body and interior Carpet question Tii Originality

[achman]

So, I am thinking about replacing the carpet in my 1973 Tii.

 

The car is very original, was partially restored back to close to original in 1986 by original owner, but I have no documentation of what the original carpet was...except for the fact that I have a notebook listing every single part, nut, and bolt that was replaced during the restoration...and there is no mention of the carpet being replaced.

 

So, I believe that it is original. It certainly looks like it, as it has definitely seen better days, and is one of the only things that lets down the interior.

 

I am leaning towards one of Esty's kits, however as for color, I am stumped.

 

The car is Agave/Tobacco, and the current carpet (according to Esty) is Sandalwood. It is basically a one-color light tan.

 

Apparently, Agave/Tobacco cars very often came with Wheat carpets, which is a two-tone light tan and darker brown.

 

I want to keep the car as close to original as I can, so the question is:

 

Replace carpet with Sandalwood, which may be original to the car but is less common and possibly less desirable?

 

Or go with the two-tone wheat, which may be more common to the car and might look better, but may not be accurate?

 

I know it is basically personal preference, but any thoughts?

 

Wheat

 

currently in car:

[jgerock]

Go with the "wheat" one in your picture - although I wouldn't think that is the name.  Looks similar to what was installed in my 73tii back around 2003 (from Bimmer Parts).

[stricht8]

I have the same carpet in my car and it is also in sorry shape. I could not find the same color or material despite an extensive search so I decided to sew up my own from a square weave wool material in honey brown. It is clearly not original but beautiful nevertheless:

[Conserv]

The only interior component on my '76 that I contemplated changing within the first 5 years of the car's existence was the carpeting. Fortunately -- from the perspective of the car's "originality" 39 years later -- I found more important uses of my limited resources. Admittedly, square taillight interior materials tended to be inferior to round taillight interior materials. But all '02 interiors could be "tired" looking after just a few years. By '73, you could find '02s -- certainly in the Northeast -- that were just plain "used up", except for their "wears-like-iron" vinyl! Pulling out my old Roundels, here's an ad from the August '78 Roundel offering new carpets for the '02.

It's conceivable your car's original owner didn't replace the car's carpeting in '86 because it was replaced previously. The car was, after all, 13 years old by that time, whereas my 76's carpets were looking tired within 4 years or so. I'm currently searching for the elusive "excellent-or-better" original carpeting for my '73 -- black, rather than tobacco interior -- and keep finding wonderfully-patina'd examples that are themselves early replacements. I'll just say that, in '78, few owners -- certainly myself included -- gave a damn about "keeping their cars perfectly intact and original"; we just wanted them to look good! And the better replacement carpets even came with the "snaps" that marked original round taillight rear floor carpets.

I know I haven't offered any help other than to demonstrate that others are struggling with the same "original carpet" issue as you!

Regards,

Steve

Edited March 28, 2015 by Conserv

[adawil2002]

The carpet in Vern looks like the "wheat" picture its an old Bimmerparts carpet set that still looks new. It was installed by the owner before the owner I bought him from. 

[Conserv]

The carpet in Vern looks like the "wheat" picture its an old Bimmerparts carpet set that still looks new. It was installed by the owner before the owner I bought him from.

And you raise an excellent point, Andrew. One of the BIG promises of the replacement carpets -- see the August '78 Roundel ad in my post #4 -- is that they are "Far superior to originals"! Heck, who wanted to replace their sad-looking 4-year-old carpet with the same stuff?

Regards,

Steve

[kaptanoglu]

With Sputter, we went with period correct better carpet, using a German square weave.  This is what went in Mercedes of the same era, and looks great in a 2002.

 

While the car was pretty extensively restored, we drive it a lot, and wanted the carpet to hold up.

 

Good luck,

 

J

 

[stricht8]

Interestingly, the "wheat" looks quite a bit like the "honey brown" square weave wool. You can always upgrade to the wool but material alone costs $90 per yard. You will probably need roughly three yards.

[esty]

Interestingly, the "wheat" looks quite a bit like the "honey brown" square weave wool. You can always upgrade to the wool but material alone costs $90 per yard. You will probably need roughly three yards.

if you want the bias to be the same on all sections...you'll need approx 4.5...wool is not as wide as most most

[Beaner7102]

Try looking at a section of carpet that's hidden from light. Like under the seats, under the park brake boot, or in the front foot well near the glove box.

Those bits will give you the best indication of the original colour of that carpet. The large floor sections always fade, have had the most ground-in dirt and the most cleaning. They can look very different, yet be the same carpet.

On my early71' (also Agave) the large floor sections look very ligh tan, almost beige, compared to the hidden sections. All thanks to the harsh Aussie sun.

Just thought I'd mention it. Beaner7102

Edited March 27, 2015 by Beaner7102

[pklym]

I don't know what was ORIGINAL, but I do know what is "period-correct":

 

 

Its Etsy not Esty, same same?

[bluedevils]

The "wheat" mentioned above is not the original material, it is a domestic blend. It looks like, well, "not original" IMO. You need the real German loop blend "cream", world upholstery code 8331, Gahh code 471 "Parchment" for the same thing. Get enough yardage and ship to esty for stitching, or ask esty to do it the whole thing; Worlduph stitching is inferior to esty's in my opinion and Gahh is too expensive. Any other material will look like shit. German squareweave is a good (and more expensive) alternative but wasn't the original material.

[stricht8]

The world upholstery cream and Gahh parchment may be authentic German loop carpet but they are not original or correct to a BMW 2002. They are correct to Mercedes of the era. World will advertise it as correct but it just isn't. I received samples from them and scrutinized them. The domestic wheat is actually a closer match with respect to the weave of the carpet than is the world stuff. I've performed an exhaustive search came to the unfortunate conclusion that the correct material is no longer available.

That is why I upgraded to square weave wool. It is period correct and it's an upgrade.

[achman]

My head is spinning...I did all this research a year ago, and I remember the same result.

 

I am going to just use spray-in bedliner.

 

 

 

 

Just kidding...

 

@stricht8 I really love that carpet, but feel combined with my dark seats it will look too dark.

 

@Beaner7102 I have pulled back the carpet, and yes, the large sections are washed out and light cream, but the dark is still the one-color tan...or sandalwood. I've definitely decided on going with a two-tone, just trying to figure out which one.

 

@stricht8 "The domestic wheat is actually a closer match with respect to the weave of the carpet than is the world stuff." I have come to the same conclusion after researching this last year and this one.

 

@jgerock I think I will probably go with the "wheat" as it seems to be most original to what the car probably came with or at least resembles most what other Agave/Tobacco cars came with.

[esty]

here's the loop al referred to, last time i check'd it was about as costly as square weave wool

 

 

 

i'd just go with what you like best...one thing i don't recall when the guys here are ripping apart cars for sale, nitpicking everything about it, is it having the wrong carpet...unless it's something so far off the wall it's unlikely most would notice or care

Edited March 27, 2015 by esty