Installing new Sliverknit carpet- couple questions

[cattman]

I ordered the carpet kit from Appbiz (thanks, Bob!), and am getting ready to remove all the existing carpet. I don't care about noise, and the car has no rust, so I am hoping to as cleanly as possible remove just the carpet, and leave the original asphalt later in place. I plan to clean and remove old adhesive as far as is necessary, and then use 3M 74 Foam Fast to glue in the new carpets.

Any tips or thoughts about that plan?

Out of curiousity, I asked a local auto interior shop on a quote to just install the new kit into a car that's already been stripped. He quoted me $900 which is ludicrous, as I was expecting about $200. He basically uses simple contact cement, not even a glue pot.

What would you expect to pay for installation of an already stripped car, with the carpet kit being provided by the customer?
Thanks!
CATTMAN

[RSTarga]

Just do it yourself it's time consuming but not all that difficult if you keep track of what goes where.

[cattman]

So assuming the carpet comes out relatively cleanly, without mangling the asphalt layer, and I leave that asphalt layer in place, I can just strip some of the old adhesive, clean things up a bit, and start gluing the peices in place?

How the heck could that shop quote me $900?????????
CATTMAN

[Bob Kontak]

I don't think the gluing is that simple. Read the thread below and search on others. There is a good deal of sound deadening info in it but there is some good carpet install info too. Example: They talk about putting the carpet in the dryer to make it a little more pliable and using heat guns, etc.

Tips on installing new carpet?

Here is a pdf with some instructions.

http://www.911c1.de/porsche/Technik/Hilfe/anleitung_teppich69-86.pdf

[porschenut]

I've completely replaced the carpet in my Carrera twice now...it's not an easy or quick job at all. It is very tedious and involves some creative trimming and stretching to get all the pieces to lay properly without too many wrinkles. This job takes skill which you should expect to pay for. I don't think $900 is out of line at all for a professional.

[mikeferg75]

Having done this over last winter, I agree, 900 is not crazy.

You are correct in your thinking and plan of attack, gotta look at the two Glue's I used, One was 3M other was better and was from a local pro interior shop.

Rear carpet around the jump seats took me a good day to get "right" remember you have drying time, trimming, and much frustration for a non pro.

I found this article helpful, along with Pelican's and another...

http://www.911c1.de/porsche/Technik/Hilfe/anleitung_teppich69-86.pdf

Ferg

[efhughes3]

I easily spent a day redoing mine, and I'm not craftsman, and it is no show car. My guess is the $900 guy could be proud of his work, and it will look like a new car, if he knows his stuff.

When someone calls and says they want new carpet in their 911, and looking at your signature, why would he throw you a lowball quote? He could also figure that you may want some stuff redone, if it isn't to your expectations.

[cattman]

I've read every single carpet removal and installation thread and guide I can find, both here and elsewhere. The kit I have is sized exactly like the pieces coming out- kudos to Appbiz. And all the original carpet pulls out really easily, leaving just yellow dried dust for the old adhesive.

I won't need to scrape anything, or use a heatgun. I am not doing Perlon (the super-thin felt which leaves little room for error in terms of being flat.) Rather, I am using Sliverknit, which is very thick, deep, plush, and hence, I assume should be easier in terms of laying it flat, etc. Also, I am not doing an RS kit, so I will be keeping rear seats and trim. I am not installing Damplifier or any of those products.

As far as my DIY accumen, I installed the supercharger on my 997S myself, on my back, in a dark 20 degree F warehouse at night with no lift. Changed injectors, hacked into the car's oil supply, fuel rails, installed 3rd radiator in the front and water lines running to it from the engine, and back around again via a 2nd water pump I installed, etc.. So I am pretty handy, but I AM NOT A SEAMSTRESS, nor have I tinkered with carpet before...

I trust you guys, but honestly, I can't see what's so hard about this. Maybe I should strip it and do the easy parts, then pay them to do the door pockets, kick panels, and whatever seems not completely basic. Just can't fathom $900 to lay some glue and carpet that's already cut perfectly...
CATTMAN

[efhughes3]

It just takes time to fidget it all around to your liking. It is a slow process glueing as you go. You're also dealing with adhesive on one side, and a finished surface on the other. That takes some care.

Get another quote, if you think the instaer is high.

[Zeke]

2-3 years ago I talked to Bob at Appbiz and he told me to bring the car over to his place of business. He had a guy next door or something that would install RS carpet for 50 bucks if the interior was stripped. That meant one seat and no carpets.

I think you can make the old glue lay down and be smooth enough with some lacquer thinner; no need to remove all of it.

And yes, there is a better spray can contact cement than 3M. I love all 3M products, so I was surprised. Unfortunately, I don't remember the name, but it was at the FLAPS next to the 3M.

[porschenut]

both of my carpet sets were from Appbiz, and neither of them were cut perfectly. One was sliverknit, the other RS perlon. The RS perlon I did about 6 months ago and one of the pieces was cut HORRIBLY. I had to modify it to make it fit and it still does not cover the area completely that it was designed to. And the perlon felt is thicker than the sliverknit, which is very thin despite being plush. The sliverknit was not as stiff and thus easier to work with, but it also left more wrinkles.

Yes, if you've never done it before it seems like it shouldn't be brain surgery. It's not, but it IS time consuming. Even my second time took an entire weekend and I never bothered with anything but pulling the original pieces out and gluing the new ones in. No prep, no glue removal or anything in between.

I guarantee you will find that the carpet pieces are not exactly the same as the pieces coming out. Even the Appbiz carpet installation guide says that some pieces are intended to be cut to fit.

But give it a go, definitely. Just don't plan on it being as easy as first expected.

[RSTarga]

It is REALLY not difficult but time consuming which is why you got the 900dl quote. I used a Wurth interior glue and it worked great. The silverknit is much more pliable than the velour or perlon in the older cars. I did not realize you were going to do the pockets. I would take those to a professional upholsterer as they are quite tricky to get right. It's tough to line up the vinyl trim and lay it around the edges and then trim correctly.
Lay your new carpet pieces over the old ones before to make sure they are cut correctly. Appbiz is a very good supplier so they should be ok. You'll have to take your seats out to do the center section.

[BGCarrera32]

Originally Posted by cattman

I trust you guys, but honestly, I can't see what's so hard about this.

It's not. It just takes time. The problem that I've run into is installing an RS kit in a car that still has certain pieces of sound deadening in it, etc. which can force you to get creative. But its not hard to do.

Use 3M Super77 spray adhesive available from just about anywhere. Get 2 of the large cans and it will take care of the job. You get a few seconds of tack time so if you place it down and mess it up, pull it back up right away and try again.

[RWebb]

how much glue fumes do you hav to breathe to get this time-consuming, but not hard task done?

[efhughes3]

I'd never let anyone install a carpet in my car for $50. I think I'd also balk at $200.

[cattman]

Bingo, $200-$350 is what I'd pay. Bob at Appbiz said there's no reason to DIY when most good shops should do it for $200-$250.

I'll either DIY, find a more reasonable shop, or a combo with a shop doing the door pocket carpets.

So far, I don't think there is a specific trained skill to placing carpet that patience and common sense can't accomplish, is there? I guess I'll find out.

BTW, the '87's don't have map pockets on the kick panels, thankfully.
I'll photo document the process.
CATTMAN

[nineball]

Originally Posted by BGCarrera32

It's not. It just takes time. The problem that I've run into is installing an RS kit in a car that still has certain pieces of sound deadening in it, etc. which can force you to get creative. But its not hard to do.

Use 3M Super77 spray adhesive available from just about anywhere. Get 2 of the large cans and it will take care of the job. You get a few seconds of tack time so if you place it down and mess it up, pull it back up right away and try again.

DO NOT use super77. foam fast74 is the stuff to use. i tried 77 on my door pockets and it let up in the first day of heat (parked outside, windows up, top on). the 74 is what you want and the cheapest i found was on amazon (free shipping with 2 or more cans ordered).

Originally Posted by cattman

Bingo, $200-$350 is what I'd pay. Bob at Appbiz said there's no reason to DIY when most good shops should do it for $200-$250.

I'll either DIY, find a more reasonable shop, or a combo with a shop doing the door pocket carpets.

So far, I don't think there is a specific trained skill to placing carpet that patience and common sense can't accomplish, is there? I guess I'll find out.

some shops charge $75 per hour for labor and most are at $100 or more. there is no way in the world someone could install a full carpet kit, even with the vehicle prepped, in 2-3 hours. it's just not possible. that doesn't even take into consideration the cost for supplies. do it yourself and be that much more proud when the job it done. common sense and a slow pace will get the job done nicely. the average person can do it just fine, it just takes lots of time, planning and guts. it's quite scary taking a razor to an expensive carpet set to make the necessary relief cuts.

you can read over my log here:

it seems like everyone else has done it, so why not me... (interior)

[cattman]

Nineball, your thread was amazing, I've read it many times. Honestly, if I can do the Supercharger on my 997S, I can do freakin' carpet.

I ordered 4 cans (better to have extra to return than to run out) of 3m 74 FoamFast. No need for a scraper, no need for heat fun, no need for wire brushes, no need for Damplifier. Have gloves, have new door seals, have new entry plates, have new threshold sills, have 3M super weatherstrip adhesive, have adhesive remover, have patience, have another car to drive, have tools, have friends, and...

...have this site, if I encounter issues.

Nineball: can you PM me your cell in case I hit a wall?
CATTMAN

[nineball]

thanks, and no problem on the cell. i would suggest you get that remover i linked in my thread. it's cheap, easy to use and available at home depot. it was amazing for removing the old glue. just be certain to clean the metal very well after as the glue won't stick it there is any residue left. if the past has taught me anything it's that proper preparation is the key to good final results, and i would not want to glue anything down on 20+ year old glue residue.

[cattman]

I am expecting the hardest part to be: not getting the 3M 74 on the fluffy side of the carpet. I am using AppBiz Sliverknit- what did you use?
CATTMAN