Who Makes the Best Carpet?

[Joe C.]

Re: Who Makes the Best Carpet?

Romeo carpet does not judge well. His logo is way larger and more prominent than original. Plus if you are lucky you will get it within a decade of ordering.

Be prepared to wait a looooong time to get your carpet.
I think that their waiting list is 2 years long.

ah-HAH!
Never bought from them and was just wondering.
Thanks.

[Bob S.]

Re: Who Makes the Best Carpet?

When we were in the Corvette parts business, we sold ACC and thought it was the best at the time. Seems that over time Knoch has improved his carpet and is probably the best out there. We learned early on that color match is a problem with all suppliers. Dye lots, both with original and repro, varies somewhat. Best to get a color sample before you order.

Dick,

Come to think of it, years back with my '63, I think I went with them.....

Thanks,

Bob

[Bob S.]

Re: Who Makes the Best Carpet?

For my '60 I used Auto Custom Carpets because I always heard good things about them. The carpet fit perfectly, looks good and (the one time I had the car judged) judged well.

If I ever re-carpet another car, ACC will be my first phone call.

Jim

ACC seems to bee the choice....thanks!!!

Bob

[Jim L.]

Re: Who Makes the Best Carpet?

. We learned early on that color match is a problem with all suppliers. Dye lots, both with original and repro, varies somewhat. Best to get a color sample before you order.

Decades ago I worked for a division of DuPont that made carpet fiber. An on-going part of the process was testing the carpet for its ability to consistently absorb dye and to do so with a resulting consistent color. (My involvement was in writing the code for the computers that measured the fibers' dye absorption properties.) I remember seeing variances so great they could be detected with the naked eye. As much as DuPont cared about "getting it right", I concluded that manufacturing carpet fiber which would accept dye in a consistent manner was a very challenging problem.

Jim

[Reba W.]

Re: Who Makes the Best Carpet?

Decades ago I worked for a division of DuPont that made carpet fiber. An on-going part of the process was testing the carpet for its ability to consistently absorb dye and to do so with a resulting consistent color. (My involvement was in writing the code for the computers that measured the fibers' dye absorption properties.) I remember seeing variances so great they could be detected with the naked eye. As much as DuPont cared about "getting it right", I concluded that manufacturing carpet fiber which would accept dye in a consistent manner was a very challenging problem.

Jim

I have observed in judging and when we operated the parts business that blues were particularly difficult to get a match.

[Russ S.]

Re: Who Makes the Best Carpet?

[QUOTE=Edward Johnson (49497);614841]

Thinking of replacing the carpet in my 1968.

I've heard a lot about Al Knoch...both good and bad.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.



Bob, I installed a set of Al Knoch carpets in friends 68 conv., for judging reasons the differences I saw was the heel and dimmer pads were not close, the cuts on some of the carpets pieces were not correct, and there is no logos on pads, and color was not even close. He is a ncrs guy but does not care about having his car judged. By the way his car had the original carpets installed and was a 36k car.

I am with Jim- ACC carrpets are as close as you'll get for fit and finish, I have ACC in my 72and 63.

Do ACC carpets have the logos? ACC doesn't do carpet for 66-67 (or is it 65)? and as far as I know mid years don't have logos.Correct me if I am wrong. I know C3s do have logos. I was told years back that Romeo (at that time were the only ones with correct logos).


PS. See DW's post below. He has had a different experience/view with Romeo.

[Russ S.]

Re: Who Makes the Best Carpet?

ACC for carpet and Corvette America for seats and door panels.

BEWARE Corvette America on mid year door panels. I bought a set from them and the problem is that they don't pack them to avoid damage and then won't reimburse for the freight to ship them back. They claim that they are packed to UPS specs but UPS says other wise and refuses the damage claim. Corvette America packs them with foam at each end (that is good) and nothing on the sides so the arm rest gets damaged very easy.

[Russ S.]

Re: Who Makes the Best Carpet?

I have observed in judging and when we operated the parts business that blues were particularly difficult to get a match.

Saddles are also way off in color at least for 65-67.

[Jim L.]

Re: Who Makes the Best Carpet?

I have observed in judging and when we operated the parts business that blues were particularly difficult to get a match.

Odd you should mention blue. The standard test color used at the carpet fiber plant where I worked was... {wait for it}.... blue.

Jim

[Les G.]

Re: Who Makes the Best Carpet?

I just purchased carpet from Romeo Engineering he told me that he uses the original molds with the IMPCO imprint and thats the way i received them. I have not installed them in my 71 yet. The ones I purchased from Al Knoch for my 70 did not have the IMPCO imprint.

[Jim D.]

Re: Who Makes the Best Carpet?

BEWARE Corvette America on mid year door panels. I bought a set from them and the problem is that they don't pack them to avoid damage and then won't reimburse for the freight to ship them back. They claim that they are packed to UPS specs but UPS says other wise and refuses the damage claim. Corvette America packs them with foam at each end (that is good) and nothing on the sides so the arm rest gets damaged very easy.

Sorry to hear that Russ. I bought a pair a couple of months ago and they arrived just fine. You're correct that the middle of the box has no packing but I haven't seen where that's a problem however, they didn't get the name United Parcel Smashers for nothing.
As far as the door panels go, they fit perfectly, unlike the AK panels.

[Dick W.]

Re: Who Makes the Best Carpet?

I just purchased carpet from Romeo Engineering he told me that he uses the original molds with the IMPCO imprint and thats the way i received them. I have not installed them in my 71 yet. The ones I purchased from Al Knoch for my 70 did not have the IMPCO imprint.

The Romeo logo is not TFP and you will take the same deduction as not having one.

[Alan S.]

Re: Who Makes the Best Carpet?

Hi Joe,
I have a set of Romeo carpet in my basement that I put in my 71...and then took out.
Besides the differences in the heel and dimmer pads, I was very disappointed with the carpet itself.
I feel that it's appearance is quite different than the original. The loops on the Romeo carpet are 'loose' and irregular in height compared to my original.
I ended up sewing the original heel and dimmer pad to Knock carpet, ( Knock pads are are pretty weak reproduction to my eye), and reused the original carpet from the seat bulkhead back.
Difficult choices at best.
Regards,
Alan

[James G.]

Re: Who Makes the Best Carpet?

When we were in the Corvette parts business, we sold ACC and thought it was the best at the time. Seems that over time Knoch has improved his carpet and is probably the best out there. We learned early on that color match is a problem with all suppliers. Dye lots, both with original and repro, varies somewhat. Best to get a color sample before you order.

Also, as I remember Dick there was a plane crash in the mid 80's that took the entire ACC head office people. The company did a remarkable job coming back, and to this day sell a quality product.

Al has sold a good product over the years as well, but I agree that color match on the ''bright blue'' 65-66 and 64-66 ''silver'' have been wrong for many years. Today's judges however don't know any better, so everything gets 100%.....and thats how history is. Tell em the same story long enough, and everyone believes it.

[Alan S.]

Re: Who Makes the Best Carpet?

Hi,
Here is a picture of an original IMCO logo on a dimmer pad. It's very small, as is the one on the heel pad.
Also, 2 pictures to compare the mould detail in the original dimmer pad compared to the Knock dimmer pad.
Regards,
Alan



Original


Knock