Mach 1 Carpet

[Dave R. 85]

barnett468, congratulations on your business success. If their carpet was such high quality why did Distinctive get out of the carpet business? I've had the opportunity to watch carpet being woven, in person, and that is a fascinating process. Or I thought so at least. I've also had the opportunity to see carpet sets being molded mostly at an operation that was much smaller than ACC is. The ovens that heat the carpet and the presses that smash the heated carpet between the mold halves are nothing elaborate. I think that the equipment could be made in-house if a competent welder was available. The making of the molds would require some experience with laying up of fiberglass. Maybe someone should fill a void in the restoration business by molding high quality carpet sets.    Dave R.

[mustangstofear 608]

We were buying carpet from Trim Parts in Ohio, until they sold out.  They actually offered a one piece that fit good.  

[barnett468 418]

57 minutes ago, Dave R. said:

 If their carpet was such high quality why did Distinctive get out of the carpet business?

I've had the opportunity to watch carpet being woven, in person, and that is a fascinating process. Or I thought so at least. I've also had the opportunity to see carpet sets being molded mostly at an operation that was much smaller than ACC is. The ovens that heat the carpet and the presses that smash the heated carpet between the mold halves are nothing elaborate. I think that the equipment could be made in-house if a competent welder was available. The making of the molds would require some experience with laying up of fiberglass. Maybe someone should fill a void in the restoration business by molding high quality carpet sets.    Dave R.

They didn't say, but one possibility is that ACC cost less, so possibly that started to take away enough business from Distinctive that it was no longer profitable enough to make carpet.

I asked either ACC or Distinctive (can't remember which one now) what they used for a mold on the Mustangs, and they said they used Mustang floor pans, but of course they had them reinforced somehow. 

 

[Dave R. 85]

8 minutes ago, barnett468 said:

They didn't say, but one possibility is that ACC cost less, so possibly that started to take away enough business from Distinctive that it was no longer profitable enough to make carpet.

I asked either ACC or Distinctive (can't remember which one now) what they used for a mold on the Mustangs, and they said they used Mustang floor pans, but of course they had them reinforced somehow. 

 

I saw a mold being made by the small molder I referenced above. They stripped the seats and carpet from a car that they had rented from a rental agency but they usually went to a wrecking yard and used a junker for this purpose. They then laid up fiberglass mat and resin in the floor pan. When the mold was set they removed it from the car and used a matrix of various sizes of lumber to form a framework. A second mold is made from the bottom of the first mold as I recall. The heated carpet is mashed between the two molds hydraulically. This molder didn't use actual floor pans but that is not to say others don't.    Dave R.

[barnett468 418]

12 minutes ago, Dave R. said:

I saw a mold being made by the small molder I referenced above. They stripped the seats and carpet from a car that they had rented from a rental agency

That's funny, and it reminds me of guys renting Shelby's, then taking the engine out and replacing it with another stock one, lol.

[Dave R. 85]

I'm with you there barnett468. As I drove towards their building I could not imagine what was going on with this car parked in the front lot with the doors open and the seats and carpet sitting on the car roof. Very odd looking but as I walked towards the building I figured it out. I wonder how long that car smelled like resin?    Dave R.

[barnett468 418]

23 hours ago, Dave R. said:

 I wonder how long that car smelled like resin?    Dave R.

LMAO!

[skidmarky 50]

I agree with Barnett on the ACC carpet. I replaced my factory carpet with ACC and was not happy. Just like he said, you could see the backing of the carpet on the trans tunnel and in any area where it had a bend. I sent it back and spent a few hours on cleaning up my original carpet and reinstalled, its old but still looked better than the ACC crap.