The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Interiors Floor mat/pad

Ok, I am trying to nail this down. I have surfed all my favorite vendors, and done a search here. All I get is different ways the floor boards were covered. So here is the 64 thousand dollar question is, was there a pad under the rubber floor mat? I know the fire wall had coir then a pressed paper covering. That is not being reproduced in the original materials. So whhitch is it, just a rubber mat over the floorboards, or is there a felt/ other material under the rubber mat? OH the reason I ask is the comptroler of funds has kicked loose $550 to fund truck purchases!!

what year? I believe some years had a felt sort of backing attached to the mat, don't believe any had a separate 'pad' ..... that felt backing is the primary reason the floors rot, when it gets wet it never dries out

Bill

Hey Bill, Sorry I have been around this place so long I forget that I need to put what year ect, ect I have. Shasta (my truck) is a 1952 3100 with a 56 335 motor in it, with a three speed transmission. I am aware of the rusting problems with the felt pad, and have wondered why the fire wall had coir (rubberized coconut fiber padding) there and just pressed felt where the water would gather. But any help here would be appreciated.

I think some, maybe a lot of them, came with the underlayment which help cut down on sound. I used it in my 37 but it never sees farm duty so there is no problem. I'm think of even using the felt, and rubber mat, in my panel..... I suspect Tim would suggest we look up the online master parts catalog to see if the felt was available!!! Right Tim. lol

Now that I think about it I believe some of the trucks had that felt under the mat when I worked at the dealership in 65/66.... along time ago!

...susposedly the "indentions" in the metal floorboards gave the floor strength but the vendors say it is also to allow water to drain out and not stay wet under the mat. Well...

BTT ok any one have some info? Tim, Alvin, Denney? Some body has to have an some insight as to the original floor covering.

The Master Parts Catalog does not mention a felt base, but it mentions an earlier years' universal floor mat that had a felt base.

My guess is that there was originally no felt base and I think that Bill has hit the reason on the head - when it gets wet, it might promote rust.

I use a felt underpayment with the rubber floor mats on my trucks (for sound deadening and for heat insulation).

I've had many 64-66's, they came with a tar-like pad on the floor, then a thin sheet of foam, then the mat on top.

Early floor mats had a jute backing. It looked and felt a lot like woven horse hair. I don't know when/if that practice stopped.

I appreciate everyones answers, but I still don't have a solid answer. I think I will do as Tim suggests and go with a pad under the rubber floor mat. I am going to look around for a product called rubberized jute. I would use coir, but it is almost impossible to get here in the states. If I find some I will look at it, and if I don't like it I will just use a felt pad.

My 52 is all orginal down to the floor mat. It has the jute backing and is still in remarkable shape. Truck is in gallery.