Moulding carpet

[rolesyboy]

Hi, does anybody have any experience of moulding carpet around the exhaust tunnel on a Mini to match the contours. I have a roll I would like to use as it is a very good match to the original. Would a heat gun be the best bet, if at all?? Cheers. Mark

[InimiaD]

I recently bought a full carpet set (Newton Commercial) for the Woody and the front carpet is already moulded to fit the tunnel.
The fit is actually very good and it has a sponge type underlay already glued to the carpet underside.

In answer to your question I think the only possible way that the carpet could be moulded to shape would be in some sort of press. Excessive heat would obviously damage the carpet so I imagine a steam press may have been used.

Who's going to brave enough to call NC to find out how they do it.?

[Frogeye61]

I was under the impression that standard carpet can't be moulded. They use a special type of underlay and weave, along with some type of press to shape them.

[mk1]

I don't think you can mould carpet to fit the starter bump, you just have to do the best job you can & over a period of time it just sort of settles a bit.

If anyone does know if or how this can be done, I'd love to hear about it.

M

[guru_1071]

the only carpet that can be moulded with any sucess is 'gel carpet' the backing is a sort of plastic gel that becomes very soft when its warmed up (with a heat gun), once it cools it remains in the shape.

its used a lot in kits cars etc and can be bought in various colours - there is a guy on ebay who sells only black stuff, its all 'end roll' from the factory that does the carpets for the new mini.

[rolesyboy]

Any chance of a link Rich? Ta

[mk1]

Just type Gel Carpet" into ebay.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_trksi ... &_from=R40

M

[rolesyboy]

Oh man, I is one happy camper. Bought a couple of rolls of automotive grey carpet which nigh on matched a swatch of original S grey carpet I had. Cut a chunk off last night, gently applied heat from a heat gun and formed it round a sction of exhaust tunnel. Et Voila. It worked. Carpet had a granular type plastic backing in 1mm chips and seems that this stuff likes to be moulded. Woo hoo. Officially a Newton free zone!

[mk1]

PICTURES PLEASE!

M

[guru_1071]

£20 finders fee throught the post - whoo-hooo!!!



my only advice is dont use a heat gun thats too hot and set fire to the carpet, not that id ever do anything as stupid as that!

[rolesyboy]

Pictures will be posted when I can get any camera or phone with a camera to work in my house....
Rich, £20 on its way. I left the address blank as I don't have it so let me know when it arrives.
The fire did cross my mind. As a minimum I expected a smouldering sticky mess but appear to have got away with it on the demo model...

[newtune]

Evening would you have a link or the chaps ebay name of the stuff you used ?

cheers james

[rolesyboy]

Sorry James. My carpet came as 2 rolls from the Stafford Indoor Mini Show at the end of January. I didn't take a note of their details unfortunately. They just sold trim and I can tell you it wasn't Ashley James, Newton, Woolies or Pheonix so if you get a list of traders off the site you could probably do it by a process of elimination. Failing that type in gel carpet in e bay according to Mark F & you should find some. Sorry I couldn't be of more help. Cheers. Mark