interior carpeting/trim

[lunar_underground]

any recommendations for cheap(er) carpeting? i was thinking of using the existing carpet as a template (if i can get it off in any reasonable shape) and cutting my own. has anyone tried this?? also do any of you have a good method to redo the metalized plastic trim on the door and side panels. i've heard they make an adhesive mylar but i have talked to anyone who has used it. sound like it could be tricky . . .

[esty]

any recommendations for cheap(er) carpeting? i was thinking of using the existing carpet as a template (if i can get it off in any reasonable shape) and cutting my own. has anyone tried this?? also do any of you have a good method to redo the metalized plastic trim on the door and side panels. i've heard they make an adhesive mylar but i have talked to anyone who has used it. sound like it could be tricky . . .

you can buy carpet by the yard online and if youlook around, can find it locally....if you're careful in cutting it, you could, if you want it finished, take it to an upholstery shop and have them bind it for you for probably cheap

google BMW 2002 Carpet, etc

[lunar_underground]

that was my thought exactly. binding is cheap and it seems to me that real investment would be time, which i have far more of that money (which is not to say i have a lot of time) . . .

[_z_]

who knows. YOu might find you have good skills and enjoy it! Maybe give Al a run for his money

[AlCanuck]

Takes about 2.5 - 3 hours for an experienced trimmer to properly bind a full 15 piece 2002 carpet kit. At anywhere from $40-90/hour, it could get expensive pretty quick. If you do go that route, make sure they bind it in the same spots as the factory did it, and not all the way around, like some of the cheaper sets on the market do. You'll pay more for the extra binding, and it will add bulk to the carpet when you install it. I've spoken with several people who have bought the cheaper, full bound sets, and they have actually had to cut the binding off. If you stick with an OE pattern, you'll be fine.

Al

[lunar_underground]

by the way esty, nice avatar. i collect elvgrens (just blotters and calendars for now, maybe my supermodel wife will buy me an original when i'm a famous rockstar (ha ha ha.)) nice taste - and thanks for the response . . .

[lunar_underground]

i thought about sticking just to the main floor carpet(s.) the side carpeting is in decent shape. my 02's got a decent interior, but the floorboard carpeting has seen some water damage and 33 years of dirty shoes and looks pretty hideous. she's too good for that . . .

[lunar_underground]

any recommendations for cushioning underneath the carpet itself? necessary or what????? it would be nice, but i know the stuff in there now has just become a haven for moisture and other such nasties . . .

[Grover]

When I bought my car a year ago, the carpet was NASTY!!! It was the first thing I replaced. I wish I had spent more time researching kits and bought one of Al's, the cheaper version I bought works okay, but it definitely looks second-rate. When replacing the carpet I put some padding underneath which I have subsequently removed almost all of. It made the carpet kit fit even less when than it should have.

As for the chrome stripping on the door panels, I did this too (I can send you some photos if you want.) It looks like about a 7.5 out of 10. I used a material from a local hobby store and cut it to shape. It was time consuming to do it well, but honestly I enjoy those kinds of crafty things. The materials were all of $4. The material is so thin that it is important that you smooth the surface you are applying it onto really well or it will look terrible.

[lunar_underground]

what's the name of the brand? any problems with seams or does the stuff come in rolls? i love that tedious crafty stuff as well - i do a fair amount of art that involves thousand upon thousands of very small dots. nothing like hours of tedium to make you apreciate an end result (and any result has to be better than the flaky chrome going on in there right now . . .)

[al]

I used a kit on ebay, real nice but I didn't know the exact color. Turned out very nice(like olive green), I used little padding the second time, better, also I have stiff, nice, custom fit mats that hold everything snug. As for the trim, I got some chrome tape at auto store , stuck it on and cut around it... score was 7.5 though. I tried to leave as much original chrome intact(much shinier)

[esty]

by the way esty, nice avatar. i collect elvgrens (just blotters and calendars for now, maybe my supermodel wife will buy me an original when i'm a famous rockstar (ha ha ha.)) nice taste - and thanks for the response . . .

yeah...you like that....

in a former life i own'd 3 art galleries, one dedicated to retro art...my house is covered in it...patrick nagel's one of my favs and i have 8 of his early ltd editons....another one of my fetishes is collecting early calendar art...

it's good to see another retro buff

[esty]

As for the chrome stripping on the door panels, I did this too (I can send you some photos if you want.) It looks like about a 7.5 out of 10. I used a material from a local hobby store and cut it to shape. It was time consuming to do it well, but honestly I enjoy those kinds of crafty things. The materials were all of $4. The material is so thin that it is important that you smooth the surface you are applying it onto really well or it will look terrible.

what i found to be the quickest, easiest and least expensive fix for stuff like plastic & flexible chrome & misc trim that's hard or impossible to replace is silver leaf top'd with clear epoxy....you can find it at most hobby stores

[lunar_underground]

nice to hear that your taste goes beyond just having a quirky pic next to your name. feel free to drop me any other names on email anytime too, i'm always interested in new art (mucha is my taste du jour at the moment.) appreciate your help with the trim idea as well. . .