Updated -I am thinking of removing the standard backpad. Anyway, I have a couple of questions. What should I cover the firewall with, perlon or carpet? Pros and cons of either? I would imagine that the sound insulator would need to come out and then glue the perlon/carpet to the bare metal? Is there anything I can do to reduce the additional noise? where can I relocate the backpad light? Any help and or suggestions appreciated, got any pics of yours post them please! TIA

Completed changing the backpad to perlon, wanted to share a couple pics. Click to view attachment Click to view attachment

Use a modern self adhesive noise suppression material (Amazon has a bunch of choices) and then perlon. Perlon is nice because it will mold to shape.

How about lighting? Anybody have any pictures of the Perlon installed?

Not sure it this is what you're looking for, but this was posted a few months ago on a GT build off of BAT. I think this is the route I'm going to take on the backpad area.



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There's a great pic somewhere on the forum: black seats, grey carpet and grey backpad. It looks really good; somehow it adds 'roominess' to the cockpit!

Sadly, I can't find it at the moment

Someone has a kit in perlon they were selling on EBay I think.

Movequick?

Move the light to under the dash

Wow, it looks great! and I agree it does add roominess. Makes me wish I didn't spend so much reupholstering mine ...

It’s what I plan to do on all of mine. I’m just waiting for 914rubber to make a kit.

A kit would be awesome!

Mike had his done and it looks great. I'll do mine just like it soon. One of these days in the near future. Maybe. Someday.

Kit?
Measure.
Go to local upholstery store.
Pick a color.
Ask for spray glue.
Pay for it.
Go home and install.

Have always thought it would be cool to do "dome lighting" on the targa bar pad—ideally something you wouldn't notice or that wouldn't be out of place while being "aimed" forward a bit.

I think you would notice it in the rear view mirror.
I like the idea of some led lights mounted under the dash, out of sight.

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This interior looks really nice and happily once i weld in my new seat mounts I can start thinking of carpet!

I am installing this kit currently. I will have pictures tomorrow.

Great. I was wondering if it covered the entire back. From window to floor.

I had that Perlon carpet piece from eBay on my yellow car. My floor carpet kit was from Appbiz also on eBay, EXCELLENT, by the way, proper German Perlon with double layered mats and very well made. The firewall Perlon was a bit cheaper, more of a "polyester" in look and feel. If you looked close, they didn't match.

I was going to have Autos International make me something....

+1 on appbiz carpet kit. I liked it much better than the 914world Perlon kit. Bob from Appbiz also sells bulk Perlon to match. His RS door panels for the 914 also rock.

We buy a ton of 911 stuff from him. Very good products.

This is our progress today. I used padding on the firewall. I also used the Perlon kit from Ebay. It looks nice but fit left a bit to be desired. Not bad for the price.Click to view attachment Click to view attachment

Hi deemsriddle,
I like what you are doing with the carpet. Got a couple of questions about the perlon carpet on the fire wall; did you glue it or are you using some other way to secure it like velcro? I ask Because I would like to install a perlon carpet also but my car has an engine access hatch. Also, is the perlon carpet on the firewall finished along the edges?
Thanks,
Bill.

Looking at this kit myself.

Any reason you didn't remove the 4 tabs up by the window that the stock backpad hooks to?

Would you recommend the kit or just put something together yourself if doing it again?

I went to the upholstery store and bought carpet off the roll. Originally did it in one piece like a modern car but ended up cutting it down the center to access wires. Looks way cleaner than the hodgepodge of loose pieces. I think the carpet was 54" wide making it 2" wider then needed.

I haven't hung the carpet on the firewall yet, still thinking of a good method to secure it, plus I'd like to remove the hump when I go after the rust.

Perlon stretches and I think it looks better glued on the firewall than that 'fitted' kit does.

true, one can do it and probably get a great result


I like the idea of under dash lighting ....

Nice - That's what I may do to mine if/when it is returned to a more streetable config. I covered the minimal dash in perlon felt and it's a cool vintage look plus saves weight and doesn't reflect back into my eyes.

I am still working on the dash pad ... mine is in bad shape and will be quite a bit of work to bring back to life.
Do you have any pics of the perlon you did ?

I was going to try a perlon cover on one of my cracked pads. Nothing to loose at this point.

a matte finish on a dash would be awesome

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Used Dynamat as the base, got the material from the upholstery shop, put a welding around the top, and glued it onto the dynamat. Not a great photo, but it looks great.

It does look great!

Ok, there is dynamat on the firewall, would I be better off putting the OEM pad over the dynamat and then applying the perlon to the pad? Or is that overkill? My thinking is that more is better and it might be a cleaner install? what do you think?

I think it is overkill. The other challenge I have is I am not using stock seats, I am 6’2’ so this created a lot more room.

The factory pad (or at least mine) has some odd protrusions that would need to be cut or smoothed out to look decent I think.

To clarify, my car no longer has a stock dash pad but it still has the metal dash frame. #becauseracecar The gauge 'binnacle' is cut out of one of those ABS dash pad covers. To give credit where due, Marco @ TLG (mr9146) helped significantly with execution/installation.

Old shot from 2014 - now data acq box gone (died) and using different shift knob and door panels -

The oem pad is very heavy. I would do the dynomat and then some foam if you want to smooth things out.

That looks awesome. Really like the way the way the covering follows the contours without any ripples ... top notch!

Does that firewall covering have any 'stretch' to it?

it looks very 'racey' ..... I am in the midst of finding a matte fabric or material that can widthstand UV for the area in front of the dash pad.

Thanks for posting pics of your dash!!

I like this idea. Would give me another inch of seat travel without the seat squeeking on the back pad.

I don't even use my interior light, so no loss there.

My car has an led strip under the dash which is adequate for lighting. The perlon is pretty easy to fit and imho looks great.

I covered mine with Dynamat then perlon. I love the look...much more clean, imho.

Of course, I have taken my whole interior down to a much more simple level.

Bought the kit you referenced and installed this weekend.

I laid 1/8” foam underneath and was able to lay it down nicely. Trimmed off about 2” excess from the top

Looks great. Is it grey or black?

! !
Very tidy. Nice job.

thanks! I got charcoal grey

I love the perlon, but was wondering if anyone's done similar with a square weave carpet, to match the flooring?

Doug C

I haven’t seen a square weave. Square weave is pretty stout and not easy to work around bends. I think of square weave as the carpet found in the 356. German weave was in our cars. Not as stout but looked similar. Could or should be able to be worked easier. 914Rubber sells it for the floor so I’m sure you could get it in bulk.

Update- completed changing the backpad to perlon.

pics here too.Click to view attachment Click to view attachment