Installing a new carpet kit in your Corvette is one of the easiest and most effective ways to refresh the interior and make it feel like new again. Old carpeting gets faded, torn, worn thin and can even start to smell damp. With a weekend or so of work, you can have your interior looking factory-new again. This covers the C3 generation of the Corvette.
Disconnect the battery. Disassemble and remove the sill plates, kick panels and seats. To remove the seats, slide them back to remove the front bolts and then forward to remove the rear bolts. Move the shoulder-belt bracket cover out of the way by sliding it and then remove the bolt that holds the bracket on.
Remove the side trim panel and shoulder-belt cover by unscrewing the retaining screws. Unbolt the seat belt and remove the belt assembly. Remove the console side trim, being careful not to bend or damage it if you are reusing it. Remove the hand-brake cover. Remove the metal footman loops on the carpeting. Polish these for later reinstallation. Remove the storage compartment doors and then the storage compartment surrounds.
Remove the old carpeting. As you remove each piece, use a system to note how it was positioned in the car. You can draw a diagram or take photos or simply lay the pieces on the floor in the same orientation that they were installed. Pay attention to which pieces lay over other pieces. Remove all of the old carpet underlayment and vacuum the entire floor. Check for any holes in the floorboard and repair them.
Install the new underlayment and heat shielding on the floor. Prefit and cut the pieces before gluing them in. Spray carpet adhesive on both the floor and the pieces and wait for five to 10 minutes for the glue to get tacky before laying the pieces down.
Install the new carpet kit, starting with the rear area of the car. Fit the carpeting to the wheel well, fold down the top and spray adhesive on it and then glue it down. At the bottom, push something straight into the holes for the footman's loops to line up where the holes will be made in the carpeting. Glue the rest of the carpet down.
Install the center carpet. At the bulkhead it is not glued but held on with three push pins to allow access under it. Line the push pins up with the holes and make corresponding holes in the carpet. Install the floor carpet. In the front of the interior, install the side carpeting, working on one area at a time.
Use an awl or screwdriver to locate the seatbelt bolt holes and make a 1-inch square hole around the bolt holes. Install the carpet on the bulkhead behind the seats, starting from the center and working your way outward. Cover nearby carpeting with tape to avoid overspray from the glue.
Remove the latches and loops from the storage compartment doors. Use a screwdriver to break off the frame. Remove the old carpeting. Lay the storage compartment doors on the carpet for a template and cut the carpet. Reassemble the door with the new carpeting and new door frames. You will need to order new door frames. Reinstall the rest of the interior in the reverse of removal.
