The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Panels 'N Burbs Suburban matting

I have located a guy who wants to make the rear matting for the Suburban. He has made matting for the station wagons and the Nomad. Does anyone know how I can remove the original mat from my parts Burb without damaging it for a pattern? Will I have to remove the metal strips around the wheel wells and front/rear? Is there still interest in pursuing this? I remember from past posts MT said he had a source but I haven't heard anything more. This guy will custom make it so he can do it in brown (47/53) and black (54/55) Let me know if there is still interest.........george

George,

Does this person make the floor cover out of rubber or linoleum? What thichness is the material. Will the fellow cut grooves in the mat (3/4" apart, as I recall).

I have removed my old mat and it was a pain. I used a heat gun and heavy duty putty knife (scraper) to remove the old linoleum floor covering. I did not remove the old linoleum from underneath the side "ledge/lip" - unless you cut the plywood in half lengthwise, you have to remove the "lip" on one side in order to remove the plywood (about 30 spot weld have to be cut out).

Battleship Linoleum can provide the material in the correct thichness but you have to groove it yourself. A few years ago (when I was looking for it), he did not have black but he had a shade of brown that looke good for pre-1954.

Tim

I've considered the "battleship linoleum" for my two burbs(and decided against it).It is expensive and when you "groove" the linoleum you lose the authentic look of the orignal linoleum. The original grooves were pressed in (without scoring the surface)the material during manufacture...this aftermarket replacement requires actually cutting/scoring the grooves.

I will find out the thickness of the material. Yes he is routing it so I am sure it will look a little different but it should have the same "feel" as the original. He says he has a source of several colors. I am going to send him a pattern, but if it takes a lot of work to get it up from the plywood it may take awhile for me ot get to it.

If I give him a pattern that is cut around the wheel well instead of lifting the metal trim, would that be a problem for most restorers? Would it be best to make it full size and let the buyer cut it around his trim if he doesn't want to remove the trim? If the price was under $600.00 would it be worth effort to make it? Or should this be just a custom job? Thanks

I don't know if I can be of help but my '53 still has its near perfect brown mat in place. (front and rear) Truck just passed 29,000 original miles so the mat's really nice. (but brittle from age) I was going to measure it in place and do a CAD drawing for the replicator to use.
-John

I am back to square one. The matting was completely missing in my parts truck and my Suburban I am wokring on it was too brittle to remove in one piece. I will now try and make a pattern by tracing the trim. So far there doesn't seem to be much interest in this so I may have him make me a custom one off.

It should be easy to make a pattern out of paper. Just tape pieces together and send that?

GMONIZ,

I cut the linoleum that I now have (too thin; no grooves; but, it looks OK but not like the original) by making a pattern out of heavy roofing felt. We cut the linoleum with a Dremel tool and a sheet rock cutting adapter (a rotozip would do a nice job). The fit of the final floor mat was excellent.

Tim

Tim, does it matter that the matting does not go under the metal trim as original? How close to the trim did you cut? Is there any gap? What did you glue it down with? Thanks

I've been thinking about a couple of non-stock options. I have the front and middle seat and plan to leave the back for storage while traveling.
1) Get one of the heavy rubber mats that are sold to go on the garage floor under a vehicle and cut it to fit from the back of the front seat to the rear doors.
2)Same as above but stop it at the back of the middle seat then put in wood and metal like a pickup bed.
3) Do the whole backend in wood and metal like a pickup bed.

Buddy