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Carpet Installation (cont.)

13. The pre-moulded carpet comes folded up in a box. It's a good idea to lay it out for a day so that the rubber takes its original shape. We actually spread it out on the warm hood and in a couple hours it was pretty flexible and ready to go.

Note also that many of the common holes (seatbelts, shifter, seat bolts) are precut. However many are not, so have some new razor blades on hand.

14. Here's what we were starting with, a bone stock '88 interior. The sea of red will be replaced with a sporty combination of black carpet and seats to contrast nicely with the red and black dash and console pieces.

15. We're going to fast forward beyond the individual steps required to remove the old carpet so we can focus on the installation. Needless to say, the seats, center console, and kick panel trim must be remove to pull the old carpet out.

16. The new carpet requires that you cut some holes to match your shifter (auto or trans) and miscellaneous other items. The best way to cut the holes is to lay the old rug on top of the new, and then use a razor blade to trim it.

17. The new carpet is then laid down inside the car. We found the easiest way to get the rug in is to fold it in half and feed it in through the hatch, with the rear seats folded down. Force the rug as far forward as possible until the precut holes for the shifter and e-brake are lined up.

18. The ACC carpet comes with a rubber-laytex backing, and a thin felt pad. We felt no need to transfer any of the stock underlay over.


19. We had to cut a slot in the carpet area under the drivers seat to bring the power seat harness and fuel pump relay through. Note the two wires connected to the plug -that will power the new '94 GT seats. More later.


20. Additional trimming is necessary around the parking brake and rear console bracket.


21. Two slits needs to cut into the carpet to allow the two studs for the front console/dash bracket to protrude through. Feel for the studs, then use a new razor blade and cut an "X" directly over the stud.


22. The premolded carpet is really hassle-free. It sits nice and tight on the floor, and the trim pieces, like the kick panel, all go back into place without and bulging or interference.


23. The console halves are laid into place. Before securing the top half, make sure the lighter and power mirror harnesses are connected.


24. The armrest is secured to the rear console bracket.


25. Trim off the excess carpet at the door edges, this will ensure the door trim panel will fit without bulging or snagging the carpet.


26. The lower trim piece and seat belts are reattached.


27. With all the console and trim pieces back in position, we ran a vacuum over the carpet to pick up any loose stuff before the seats go in.
 
28. The most exciting upgrade would be the installation of these '94 GT seats. They bolt right in to place, and the driver side is power operated. Both sides have a power lumbar bladder.

Installation is drop in, no need to modify the brackets or mounting holes. However to get the power to work we had to simply make a two-wire jumper with spade connectors, from the connector under the seat to the one in the car. The two connectors won't connect directly.

 

30. Our seals had major torn areas near the bottom, where you shoes scrape getting in and out. The rubber has also lost its compression ability, and thus allowed water to seep in from the top of the door.

31. The seals are simply pinched on the body panel joint. However to get the old one out and the new on on, you'll need to remove the lower sill plate and kick panel, the dash speaker grill and A pillar trim, the then gently pry back the headliner trim piece. It's not as bad as it sounds!

32. Start the new seal near the bottom center of the door. The seal has a metal wire "U" channel, which slips over the body joint. Give it a firm pinch to ensure its locked on for good. When you get all the way around, go back and make sure it is seated properly and evenly. Then trim the excess to leave a 1/8" gap.

33. Here's the final product, an interior that looks much more appealing with nicely contrasting black carpet and red trim. It's a wonder why the designers at Ford couldn't have come up with this! The seats offer great support under hard driving.


Sources:


ACC (Auto Custom Carpets) Inc.
http://www.accmats.com
1-800-352-8216




 


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