Mat & Carpet Removal
 

Hi Ecomodders!

Please, tell me that I should not do this and should not even think about this anymore! :D

I want to remove floor mat like they do in race/drift cars.
Something like like this:
https://svgmotorsport.com/wp-content...r-Interior.jpg
(Photo from https://svgmotorsport.com/about-the-...-car-interior/)

But it has several drawbacks:
1. Much more noise (will I need earplugs like on a helicopter?).
2. Hotter in summer (A/C may consume much more which will have negative impact on FE).
3. Colder in winter. :(
4. Vibration. (Thanks to freebeard!)

Please, post photos of your interior if you did the same.
And tell your opinion on the real noise feeling, temperature, etc.

Or even may be there other issues that I'm not aware? :eek:

Not so extreme, plus much of the noise would come from a lower spot. Did you notice ambulances and police cars now feature the sirens behind the front grille instead of above the roof? That was done in order to decrease the likelihood of long-term hearing impairments for operators.


You could eventually resort to some thermal insulators which are lighter than the original trim. Those aluminium-sided insulator blankets, often used for roofing insulation, are quite common to see on JDM cars converted from RHD to LHD in countries such as Paraguay, sealing some gaps on the right-hand side of the firewall.


Either those aluminium-sided blankets or some rubberized paint could do the trick to not make the interior so colder in winter.

Both of these had bare floorboards but I don\'t have a picture of the interiors.

https://ecomodder.com/forum/member-f...-outa-town.jpg

These work because of the rear engine. No fumes in the cabin or exhaust heat.

The thing you didn't list is vibration. You sit with your feet on a drumhead.

I have a bare metal floor in my Insight. No carpet, no under-carpet sound deadening. I took the carpet out to wash it. I haven't put it back in because I have a few water leaks to fix first. Yes, it's loud and I wear earplugs.

The carpet in this small car was under 6 pounds. The tar sheets under it were at least that much.

I'm not sure how much it affects temperatures in the car. A floor mat in winter might help.

I afraid, this is not the good idea, as I also want to keep nice look of the interior.
Those insulators should be covered with something, but it means literally yo return carpet back.

I think, I will definitely keep mats. First of all we have dirty winters... Second is that I want bare metal to be protected from scratches and quick rust.

Do you wear earplugs BECAUSE OF that noise? Is it really so loud?

I'm expecting much noise comes from the road and wheels, not the engine.
Does engine really produce more noise?

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/644729.jpg
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/644729.jpg

I should make up a set of these for my Baja Bug.

It's mostly road/tire noise. I also have no rear interior, so I get a lot of noise from the rear tires. If you take out only the carpet, but leave the floor mats, it might not be that bad.

No picture, but successive Beetles have had an L-shaped deck to replace the shotgun and rear seats. Six feet long by 4 feet wide. It's about six inches off the floor. Probably quieter than having the seats.

Carpeted now but it was raw plywood for a long time because I would move air compressors and stuff in it.

Those insulators are usually placed either at the engine bay in those JDM cars, or at the underbody, and always facing the outside. You won't even see it inside.

Good to know, I was not aware about the methodology. I will read more about it.

There are other materials which could eventually match your weight-saving intents better, such as a ceramic coating named Lizard Skin. But I'm not sure how hard it might be for you to source it there in Ukraine.

Why don't you test it out for yourself? Carpet removal is not that difficult for many of the pieces. Just pull some of the ones that are easier to replace and see how it affects the cabin noise and such. Keep going until either the noise is too much, or until you like the look.

Actually I need to remove and put back the whole interior... My carpet is a single piece.
https://www.breakeryard.com/sites/de...cf13_c7b2.jpeg

Also, if I remove it, I will need to put mats back to avoid scratching paint and I need to create some locks for driver mats, so that they remain secure... Much to do, so I prefer to ask first :D

Would it be out of question to put vynil contact paper over the floor?

Could be, I was not thinking about it before.

It's relatively inexpensive, not heavier than the stock carpet, and much easier to clean.

I still like the idea of duckboards.

I hate carpet in cars - makes absolutely no sense to me to put something that gets dirty at holds moisture on the floor of a car

I've removed the carpet from 2 vehicles.

The first was a 1972 Porsche 914. That car had a carpet with no sound deadening under it - just painted metal. It was much louder without the carpet

The 2nd was a 1991 Ford Ranger truck. The truck had a layer of rubber or tar like sound deadening. Removing the carpet didn't change the sound level much at all and I drove it for years without a carpet. I just sprayed the floor with some spray on bed liner to prevent scratches and rust.

Similar to this from the Ranger Forums

https://www.ranger-forums.com/attach...p1310001-1.jpg

This is the most recent relevant thread for this:

https://blogger.googleusercontent.co...Z5Kg=w640-h358
http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2022...ghtweight.html
I dig the GT-40 headlights on a Corvette.

Makes much more sense to use vinyl instead of carpet, as it's much easier to keep clean.