Topic: 68 Trunk mats

[ruppstang]

I am wondering what was the most predominant type of trunk mat used in the 68 Shelby's. Our 12-02-67 fastback had no mat when we purchased it so I have nothing to go from. I have seen the grey felt mats in some original Metuchen Mustangs and Shelbys  and trying to understand if the grey mat was used in a certain time frame or mixed through the 68 production with the splatter Burtex mats. I have found a grey felt NOS mat and am deciding if I should use it.

Here is a picture of a unrestored Metuchen 68 Mustang with the grey mat.

[Bob Gaines]

I am wondering what was the most predominant type of trunk mat used in the 68 Shelby's. Our 12-02-67 fastback had no mat when we purchased it so I have nothing to go from. I have seen the grey felt mats in some original Metuchen Mustangs and Shelbys  and trying to understand if the grey mat was used in a certain time frame or mixed through the 68 production with the splatter Burtex mats. I have found a grey felt NOS mat and am deciding if I should use it.

Here is a picture of a unrestored Metuchen 68 Mustang with the grey mat.

The spatter pattern mat is the most common by far. I felt that the gray mat was some kind of fill in mat when supplies of the other were scarce. It was the luck of the draw if you got one in the service mix when ordering a replacement IMO. I have seen both a service replacements. I haven't seen enough of of a sampling to determine a pattern of assemblyline usage unfortunately . I have mainly seen them on later cars after April build. With that said have seen a few on earlier dated cars in situations where I felt that they were  original to the car . Because of those observations I have never deducted regardless unless on a extremely early car where a plaid mat would be most appropriate on Metuchen cars . I don't typically see a wide variety of Dearborn or SJ 68's.

[Bob Gaines]

If I had a choice i would use the spatter style all things being equal . There will be the assumed observations that a gray felt type is not correct by the uninformed. With only the choice of the original in excellent shape vs. the repro type spatter mat I would reluctantly (because of the controversy) have to choose the gray but that is just me. Others my have different opinions.

[J_Speegle]

Sure Tim and Pete will be along to add in their experiences. I for one would report I've not seen or identified a pattern and not sure if the supply at NJ was tied to body style but it likely reflected some differences in availability


Without any defining patterns I would lean towards using the felt if it was available for the car of course using the introduction of the judging team to explain its usage and why you choose it. Did the same with that owner of the 68 at the MCA Reno show last year where the owner had hide the original felt mat under a repo non felt mat because they felt the judges might not be experienced enough to recognize the mat. 

[TLea]

No question spatter may was most prevelant and used throughout production. I don't have a definitive timeline on felt but I would lean towards early (12:67) and late spring (3/68-4/68). Having said that I wouldn't deduct for any part of the year. I know it's not applicable to your car but for others reading there appears in convertibles plaid mats with stitched corners ave appeared in a fair number of late May cars

[ruppstang]

Thanks for the replies, kind of what I expected. I'll hang on to the NOS felt mat and keep looking for a splatter one.

Tim thanks for the tip on the plaid mat in the convertibles, that will help me out if I run across one that I am judging.
BTW I see some plaid mats in some of the SJ GTCS's and HCS's

Has any one ever seen sewn corners on a Burtex splatter mat?

[Bob Gaines]

Thanks for the replies, kind of what I expected. I'll hang on to the NOS felt mat and keep looking for a splatter one.

Tim thanks for the tip on the plaid mat in the convertibles, that will help me out if I run across one that I am judging.
BTW I see some plaid mats in some of the SJ GTCS's and HCS's

Has any one ever seen sewn corners on a Burtex splatter mat?

That would be a new one on me. Waiting to hear from others.

[J_Speegle]

Has any one ever seen sewn corners on a Burtex splatter mat?

No - have not pictures of sewn corners on the burtex. Looked through my trunk mat picture collection/subfile and  only have pictures of the Burtex in non fastback models so far.  Guess I need to check each of the individual (by VIN) files to see if I missed one

[TLea]

Never seen sewn burtex. We should note that although this is Shelby thread it really is more of a Mustang question. Because of what I'm see I don't have a lot of coupes to compare
Interesting story is Vinnie Liska used to work in plant that made trunk mats for Ford. He told me they used to bring them home to put under cars when they did oil changes to keep driveway clean. Yikes!!!!

[Bob Gaines]

I had come across a material that looked like the 68 mat material . It was in a swap meet space at Indy and the guy had gotten this material to cover his parts in his space at night. He got them from the red cross. They were what he called hurricane blankets. They were what the red cross gave away after the Katrina Hurricane. I tried to follow up with my local red cross to determine the source as it would have added to the authenticity of the current repro but no luck.

[ruppstang]

I got some pictures of the NOS mat today. I thought it was interesting that there seems to be a dashed line so it could be trimmed and used on different models.
Marty

[Scott302]

No - have not pictures of sewn corners on the burtex. Looked through my trunk mat picture collection/subfile and  only have pictures of the Burtex in non fastback models so far.  Guess I need to check each of the individual (by VIN) files to see if I missed one

Jeff & Tim,
Are you saying no sewn corners on any Burtex or just spatter Burtex?

[J_Speegle]

Jeff & Tim,
Are you saying no sewn corners on any Burtex or just spatter Burtex?

For my part - I have no photo or written documentation that found any splatter style Burtex in 68 with sewn corners .

[ruppstang]

For my part - I have no photo or written documentation that found any splatter style Burtex in 68 with sewn corners .

I agree, I have only seen it on the plaid mats.

[Scott302]

Just wanted to be clear. 
Regards,
Scott