery shop, one of the things the guy would do to make the carpet more pliable was to use a steam gun. The guy would wad the carpet up into a ball and stick the wand from the steam gun in there and heat it up. Worked great for taking some of the crispness out of the material, and when done, the fit was more molded.

The spray glue he would use was pretty darned cool too.

[mike_moss]

I have a bit of a background in upholstery (my Dad's in the custom upholstery business) and though that steamer trick works well, I'd stay away from it.

I tried to steam my GT seat and ended up ruining the bolster because the bolster was so dried out the steam just killed it.

I suspect a ~15yr old to act in a similar way and I'd be weary about it.

Random fact about steamers though: they remove tint rediculously easily. Just steam and peel...the adhesive stays on the tint!

[1st Gen]

I guess I should add that it was a new carpet install. Thank you Mike.