I just got some new ACC carpet for the 69 and I am getting ready to gut the interior of the car. I have read a few posts on carpets saying that it needs to sit in the sun to heat up. I talked with a car buddy and he said about 5 days. Is that correct? Or does it just need a day or two? It is black carpet so I don't really want to sun fade it. So do I put it in direct sunlight or should I throw a UV resistant tarp over it? Any responses would be appreciated!

Five days seems extreme. If the carpet is pre-molded I don't see that being a requirement. I set my carpet out on the driveway for about 2 hours while I prepped my car in the garage and it went in beautifully. I only had to make a few snips here and there and I'm very happy with the results. The carpet was gold, and honestly I didn't see much change from the heat of the sun from when i first took it out of the box.

It really is a weather issue. I am in the process of installing carpet in my Nova and I laid it out in the sun for 2 hrs here (85degs) and the jute started coming un-glued. Figure if you leave it out after the temps drop it's not going to loosen up any more and will actually start to revert back. I figure a few hrs in good hot sunshine is all it really needs...

Left mine in the sun for 2 hours, it was VERY flexible then as Dennis mentioned. Slipped right into place :)

Do NOT SNIP until it sits a couple of days in the car. When I placed mine in from ACC went in great but had a bit of overlap, so I sniped away about an inch or two in places.. slowly over the next few days of driving my car the carpet settled and low and behold it started exposing the snipped areas.. Douuuuuuhhhhh....!! So now Im an inch or two short in places like the sill and kick panels..

My advise..

place carpet in..
DONT CUT anything yet..
place back in seats..
Drive it, work in it, whatever... it takes to get some pressure on the carpet and move it around to settle it.. THEN.... cut to lenght,, if you even have to.. and put the sill plates back on.. Good luck..

Mark

Thanks for the information!!! Anyone want to help? *JK*

Sure.. drive it on over.... :)

If you are interested in installing it like the factory did, the back piece goes in first, and the carpet is cut to accomodate the rear feet of the bucket seats. The cut is a U shape, so that the flap can be bent rearward while the foot is bolted in. Then the flap is folded back forward to cover the bolt.

For the front piece, the rear edge should rest against the front feet on the buckets.

That's the way the General did it, but lots of guys install the carpet, and then bolt the front seats on top of the carpet

Just about to install some carpet for my '69 after restoring it and was considering doing it myself. Although I ran into an installer that said he would install the headliner, dash pad, sew the back seat on the seams and install all the carpet for $425. What do you think should I give it a go or is $425 a good price? THANKS

Just about to install some carpet for my '69 after restoring it and was considering doing it myself. Although I ran into an installer that said he would install the headliner, dash pad, sew the back seat on the seams and install all the carpet for $425. What do you think should I give it a go or is $425 a good price? THANKS

$425 is an excellent price if he does good work.

I paid $80 to get the headliner installed in mine. Paid the same guy $125 to install the new seat covers (front and back) The rest I did myself. The dashpad is a 5 minute job. The carpet took a whole lot more time.

Agree, that is pretty reasonable as long as it is good quality work. Looking at a couple price lists around the area and just for the carpet and headliner they want over $500. I do have a local guy that I go to that gives me good deals and does excellent work.