Topic: Carpet Vinyl Sill Edge - Dearborn Fastback Question

[Flade]

When did Ford switch from the vinyl covered sils to the full width carpet?  This is for a 65 fastback built in Dearborn.  Scheduled build date 25 Feb, 65

[J_Speegle]

Appears that it depended on how long a particular model (body type carpet set) and color lasted in inventory as they used up what was in the system, supplier and plant inventory so difficult to know exactly - plus the fact we don't know when examples were actually built


Allot of carpet was replaced after only a decade or two so chasing down examples is difficult so if you can get access to the car sometime you have to rely on other findings to help determine which style of carpet was originally installed.

Guess the question is - What color was your carpet originally to see what I have in my records?

A picture to illustrate the style carpet and trim we're discussing here

[CharlesTurner]

It was phased out sometime in January/February '65.  I would say a late February car would be out of the range, but with the warranty plate being a projected build date, couldn't rule it out completely.

[Flade]

Thanks guys. 

The car had vinyl on it when I removed the carpet (Black). I was under the understanding that they had been phased out by the 65 calendar year which prompted the Question.  The scheduled Build date is 25B.

It?s very likely the carpet has been replaced previously in the 80s. I would have thought any typical place would have replaced the 65 style with the later full width carpet based on the rest of the work that was done.

Is there any way to tell if the vinyl I removed is original? 

[J_Speegle]

Thanks guys. 

The car had vinyl on it when I removed the carpet (Black). I was under the understanding that they had been phased out by the 65 calendar year which prompted the Question.  The scheduled Build date is 25B.

It?s very likely the carpet has been replaced previously in the 80s. I would have thought any typical place would have replaced the 65 style with the later full width carpet based on the rest of the work that was done.

Is there any way to tell if the vinyl I removed is original?

If you found vinyl on a car that presented itself as an unrestored car then it was very likely original since the vinyl was not reproduced years ago and it was much easier to just replace everything with the reproduction/replacement carpet that has been since the 70's

You can post some pictures of the vinyl and we can compare it to pictures of originals

BTW I have records of other 65 Dearborn built fastbacks with the short side carpet (w/vinyl) with projected/door tag dates from mid Feb

Looks like you have support for your findings and choice to return to the early style though it will be more difficult that using the later

[Flade]

Here are pics of the vinyl I removed.

[J_Speegle]

Looks like original

Some additional examples. Might have a pair of originals in storage for show and tell but doesn't look like I need to dig them out for this