Original carpet for the elan

[philbirch]

I’ve searched the forum and I couldn’t find a definitive answer of anybody findings a supplier of the original black loop pile carpet, it’s not feasible to import from the states due to the extortion costs, my car is quite original so I would prefer to keep it that way. If not original what’s closed match and from whom.

Phil

[alanr]

I have been looking for the correct black loop pile for my +2S130 in the UK for a couple of years now without any success.
If you find any anywhere in the UK I would be pleased to hear!
The USA or Oz is the only place it is available to my knowledge and as you say the cost of carriage to the UK is just silly!

Alan

[stugilmour]

I have also been following the recent discussions closely. I see Alan, who has been really helpful on this item, has posted while I am typing. Could you please add either a few links to your pictures of the various materials you have investigated, or even better add the pics here in as high a resolution as the forum allows? Thanks in advance for your efforts on this topic as it has been very helpful.

Although not a perfect match, I am probably going to use Black Loop Pile Carpet on new Plus 2 door panels from Aldridge Trimming. Interesting they have a minor upcharge on my quote for using this material; not sure but I think they normally use their Black Tufted Carpet if one just orders the new panels without specifying the materials.

I have kinda lost track of the US available carpet folks were recommending. Much appreciated if someone can repost a picture and link here, as I need to decide pretty quickly on whether to pull the trigger with Aldridge or perhaps source the (better?) loop carpet from the US and get the door panels done locally.

Totally get folks that want to keep their cars original. My car has been modified enough now that it is less important to me. Perhaps this is an area where one doesn’t want to make the perfect the enemy of the good. Anyway, good luck in the quest, and hopefully we can draw together a few pictures and links here in one thread to help folks decide on their best way forward.

Here is a picture of the material samples I got from Aldridge for reference and to hopefully kick off a bit of a sample library. If nothing else a picture is worth a thousand words, but only if you can find it! Most of the suppliers are probably willing to send samples.

Aldridge Trimming Plus 2 door panel samples October 2022

HTH

[stugilmour]

Here is a link to a few of the threads with photos.

viewtopic.php?f=36&t=48153

https://www.martrim.co.uk/car-trimming- ... carpet.php

And at risk of answering my own question, I think this is the suggested US supplier

https://www.yourautotrim.com/40wibllostca.html

[TonyA]

I recently the boot floor and drivers side transmission tunnel carpets in black on my plus2 S130 made up by Sue Miller.

[alanr]

I have tried everywhere and have loads of carpet samples, none of them as per the original black large loop pile carpet as fitted in my +2S130.
The original style was also used in a Mk1 Ford Escort and other Ford cars of that era. At one time Newton Commercial had imported some from the US as they were making a moulded carpet for that car but they wouldn't sell me any off the roll which was very disappointing. Maybe it would be worth someone trying them again but I found them difficult to talk to and frankly not very friendly or helpful at all.
I also have some carpet samples from Martrim,Coverdale, Aldridge, Woollies,Segal, Kingsman, Hamilton and various others none of which I rate as being suitable.
I also have a sample from Sue Miller of the tufted type she uses which I do like, nice and thick, however I am still holding out in a vain hope that I can somehow find the elusive black loop pile in the UK. I have talked to Sue umpteen times about carpet and she also has no answer or where to source the elusive black loop pile carpet.

Someone, I forget who, previously suggested a box weave carpet (BAS International))and I also have samples of that, but it is just too short and very coarse/rough to my way of thinking.

So unfortunately I personally haven't found a solution or source supplier of the correct original black loop pile carpet in the UK!...I have no answer to the problem, sorry!

Alan.

[philbirch]

I can’t see Chapman importing an American or Australian carpet when everything was about keeping costs down, so it was locally sourced but from whom. Was it really a domestic carpet that they used, who would know

Phil

[alanr]

It wasn't imported back in the 60's/70's. It was made in the UK back then!
Unfortunately it no longer is,that is the problem.

Alan.

[TBG]

https://www.carpetright.co.uk/carpets/r ... le-carpet/

Any good? D

[RichardHawkins]

Further to my purchase of classic loop pile from Newton Commercials.

Annabelle at Newton Commercials was very helpful, and apparently got into trouble with her boss for selling carpet to me! I don’t understand this as selling flat unmoulded carpet seems to me like an easy way to make money.

Newton Commercials obviously have a supplier perhaps a group purchase of larger quantity would ease the problem. Alternatively as a supplier of trim, Newtons might be willing to consider selling carpet kits for Lotus Elans

Hope this helps,

Richard Hawkins

[alanr]

Yes Richard, after your success with Newton Commercial I contacted them and got quite literally blasted over the phone for having the nerve to contact them and attempt to buy their carpet!...It was amazing behaviour!
I didn't at the time and still don't understand either!...I won't be contacting them again.
Sue Miller who has had contact with them recently says they don't have any black loop pile carpet anymore anyway!


Alan

[elanfan1]

Years ago I spent a long time looking without success. I suspect the answer is to have some made. Expensive I’m sure but it could be sourced in tge U.K. there would be a lot of demand from the classic market.

Coramar (carpet manufacturers) do a similar loop pile I doubt it would be difficult to tool up to do it in black with a longer pile and in a different fibre mix as pure wool would be ££s I don’t have the enthusiasm to get involved anymore but I’m sure someone on this thread will (can I suggest only one person approaches them so they don’t get multiple approaches for the same thing?).

https://www.cormarcarpets.co.uk/carpet- ... ick-smoke/

CF3F4600-D162-4068-937F-3B940E85504A.jpeg (68.1 KiB) Viewed 1200 times

Maybe that American pile could be used as a sample to reproduce

[alanr]

I think it needs to be a much looser and longer pile. Not wool.
Stugilmour posted this earlier from a US site and I think it possibly closer to what is needed.
https://www.yourautotrim.com/40wibllostca.html

A bulk buy from the US by someone like Aldridge would be the best/cheapest solution I think but getting them interested in doing it in the first place is the issue.

Alan.

[cliveyboy]

I remember a talk in late 1990s by Ken Myers who mentioned that when sourcing carpet for his Elan restorations. It was the same as carpet Aston Martin put in the boot.
Clive

[stugilmour]

This material from a Canadian company looks the correct texture but unfortunately they only list red or tan colours

https://www.nosreproductions.com/produc ... nches-Wide

Stu