Re: [AMC-list] Carpet

[Frank Swygert <farna@xxxxxxx>]

We often forget that cars of the 70s and earlier just weren't made with as good a fit and finish as cars of today. It's not just an AMC thing, it's ALL makes! Robots can do a better job at aligning doors and body panels than people with jigs. Things have improved, but there are still people who insist on making those old cars every bit as well fitted as new ones. Not smacking you down Don, I know EXACTLY what you mean! Just don't go to too much trouble worrying over something like the fit of the carpet. On an old car I find that forgivable, but if it bothers you by all means make it better! There are people who spend thousands on 50s cars making sure the space in the door seams are perfect all the way around, though it was impossible for the factory to do that in mass production at the time. You'd think they could get carpet right though! 

What I find forgivable in an old car, I sometimes find offensive in a new one. When the little 200x Thunderbirds came out I sat in one (while looking at a Focus, or whatever small Ford). The salesman knew I wasn't interested in buying one, not looking at small sedans, but asked me what I thought. I quickly told him it wasn't a $40K car (price was $37-38K). He was surprised, and asked why. I told him if I sat in a BMW of that price range everything would match up. It was obvious that the door panel was supposed to align with the contours of the dash, but they were 1/4" off. I told him it as priced like a BMW, but the fit was no better than my Taurus... which might have been better.High 20s, maybe, but just because it was a T-bird. He didn't have much to say...

--------
Date: Thu, 24 Sep 2009 12:39:01 -0400
From: Don <don_nsx@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Nick,
I hate to say this, but maybe these companies are making these carpets TOO authentic.
When I bought my 70 AMX new in the fall of 69, the carpet looked like it was thrown into the car from about 25 feet away. Needless to say the "fit and finish" part of AMC was always suspect.
The new one I put in during the restoration had all the same problems.


--
Frank Swygert
Publisher, "American Motors Cars" 
Magazine (AMC)
For all AMC enthusiasts
http://farna.home.att.net/AMC.html
(free download available!)

_______________________________________________
AMC-list mailing list
AMC-list@xxxxxxxxxxxx
http://list.amc-list.com/listinfo.cgi/amc-list-amc-list.com