Hey everyone

It is time to dedicate some attention to my, well, you already know don't you. I am looking to replace the original (yes original) carpet. I have been looking on Ebay and can't really tell what the quality is like of the kits that are available. I found one for 75.00 but the seller gave it a 5 out of 10.

There is a supplier in OC califormia that I have spoken to that restores everything porsche and they have the original wool loop kit in original colors but that kit was over 500.00

Does anyone have a recommendation? I want to spend about 150.00 for a charcoal grey or black kit that will fit properly and look not like a crappy after market product until I can afford the real deal.

Any thoughts?

thx -jp-

ps I have a 73 1.7 fuel injected model

914rubber.com

Bought a black German loop set last week from 914Rubber...and another plaid seat set .

Three other additional sources to check -

Autos International in Vista

World Upholstery in Camarillo or Ventura area

Lakewell.com in Europe (Belgium IIRC) (IIRC your price will be less their VAT)

All 3 have 914 kits & some may offer in a lower cost domestic loop pile, but be warned....

FYI - if you get a lower priced domestic materials set, then you'll probably be replacing it within a year or 3 due to wear if you DD or drive it a lot, so the more long term solution will cost a bit more - but less than new kits every few years .... even for a 73 1.7!

Good Luck!
Tom
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Who was that in OC??

Recheck on that, cuz it may have been the 356/911/912 square loop or square weave wool that wasn't used on the 914s, but some folks do resto's with it. The German material loop pile 914 kit was around the $175-250-ish range at most vendors, & IIRC it's a synthetic even on the OE/NOS ones - not wool.

I don't know what material 914rubber is using, so ask Mark W/Mikey914 on here (owner).

PS - if you're not in a hurry, you can wait til the Porsche Swap Meet in March at the Phoenix Club in Anaheim & meet AI & others in person there for pricing & ordering .... as well as a bunch of other Porsche goodies & display cars!


Tom
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I use German imported square weave ans well as the salt and pepper style most like the OEM. With that being said the domestic I'm currently using for the black is pretty high quality, and bang for the buck the best value. I
I'll post some pics of it compared to the German, I think you will see what I'm saying.

Also, no one else does the passenger and drivers floor mat grommets that you WILL need to hold these in place, unless you want to use velcro or glue down.

Unlike the other suggested vendors, 914rubber - aka mikey914 - supports the 914world members 1000 percent

Thanx Mark!

Last I saw Lakewell was still producing them with the grommets - which they call "Buttons" in their write-up at the link below, & for those looking for the factory "Loop Pile" Appearance Group optional carpet - they call it "Velour" (as Porsche did back in the day).

See here:
http://www.lakewell.com/en/porsche/914/ful...rsche-914-69-76

I think that AI will do the grommets if requested, but they may be using Mark's/914Rubber's grommets to do so.

For the record - Mark/914Rubber does great service to the 914 community with all of his otherwise NLA parts, & he supports 914world, & I too have many of his repro parts (incl. F&R bumper top pads) & will undoubtedly get more from 914Rubber for my resto.

In my post above, I did say: "In addition to 914Rubber...."

So my providing options to members on here is no negative reflection on Mark's carpets - I've not seen them in anyone's car yet, nor do I have any feedback on durability.

To be clear, the domestic carpets wearing out fast to which I was referring were by real 914 users & bought from AI, WU & several other sources as their domestic "budget minded" options.

Lakewell, Autos Int'l. (AI), & World Upholstery (WU) have all been recco'd by many members on here & others in the Porsche community from decades before Mark started his production of carpet sets. They do great & CW worthy upholstery work & kits too.

I believe folks here & anywhere should have choices, be able to explore & compare them, then pick what they feel fits their needs best - & not be pressured to buy from any particular vendor - whether a member or not (to clarify re. Epstein's comment above). I always supply choices where I can when offering help on here.

Cheers!
Tom
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I was super happy with the Perlon set I bought on eBay from AppBiz. Bob is a great guy, and the stuff is indestructible.

It is more of a "race" look, but that is what I was looking for.

Love those hub caps.

Hey Elliot - do you mean, like these ones Pete Brock used on his latest lightweight aerodynamic car hauler?

http://www.bre2.net/mm5/merchant.mvc?Scree...de=car_trailers


Click to view attachment


Tom
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We just bought a half dozen 911 carpet kits from appbiz. They have a great product. I bought my 914 perlon kit from Mikey. Looks great.

No worries,
Just to let you know I will be bringing a few to WCR this year, so if your like Larmo, by $100 worth of tickets and take home 2K worth of stuff

hey Tom
the source in OC was called Auto International and if I remember the conversation correctly they said the material they use is exactly the same as the original, not necessarily NOS.

I don't want to wait, waited way too long already...
-jp-

Hey everyone

Thanks for tall the great and imformative advice, seems there is no shortage of choices and I most fit my budget. I will be decideding in the next few days and when my interiour is completely overhauld I will take some picks for y'all. I plan on completely re-doing it verything that is cracked, faded, sun-bent or just plain worn out.

-jp-

you are Mr. 914 rubber presumably??? just checked out the site for like a straight 2 hours digging around, very nice, very very nice indeed.

-jp-

Yes I am. Sorry I haven't put the picture up yet, I have been busy finishing up the air vents today and forgot.
It is a very high quality domestic (black one). The density is not as high as the German, but for a lot less you can get a very good quality material. Unfortunately, the charcoal loop material is not as good, but still not too bad.

-Mark

JP -

They're actually in north San Diego County - not OC - Escondido to be specific, if it was these guys -

http://www.autosintl.net/

<snipped>
914 1972-76
Domestic carpet $265.00
German Perlon $293.00
German Velour $523.00
<end snip>

At their now jacked up pricing, the Lakewell German Velour at 240.00 Euros ($259.16 at current exchange rate) is by far the better deal! I'm amazed at how much AI has gone up in the past 2-3-4 years!

http://www.lakewell.com/en/porsche/914/ful...rsche-914-69-76

However, maybe Mark/914Rubber can do the German Velour for you at a comparable price??

That is, unless you're on a tight budget, then go domestic & maybe get some Coco Mats on top to keep the wear down with a period correct look!

Cheers!
Tom
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Tom
wow your really know your stuff... thanks for all the info really will make this very easy for me. if ever in la, culver city let me buy you a beer... ;-)

-jp-

JP - no prob! Always glad to help.

Also, just bring your by then all prettied-up 914 & put her on display at the PCA LA Region Concours at the Santa Monica Museum of Flight in July (I'll be judging there) & enjoy Porsches & Planes while others enjoy gawking at your 914.

You could also enter your 914 in the easier Wash & Shine division where only the exterior & interior is judged, since we now have a separate class for 914s in W&S, so newbies & occasional entrants with DDs can more easily compete in this "cleaning & prep contest" without fighting the 911 crowd for hardware/ribbons!

IIRC lunch is included for Display & Concours entrants, & last year it was a really good BBQ spread!

Do check with Mark/Mikey914 by PM or email on here to see if his 9124Rubber can make you up a "German Velour" (loop pile) carpet set - if that's what you're looking for, or for his or go to one of the other German or Domestic etc. options out there.

Cheers!
Tom
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I bought a set from Mikey for Dads car. Very happy. The price to quality is above others!

ok everyone

the carpet experiment was a success. I will have pics for y'all soon. domestic loop from 914 rubber - check. I am really happy with how it came out. installing was relatively straight forward with a few little hiccups but it all looks great.

Now my next question is I NEED SOME COOL FLOOR MATS preferably with 'Porsche' or '914' on them in black and moderately priced.

any suggestions????

-jp-

Any of the Porsche & other parts houses that handle the Lloyd mats will have them with the drop down menus to pick embroidery + plush mat & thread colors. They also have them for the F & R trunk mats too with embroidery.

You can do both "PORSCHE' & "914" or 914-?? with a 2 -line embroidery for a bit more. Lloyd has the exclusive with Porsche AG to do the correct font logos on their mats.

Automotion/Performance Products used to have them at a good price when they ran a sale, but I don't know if they're still carrying them since Eklers bought them & screwed them up for us Porsche guys/gals!

Google for Lloyd mats & see what comes up in the search & shopping lists.

PS - GPR (Jonathan) on here, Sierra Madre Collection on here, & Auto Atlanta may also carry Lloyd Mats.

Good Luck!
Tom
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Hey Tom

Ok I have seen those and like them. I like the red Porsche font and you just confirmed for me these are the way to go. thanks Tom, you really have made this a process very easy. cheers...
-jp-

Glad to help JP!

For your interior color scheme, might I suggest either black or charcoal grey mats, with the PORSCHE in red on top, & line 2 with 914 in Silver, White or another color you like that will "pop" on the dark background?

My interior is the OE dark tan (a tan & brown speckled oatmeal loop pile blend), so I plan to go with tan plush mats with the PORSCHE in black or red for contrast, then in the opposite color or ?? - will try to get "914S" wangled out of them somehow - even though it was never an official Porsche model badge - only a USA Porsche+Audi marketing name for the early 73 914-2.0 models (which Porsche initially didn't even badge the 73's with either 1.7 nor 2.0!).

I'll also get some coco mats to go with my interior for non-PCA concours & displays & general car shows - but they were too rough on the heels of my shoes & bare feet back in the day, so they'll just be there to look 70's Bichen, & I'll drive with the plush mats. And I prefer to drive barefoot when I can!

So I think you made the right choice with plush for driving comfort.

Also try the Lloyd's website with their links out to vendors & pick the one with the best overall price with tax & shipping, since they're all getting them from the same mfgr.!

PS - http://lloydmats.com/porsche-licensed-cust...ogo-floor-mats/

Cheers!
Tom
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i bought my used floor mat from a member (Current car of the month) and I like them with PORSCHE letter.

Click to view attachment

I like the Coco Mat's, indestructible

Click to view attachment

Steve - I love the black with the offsetting white/silver/gray specks!

I think I'd do Black with Tan/Natural specks for mine for the "show set" - but will wait until the 914 is all back ready to see the samples in the car as fitted out, before I finalize on mine.

.... but coco mats are in fact destructible, as I went thru 2 sets in 10 years & 130k miles as my DD - plus innumerable pairs of dress shoes for work from wearing out the heels/backs on the mats, & my socks or bare heels when bare foot - & they get really uncomfortable on a long 1-2000 mile XC drive! ... even blistered heels!

.

ndfrigi - the white on black pops really well!

If one were to do the double line embroidery - then you'd pick something like the white or silver/grey + red or blue or something in your car color & do the brightest on what you want to pop most - PORSCHE or 914 (etc.).

Do just the opposite of 2 darker colors/shade for light colored mats like for my 914's factory Beige interior.

PSS - More good examples of single & double logo colors on mat colors here:
http://lloydmats.com/all-others-logos/cust...ademark-badges/


Tom
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very nice....

these are cool as well...

ok everyone here is a little catch up on the carpet before and after...

more of the misery....

just a bit of paint to cover the old color until i rip this thing down to the metal and re-paint the right way a factory color from that year or not...

and now for the finished product

mas...

Now as you can see i replaced the inside threshold strip due to the fact that it is attached via screws and now i need to replace the outside part. Those are attached with metal rivets and my question to you all (especially you Tom ;-) is how to get them off - the rivets? do i drill them out?

The next question is this - with the new threshold it came with a set of clear plastic rivets and and is it as easy as putting in the holes and depressing the little plastic pin until it sets in all the way? i saw some thread that mentioned i needed to cut one piece off the rivet or two to make it fit. What gives?

-jp-

jp -

It looks like your interior was the same or similar to my 73 2L's #31 Beige, but not sure if your carpet was the regular OE Tan/Beige or the OE Dark Tan - which looks like oatmeal with a mix of the tan & brown loop pile yarns in a speckled pattern, but it looks just a tad darker than straight tan & therefore didn't show the dirt as much.

You can see the difference at Jeff Bowlsby's pic link below between #502 Tan & #503 Dark Tan (but the camera coloration is off) from the 74 MY (he has no 73 MY stuff....yet) -

http://bowlsby.net/914/Classic/zPF_74F3.jpg

http://bowlsby.net/914/Classic/PaintFabrics.htm

You can rill out those metal rivets with a small drill bit which is about the size of the dimple in the center of the rivet or slightly bigger. Not too big & keep the drill/bit straight in all 3-axis - or you'll enlarge the hole too much & the new plastic rivets will be loose.

Plastic rivets were original & still available in clear, even from Porsche (also used in 911/912/etc. so they keep them around), but the originals were white for the aluminum thresholds & black for the black plastic thresholds.

I think they used the metal rivets over the years - even at Porsche+Audi dealers back in the day, because they were readily available & seen as stronger - so seen as an improvement.

Now to the "while I'm in there" part....

So while you're drilling & removing/replacing rivets there - get some extra rivets so you can do all of the rivets along both rocker panels, then unscrew the slotted cheesehead screws along the bottoms (or they may have substituted other screw types).

Then remove those rocker panels on both L & R in order to clean the crud out from behind them & to inspect your longitudenals behind them for rust damage - you'll be surprised how much dirt & crud gets up behind there - a supposedly sealed space, especially on the right/curbside.

And if any rust, there's yet another project you'll want to get them repaired by yourself if you're a competent welder/body worker or by a good body shop, because those are the 914's main structural elements - "frame" if you will - long-wise along the unibody structure.

Speaking of drilling & replacing rivets - I'm hoping for a windless weekend so I can re-rivet some of the aluminum belly pans on our vintage 1960 Avion T20 trailer (like an Airstream) this weekend .... or at least before our next vintage trailer event in March!

PS - If I missed any of your questions, just post them again below.

The close up pix of your floor mat sections look like the Dark Tan, but the center tunnel section may be Tan - not sure from the pix, but if different - a PO could've gotten the dark tan after the originals wore out for less dirt show, or because the dealer only had that color.

When I got mine in `75 the OO had put in black driver & passenger floor mat sections so I put brown/tan coco mats over them since they were 1/2 the cost of OE Porsche floor mats new - since I was just out of college a year or so & already eating PBJ & Mac & Cheese to afford my 914!

Also in looking at your Seats you'll have #500 Corduroy seat inserts, so your interior code would be #32 IIRC (don't have the old Porsche doc handy now - my #31 was with basketweave vinyl inserts like on your doors).

And looking at your floor sections from under the carpet, it looks like yours was L65K Ravenna Green originally (see links below) - so if you ever repaint, then you might consider going back to it since it & Delphi Green Metallic look really sharp with the Beige interiors!

http://p914.com/p914_paint_L65K_73.htm

http://p914.com/p914_paint_73.htm

It was a Ravenna or Delphi Green with Beige pic on the cover of my "Porsche 914 & 914-6 - The Definitive History of the Road & Competition Cars" by Brian Long that made me drool over any green 914 - being a blue car guy myself!



Also if you ever want to add more original looking alloy wheels to your 1.7 - the Pedrini & Mahle "Baby Gasburner" 4-lug wheels look very sharp (see the O&H Forum's nailed topic on OE Wheels & Tires for pix of both - I like the Mahles a bit better myself), or even Fuchs @L 4-lugs.

Or if you prefer period correct aftermarket wheels - both the classic & 80's repop Riviera 5 spoke/4-lug & modern versions of the classic 8-spoke/4-lug Competition wheel look alloys by Revolution, Enkei & others look great too. Or just keep your streamliner hubcaps if you like those best.

Good Luck!
Tom
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Tom

u da best...

BTW

I just ordered a new red handle for the heater lever and have new PRESS red stickers that I purchased from a member to replace the faded ones on the seat belt clicky things.

next on my list is a new wood steering wheel from Nardi and then a new dash.

after which the seats, door panels, and back pad by summer...

then next year suspension and engine redo... goto get this baby in shape....


-jp-

Me and my 914...

Here are my mats from Lloyd's called Tru-Berber. They come in different colors here:

http://truberber.com/

Click to view attachment

nice and i love the inset on the seat with the black and white pattern....

jp -

Stoddards sells a new 914 dash repro which is excellent for about $800.

Unless you really drool for a wood steering wheel, you might consider having Dallas Steering Wheel (DSW) or the guy who comes to the Porsche Swap Meet at the Phoenix Club in Anaheim in March do a leather recovering - with the extra layer of felt padding under it if you prefer a softer grip &/or thinker rim - on either your current aftermarket 3-spoke or another OE 4-spoke wheel with butterfly horn pad or puck). [I prefer the grip & feel of leather myself]

Autos International in Escondido or World Upholstery in Ventura & Lakewell.com in Belgium all sell 914 upholstery kits in the smooth beige/tan leatherette (only Lakewell has the tan basketweave) - but not sure which also does the corduroy inserts like yours. I suggest get them all to send you samples now, so you can choose which you prefer.

If you're not confident in doing your own reupholstery, then AI & WU does top quality interiors, but a local upholstery shop which does classic sports cars & rods can probably do them for you too, if you want to just order the bulk fabric or kits. Not sure who is near you in Culver City, but I know a couple of shops in HB that I'd trust with interior work. If you need new foam, then AI or WU may be easier, but their prices are way up there too.

I had my OE Recaro front seats in my 85 BMW 325e 2dr coupe redone in in smooth & perforated/patterned-insert Perl Biege vinyl in 2014 by one of the HB shops & it was about $1200 including redoing the leather steering wheel & rebuilding the operable seats/backs/seat-shocks (it has a back seat, unlike a 914 ). It's seats are more complex, required custom stamping of the detail in the inserts, & probably had more material - than a 914 seat

So the price may be less for your 914 & they may have a match for the vinyl & corduroy at such local shops too, bit then you have to add in more for the backpad, center cushion & door panels to get it to match. AFAIK Lakwewell is the only one that still has the 914 Beige in the 70-74 (excl 71) Basketweave for all door & some seat inserts, so I bought both smooth & basketweave yardage from them so that both would match, sufficient to do it all by a local shop or AI at some point (email them for yards needed).

Suspension - IMHO Koni Reds or Bilstein R shocks & F strut inserts, & the poly street bushings all around - unless you plan to race or AX with it, cuz their race bushings are harder & rough riding on the street for DD/pleasure use. Ditto if you need springs or torsion bars - stick with stock lbs. (0 lbs for a 73 1.& IIRC & definitely for a 2L) - unless you're racing/AXing - then you'll ride rougher on street use.

The better idea to improve handling on a 1.7 without the anti-sway bars is to add a used set of the OE ones or new Elephant sway bar kits F & R. If you do tie-rodss, then stick with either the stock or Trubo-tie-rod upgrade from Lemforder only - don't waste you money on the knock offs - they're built cheap too! Don't forget fresh wheel bearings (SWF or other German OEMs only) + brake lines & Porterfield R4S brake pads from PMB.

Engine - Do a bunch of research first on what you want out of the rebuild, & check out the 1911cc upbuilds, & what places like FAT Performance here in Orange does with Type IV motors. I don't know how much Raby has on his website, nor if someone like McMark at Original Customs can build a 2056 from your 1.7 - soo check around alot. A tried & true set-up is better than guessing at what might work, so poll others with 1.7s on here too.

I know other VW & 914 folks who like Der Buggy in Garden Grove, but AASE in Fullerton & Bill Brewster's shop in So. OC are top aircooled Porsche shops. Others may recco some up in LA closer to you, & OTTOs in Venice used to be good, but he passed away & I don't know how good the new guys are. I'd recco my 914 guy of 40+ years Hans, but he won't take any new customers with aircooled cars - only us old customers that still have them.


Tom
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NICE! - Looks like you have a start on the Riviera repops on the LF wheel jp!

My 73 2L was originally L80E Light Ivory (white), so mine will look similar to yours when completed, & probably with the black positive "PORSCHE' script side stipes too, except with the Fuchs 2L alloys which would've originally been on mine. The OO/P+A-selling dealer had changed them to Riveras before I bought it - so I'm recreating it back to OE look, but will probably keep my Rivs for street tires for whenever I just want to drive it with other tires than the period 165HR15's which will be on the Fuchs.

Have fun & bring it out to some of the local SoCal PCA events & car shows!


Tom
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Llyods also makes Plush mats with the embroidery in both Ultra & Luxe, as well as these Berber ones - so look at their main website for all of their choices of colors & Logos & embroidery colors.

They're all shown at this link:

http://lloydmats.com/porsche-licensed-cust...ogo-floor-mats/
http://lloydmats.com/

And the Coco Mats from just below this original post on the Berbers above with this pic -



- can be found in a variety of materials & colors too at this link:

http://www.cocomats.com/

You should order samples from all of them in the colors you're considering, so you can both see the actual colors - as well as feel the textures of all types. Maybe you;ll want both Coco or Sisal & Plush or Berber or ?? after you see/feel them in person.

If you or others want new mats from cocomats.com, then there was a 15% discount at our recent Jan. 2016 PCA Zone 8 Concours in Warner Center/Woodland Hills from CoCo Mats good to 2/16/16 - code: Z8CDE16 - good thru next Tuesday.

Keep an eye out for the Lloyds Porsche mats vendors for sales/discounts on those too. Sierra Madre Collection in Pasadena has a 10% sale right now up to the Porsche Lit/Swap in early March, but I don't know if they sell Lloyd mats &/or if it covers them on the sale's 10% discount - so go to their website from their link on here at top or bottom.


Tom
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Nice Mike!

Those are also listed at the Lloyd link for the Porsche mats, along with their plush ones.

http://lloydmats.com/porsche-licensed-cust...ogo-floor-mats/

jp - his seat inserts' material is called Houndstooth - & was used on 60's 911/912 & 356 - & although not used on 914s from the factory (except maybe by special order &/or on 914-6 by order) - it's seen on a few 914 restos around SoCal. AI should have samples of it in pix on their website, & they had a pair of 914 seats on display a few years ago at that Phoenix Club/Anaheim Porsche Swap Meet that I mentioned. IMHO it looks best in black interiors.


Tom
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Hi JP,
Who did you get the PRESS stickers from? I remember seeing them a while back but could not find them recently.

Ken -

I got some from vendors over on TheSamba.com a while back.

IIRC there were some on evil-bay as well.

Also, maybe some of the VW Resto shops like ISP-West here in SoCal & others, since it's a VW item too.

JP can give you his source too.


Tom
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Ooops! Duplicate post!

jp -

In case you missed this where I added it to my prior post on pg. 2 .....

.... since it's worth the factor

....... & I'm really NOT a green car guy either!



It's a great 914 book too BTW!


Tom
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