MG-Cars.net

Welcome to our resource for MG Car Information.

Recommendations

Parts

MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG Midget and Sprite Technical - DIY carpets

Has anyone attempted to make carpets? A full set is over £100 and I can't help wondering about them getting wet and being ruined or going mouldy and smelly. Also, if they're glued down, you can't remove them anyway.

The Frogeye has a basic, much more spartan interior compared to later models and I wondered if it's worth getting an offcut of polypropelene carpet for £20 or so and having a go. Time is not pressing so I don't mind wasting a bit if I make a complete mess! Am I crazy to even think of this?
Bill Bretherton

You're not crazy, I recovered my own seats as at the time it was affordable and a learning experience. I used an classic old Singer machine and jeans needles and had to make a piping foot but it did the job. Carpets would be easier I expect if you're going to add edge trim.
David Billington

Bill, next door to where I go for MOT tests is a carpet fitters. They have a skip outside which is daily filled with large offcuts of all sorts of carpets. I have often thought they would be ideal for fitting out a car or campervan. It is so frequent there is even a good range of colours and qualities to choose from! If one didnt want to delve into a skip I am sure that a chat with one of the fitters would be worthwhile.

In practice i think normal household carpet is maybe a bit thick, certainly for the more intricate shaped areas around wheel arches etc. And maybe a rubberised backing rather than a hessian might be better in potentially damp conditions.

but I did buy the carpet set for the Frog. Its not particularly good quality but looks ok. However there were a few places I wasnt happy with the fit so I altered them and re-sewed some edges too. I too have an old (1904) Singer sewing machine that I got off freecycle and being hand operated, not electric, it copes well with thick materials and multiple layers. Plus I dont have to seek permission to use it!
GuyW

Always seems a bit anomalous to me having carpets in an open car, particularly basic old Brit roadsters where the hood is either on or off, and where the tonneau cover is a bit marginal. On my old heap I've just got the painted finish and rubber mats on the floor. When I first got it it still had carpets with all the associated lurking corrosion issues.

However, on my old saloon I've been thinking down the route Guy has suggested with carpet offcuts. I'm thinking the only difficult bit will be the section over the gearbox, which might require a bit of sewing.
Peter Allen

Thanks, quite positive suggestions. Think I'll give it a go...
Bill Bretherton

You've got all winter, Bill!
GuyW

Indeed! Do I need an old Singer? (sewing machine, not car ;-) ).
Bill Bretherton

They're handy if you're inclined to use them. I did a tunnel carpet at one point and it wasn't a bad job IMO both the task and the result. At the time I did the seats I was the best in the family but I told my sister where to go when she asked me to make her a dress. These days she has a modern one and has become quite handy with it. I made the elasticated conical glove holes for my big sandblaster in leather cloth, worked well. I suggested it to a local workshop who were having to replace their Guyson equivalent rubber ones after only 2 years of limited use but they either didn't have a sewing machine or the other didn't have the time.
David Billington

I have seen pictures of people lining the base of their cars with such as dynamat covering the drain holes: are they creating a mobile wet room?
Why cover the whole floor in carpet that will retain water when it rains. Of course if the carpet in the seat area is sodden the seat has to come out to release the carpet to hang it out to dry. Not an easy task if 'on Tour'.
I just have a square of carpet before the seat and a strip between the seat and sill (or is it cill?). Easily removed if wet.
Why carpet in the footwells if covering with a full rubber mat?
For the area behind the seats Ahead-4-Healey do a Hardura mat that extends to the boot: handily wiped with a rag to clean or dry.
Alan Anstead

My 2005 TF had fitted/moulded carpets with thick felt glued to the underside. This provided a quiet, refined ride. However the car leaked and the felt became saturated. After I thought I had cured the leak I removed the carpet/felt to dry the car out. What a job it was! The seats, belts, transmission tunnel and lots of other fiddly bits had to be removed. Literally buckets full of water drained from the felt. After I had reassembled everything I found the leak was still there! Not wanting the same experience with the Sprite I removed all absorbent felt etc. and covered the floor and tunnel with Dynamat which is totally waterproof. My carpets are made from thin material and if necessary can be removed quite quickly. Our wet/dry Vax will suck out any water though. Dynamat is expensive but it does really help with refinement.

Cheers

Jan T
J Targosz

I like the sound proofing afforded by full carpets and underlay. You don't notice it in a soft top as much, but with my hard top on in winter, it really makes a difference to how quiet a Sprite can be. Yep the water can be a problem, but I've craçked that by not getting water inside to soak the carpets. Easy with the hard top, as it really does render my sprite water tight. Even with the soft top up, unless the wind is blowing storm force sideways, I don't get water in either. But just in case, my entire floor is painted in bonda primer, several coats.

We are a bunch, ain't we? 😄. I'm a singer too. I have been since I was 16 or 17, when my gran gave me hers to alter/sew my new Levis. My mum was busy, and I've always been, "I want it now, and I want it like this". My grandmother was the type who didn't like whinging, so she gave me her old singer, suggesting, well get on with it then. 😁. My mum's friend knew how to use one in anger, and she showed me how to.

I've sewed my carpets too. Domestic stuff. Made a new front tunnel section when I put a type 9 box in. I've even sewed things for my mum and sister, and girl friends too. I can't recall sewing dresses, but I might have. Lol. And why not? It's just another technical challenge to me, and I like to think/prove I can turn my brain/hands to anything. I used it just the other day on my ripped overalls.

Not sure of the age of my singer, but the part wearing out that gives me the most trouble, is my eyes, threading the bloody needle. 🤣. I've always wanted a treadmill model, doubt I'll ever get one now though. 🙃






anamnesis

I use the same approach as Alan. Sort of replicating the rubber mats that were fitted originally. I have carpets with a rubber heelpad in the footwells as these can be removed to dry them out. I also retained the original drainnholes in the footwell to let any water out!

On a long tour I also have 3/4 old towels which I stuff in strategic points when its raining hard!!
Bob Beaumont

Almost the same as mine Anam. Bobbin winder is different and lower down on the front on mine. Looking on the internet I found there are groups of owners of classic singers, as with our cars, who swap information and parts. Somehow I found their stories slightly less interesting though!
You can date your machine from the type of design on that brass disk thing on the front, and from the serial number stamped into the casting just beneath it.
Does yours have a shuttle bobbin? 😂
GuyW

Young Sprite, which lives outside, has carpets under the seats that I modified because water gets in when it's parked up with just the tonneau. I cut slots where the seat runners are, continuing through to the rear edge of the carpet so it like a letter E shape. It then just pulls out forwards when it needs to be dried out. It was awkward pushing it back so I tied a length of cord to the rear edge to help pull it through.
GuyW

Now you're getting technical Guy. Lol. I didn't even know what that meant exactly, so I looked it up. I just checked my bobbin movement. It oscillates, which I think means the same as shuttle.

How do I date it from these pictures? Is there a singer register or something?

I found a porn site for vintage hoovers too. I have one, and wanted a wheel. A bloke offered me free wheels, if I sent him pictures of my hoover, esp' underside internal pitures. I duly sent them, and got free wheels in return. 😆. And mustn't leave out washing machines. I sold an old creda to a bloke in Ireland, for as much as my mum paid for it 35 plus years prior. The group that he belongs to has an almost fetish like fascination for anything to do with washing machines. I wonder if we Spridget owners are thought of in the same way. 🤣

You just never know what will be discussed on here next. Ha ha.

Show us yours Guy. 🙂 🤣🤣🤣🤣. I really am. Lol






anamnesis

Well there's enough evidence of wet carpets here to put me off getting expensive ones. I always think that once they're wet, they're never the same again. I like Alan's idea of rubber mats in footwells and strips of carpet where it shows around the seats.
Bill Bretherton

My Singer is stored away in the attic so I cannot be rrrrsd to get a photo. But yes there is a register of dates I found. I might even have it bookmarked on the computer, when I wake that up.
Yes, I think yours is a shuttle rather than a bobbin type. That embossed plate even shows a shuttle, crossed needles and thread!

Sorry Bill!
GuyW

Found a dating site. My singer is 100 years old. Telegraph from the queen age. There can't be many left from 1921. Newer than yours Guy, but still I like the idea that I am using such an old bit of machinery in 2021.

Your indulgence is appreciated Bill. 😊
anamnesis

Of course I'm now trawling ebay for Singer sewing machines ;-)
Bill Bretherton

😂😂
anamnesis

Just looked up the date of mine EB991592 shows January 31 1939. My mother also had a table model she got from another relative and the sewing machine could be turned up out of the table for use or tucked away for table mode, originally a treadle machine but later converted to electric drive and a foot pedal speed control.
David Billington

Bill,

Shouldn't be difficult judging from the number of Singer machines near me on ebay. Check the reliability of the model though as the old ones were very good but apparently the newer ones could be troublesome.

If you run across a cheap Kimball & Morton Lion grab it. https://ismacs.net/kimball_and_morton/kimball_and_morton_history.html . There was one on Antiques Roadshow a couple of year ago estimated at £10k - £15k.
David Billington

I've always made carpets. Patterns made from wallpaper lining paper, and the shapes transferred to automotive carpet sourced usually from A H Spares. Cut with scissors they don't fray so edge finishing unnecessary other than for the sake of originality. A domestic sewing machine fitted with a leather needle and strong thread will cope fine, and should even sew in the footwell heel mats if you desire. Then secure with pop studs, or cups and screws whichever you prefer.
f pollock

David, my wife had one exactly like that cabinet version. Converted to electric buy we still have the treadle mechanism. It belonged to her mum. Bought just before the war AFAIR, we have the original invoice. Bought when she got married and had to give up work - many jobs in those days required resignation for women when they wed. Archaic! She got it so she could take in piece work at home.
GuyW

Bygone days, both good and bad in some ways.
anamnesis

David, yes, quite a lot of Singers for sale. It is another item to find a place for though....

Fergus, sounds good!
Bill Bretherton

Anam, that same site that David linked to is I think where I got the info to date mine.

The table on this page puts the Y series Singer machines like yours as 1925

https://ismacs.net/singer_sewing_machine_company/singer_dating_by_serial_number.html

Elsewhere on that site it explains how Singer sales exploded and they became the market leaders despite their machines being no better than their competitors, when they began employing women as salesmen to demonstrate the machines. Husbands were paying for them but it was the wives who decided which machine they wanted!
GuyW

I found the same site earlier Guy. But a different table says 1921.

Y1612442.


https://ismacs.net/singer_sewing_machine_company/serial-numbers/singer-y-series-serial-numbers.html

I think it may be something to do with uk or international production.


anamnesis

Years ago I worked for a Scotsman from Glasgow who did his apprenticeship at the Singer facility that made needles. Funny thing was that he'd been in the States so long that he had completely lost his Scottish accent. Sounded like a run of the mill 'Merican. The only thing that gave him away was his last name, McGiver.

That's my contribution to making your own carpets.
Martin

Martin
Have to tell you
I've recently bought some stuff off a bloke in Washington, and ,long story short, it was decided it was best if I rang him, so organized I'd call him at 7am before he started work-- Gave him a call and he answered all dopey and then I realized I had done it--you know what's coming--Got my Washingtons mixed up it was 4am at his end
bit embarrassed---but funny
willy
William Revit

Willy,

Since I have family in Poland, a daughter in Antarctica, a son in Chicago, this BBS in Blighty and folks like you in Oz, I'm constantly having to calculate what time it is somewhere so I understand you dilemma.

Now the question is, which Washington, the one on the left coast or the nut house on the other side of the country? I'm guessing by the time difference that it was the state and not the city.
Martin

Martin
Yeah, on your side--Snohomish, WA ,but i just typed in Washington to get the time and got that other mob over East, so yeah it's 7 o'clock over there 3 hours before your side---I'll learn one day--maybe
Your daughter seems to have had a long stint in Antarctica, she must be liking it down there--We've had a new ship set off from here to replace the Aurora supply vessel- Apparently it's going to go through a two year testing session before it gets fulltime duty-seems a long time but I guess it needs to be right going down there.

https://www.antarctica.gov.au/antarctic-operations/travel-and-logistics/ships/icebreaker/
William Revit

Willy,

Yeah, my daughter seems to like it down there. I lost track of how many times she's been down there , 8 or 9 times but this time will probably be the longest stretch. She and her boyfriend went in October of 2020 and won't be back until March of next year, so about 17 months. They're both on the nerdy side (which she is proud of) and Antarctica seems to attract people like that. And drunks. Those don't last long.

That breaker looks impressive. The last time my son was there he got to tour the American breaker, the Polar Star, which clears a path for the supply ships to McMurdo and got me a tee shirt.

What did you get from Snohomsh? That's about 20 miles away along my favorite bike path. Touristy town with a lot of nice, old (read pricy) houses. Next time type in Seattle instead.

That other Washington is commonly refered to as D.C.
Martin

Anam, ok that table looks more detailed doesn't it. I can't say I checked for yours that closely - it was just the first screen that scrolled past with model types and year numbers. May well not have been for UK production at all.
GuyW

A very apt contribution to diy carpets Martin.

Isn't MacGiver a character in the states who can make and fix anything?

anamnesis

Just been reading up Singer's history. I didn't know they were American originally. The large Glasgow Clydebank factory (now demolished) had its own railway station which still exists in name (Singer railway station).
Bill Bretherton

Back to carpets: I kitted my Morris out with quite thick woollen carpet, Axminster or Wilton or something, it was left over from carpeting our first house. It's not really suitable for use in the car as it's too thick and stiff to follow the curves plus my carpet fitting and hand stitchery skills weren't really up to the job.

And back to Singers again: The photos of old Singers bring back memories. My grandmother had a hand cranked one and my mother had a treadle one that flipped over to leave a useable table top. Mum's sewing machine was disposed of many years ago to be replaced by a modern electric which I still have tucked away. The treadle frame is now supporting a table in my wife's new potting/craft shed.

By co-incidence, the photo below popped up on FB this morning.



C Mee

Martin
I feel a bit as though I'm wrecking this Singer 'thread' a bit but saw your name and couldn't resist telling you about my clock dilema-
I have a Singer treadle sewing machine ,same as Colin's mum's foldaway one, if that helps give me an excuse--lol
To answer your question , I've been getting some hard to get Jaguar parts from RW Auto Classics, good guys there and easy to deal with, nothing's too much trouble for them
Cheers
willy
William Revit

Bill, did you see in the Singer history that in the latter 19C there were 4 competing sewing machine companies, each with a patent on a different part of the mechanism, but none of which worked reliably on its own. Singer persuaded them to agree to share their patents (Open Source??) from which they were all 4 able to move forward. Pretty good compromise!

There was high demand for a home sized portable machine and Singer then went into high pressure sales mode, undercut the other 3 and benefitted hugely.
GuyW

Guy, no I didn't read that part in detail. Interesting.
Bill Bretherton

Singer cars, and sewing machines.

What's the connection?

"Singer History.

Founder of the Singer marque was George Singer.

Born in the Parish of Stinsford, Dorset on 26th January 1847, George served his apprenticeship at marine engineers John Penn & Sons, of Lewisham.

He moved to Coventry in 1869 and joined the Coventry Machinists Company, where he was a ‘Sewing Machine Finisher’, as well as being involved in the design of Britain’s earliest bicycles."

And that's it. 😁





anamnesis

My mother also had a Jones sewing machine and she said she preferred that to the Singers, maybe it was because it had been her mother's and that was the one she learnt on, she inherited the 2 Singers later on. When she showed me how to use the sewing machine it was with the hand cranked Singer which is now mine.

GuyW,

How much did a new Singer cost in those days, I can't imagine it would be cheap as a beautifully engineered bit of kit.
David Billington

David, just been to dig out the invoice. This isn't for my 1904 one, but a cabinet treadle one that my wife's mam owned. I thought it was just pre war but it was bought in December 1949 for £40-18s-10p. Odd amount but I suspect purchase tax or something like that. I cannot think how they afforded it. He was an agricultural labourer at that time (market gardening) fairly recently demobbed, and she had been a maid 'in service' at the big house. Hertfordshire. The Singer must have been the equivalent of several weeks, if not months, wages.

She did piece work, sewing up garments at home. My wife can remember a man coming down the street in a big car each week with a big box of pre-cut fabric pieces and taking away the finished stuff from the previous week. She and her sister were taught to use the Singer and had to take turns in the evening after school sewing up vests and pants (english, not american version). She thinks she was 6 or seven at the time.
GuyW

Guy, in 1949 £40/10/10 would have been a fortune. My parents were married that year and I recall my mother telling me that they thought that if Dad were to have been given a pay rise to £10 per week they would have considered themselves rich.

Dad was a draughtsman working for Cottons in Loughborough. They didn't make sewing machines but they did make knitting machines and he was always proud of the fact that he had a hand in designing the world's first machine for knitting fully fashioned women's stockings.

I forgot to mention in my previous post that I still have the drawers from the Singer sewing machine table. Dad found them to be ideal for holding tools such as files and workshop oddments, which is how I continue to use them.
C Mee

Using an inflation calculator it says that now equates to £1529 today. ONS says the average weekly wage was about £7 in 1949, some other sources differ but I'll go with the ONS. Quite an investment then, at least it was an investment in something useful and was used to make money, I wonder how long she had to do piece work to pay back the investment.
David Billington

I don't know. I do know it would not have been bought on the "never never"! I wonder, did servicemen get a lump sum when demobbed. He was a Fleet Air Arm leading mechanic on the Atlantic convoys but not much chance of spending anything!
GuyW

My wife has a relatively new Singer, called a Featherweight. It's a little portable one that you pull out of its carrying case and put on a table. Only about 72 years old. Was her grandmothers. I won't touch it since the last time I tried to use a sewing machine, it took my sister a half hour to disentangle the mess that I'd made.

Willy,

I forwarded your Nuyina link to my daughter. Are you going down to Hobart for a look?
Martin

Irrespective of the price, what bloody great engineering. Solid wooden base, meant to last, and it did. Good engineering, slow to wear out. Mine's still going strong. No repairs

Remember when?

Buy the best, it will last.
anamnesis

Did you get a Driver's Handbook with yours, Anam? And the toolkit - screwdrivers, spanner and oil can?
GuyW

Guy,

My wife's has all of that in the original carrying case. I did replace the wire for the foot pedal and the wall plug. Originals were getting a bit frayed. Found some original looking cloth covered and no one would know the difference.

Anam,

Agreed about buying the best. Last longer than we will if not abused.
Martin

No sadly not Guy. And at 16 or 17, it didn't occur to me to ask my gran.

But I did get a number of attachments, that I have no clue how to use, or what they do.
anamnesis

Bollocks to facebook.

Where else can you ask about carpets, and find yourself looking for 100 year old sewing machines, but on a good old 'low tech', text based, bbs?

🙂🙂🙂

anamnesis

I've got the manual, a box of accessories but not the screwdriver or oil can. I can remember them as they had made their way into the aunts general household tools box which my mother inherited. It was an old wooden cocoa box and I don't know what happened to it when my sister and I had to clear my mother's house.
David Billington

Anam

I'm not on Facebook, never will be. Specialist forums are best for good technical information and help but also for general chat, I think, with like minded people,
Bill Bretherton

Guy, that would definitely have been at least a couple of months wages for a farm worker. I dont know what my dad was earning then but I do know that when he finished on the land in 1968 he was on £10/10s a week for what was I think a 45 hour week. Admittedly he never worked a flat week but the money wasnt great and he got more than the other blokes because he was the tractor driver.

Trev
T Mason

The Singer we have here has the sides of the drawer shelves open and the sides of the drawers are figured like the fronts-I've been told that's a bit rare---is it?
There are fittings in there that i have no idea what they do as well--we just use the whole thing as a hallside table thingy

Martin
Yeah. We went down when it first arrived, but there was a mixup with the power supply for the ship at the wharf connection, wrong voltage or connector or something, and they had a couple of generators going on the wharf so the public were locked out
I go down fairly regularly as both my boys work down there, it's 300Klm so just a 3 hour drive
I must admit that I haven't been back to the wharf though-----Next time I'm down there, probably in about a month I'll get some pics of it if we're allowed up close---usually are
Cheers
willy
William Revit

Willy,

This might help identify them https://singer-featherweight.com/blogs/schoolhouse/vintage-singer-attachments-accessories .
David Billington

Willy,

Pics would be great.

The Polar Star should be getting to McMurdo in February to clear the harbor for the supply ship and tanker since they didn't come last year. Been flying in stuff which gets a bit on the pricy side. Plus the freighter takes away all of the empty containers and other assorted stuff. Don't know if they bring down carpets and sewing machines.

David,

I don't think that my wife has that many attachments but she does have a couple though I think she only uses the basic one. I am going to forward the link to her.
Martin

I just found in my Singer accessories box a small printed image that shows where they're supposed to fit so now they're all fitting as Singer intended. I'm only missing the large and small screwdriver, the bobbins which can fit in the box are in the tool storage in the machine.
David Billington

A scan of each side of the printed image in my accessories box. 4 languages English, Spanish?, not sure, and Italian?, I'm surprised not to have French.





David Billington

"Not sure" looks like Portuguese (?). I'm also surprised that French doesn't appear.
Martin

Thanks David, It'll be interesting to see what's there and what's not
Martin
A bit more info here-
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-09-01/new-antarctic-icebreaker-nuyina-leaves-for-hobart/100424034
William Revit

I live about 15mins from the old Singer site in Clydebank. It used to be one of the largest factories in the world. It has now totally disappeared and been replaced by a retail park with the inevitable multi screen cinema, burger bars and mobile phone shops. Very sad.

Jan T
J Targosz

David

English, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian.
Yes, you'd think there'd be French (and German).

Jan

Apparently, the Singer factory clock had a larger face than Big Ben.
Bill Bretherton

Returning to carpets, I have a plan. I like Alan's idea of rubber mats in footwells and strips of carpet around seats where it shows. The tunnel carpet over the gearstick turret could be a tricky shape to make - I might buy that one. Also the smallish right angle pieces that cover the longitudinal box members at the tunnel/ inner footwell sides could be awkward to fix down without glueing. The transverse box section pieces, in front of the seats could be held with those popper things maybe.
Bill Bretherton

The transmission tunnel is best done in two sections as the curves are hard cover in one piece. Yes the transverse sections can be fixed with the circular poppers although I did glue mine. I used the poppers to fix the mat in the foot well and around the seat.
Bob Beaumont

Self adhesive or sew on Velcro would likely do the trick for some of the panels.
David Billington

Bob, David, thanks.
Bill Bretherton

Bill, if it helps I could take paper templates from my transmission cover and send them to you. That, plus photographs should be enough?
GuyW

Guy, that would be very helpful, thanks.
Bill Bretherton

Willy,

Interesting ship.

Here's another one

https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-59022676

aka Boaty McBoatface
Martin

Fortunately not Martin.

Good sense prevailed.

They named it RRS Sir David Attenborough.

A submersible got the idiotic public's choice of a name.

anamnesis

Anam,

Yeah, I know all about the name and the campaign to christen it. My daughter in Antarctica still calls it Boaty just because. It would be difficult to take the whole thing seriously if it was called Boaty. RRS Sir David Attenborough is definitely more fitting.

I wonder who sewed the carpets and if they used a Singer?
Martin

Yep I agree Martin, it needed a decent name, not a comedic one.

♬
His mother, sewed the carpets
On a singer sewing machine
His father was a gamblin' man
Down in New Orleans. ♬

😉

anamnesis

Bill

Go for it. I did my midget with household carpet offcuts and it worked rather well. I also sound deadened it with Dynamat, but personally I would give that a miss next time and use underlay/thick felt or just omit it. I cannot say it made much difference. As for waterproofing - it should be obvious if anything would give rise to problems once you pull the carpets in which case patch it up. Potentially you could also just brush on something like bitumastic or some such beforehand?
Oggers

Martian. Isn't the "Featherweight" the highly prized model made from alloy castings?
Rob
MG Moneypit

Oggers

It's the rebuilt Frogeye so floors as new and no coverings yet. If I make mats/ carpets removable then it will be quick to remove them to check for any dampness.
Bill Bretherton

Bill

I'd rather fix or at least prevent problems before they occur. Bitumastic may stick hard to carpet, but there's plenty of other similar stuff out there which dries firm. Epoxy paint? Rubberised paint?
Oggers

Steel doesn't rust unless water (and air) gets to it. Regular checking of exposed paint or high wear areas like interior footwell floors and recoating is well worth it. Often in the floors the rusting actually starts in the seam along the edge of the sill because damp gets into the joint from the inaccessible side - inside the sill.

I am not a fan of bitumastic paints. They tend to lift from the paintwork behind, creating a void for damp to linger in where it cannot be seen.

Anybody tried that Lanoguard stuff?
https://www.lanoguard.co.uk/
GuyW

Velcro (as mentioned upstairs there) is okay as far as it goes but it tends to lose its effectiveness quite quickly I find, plus getting easily clogged with little bits of fluff and whatnot.
This stuff doesn't.
It works on the same general principle as velcro but it is very much tougher and doesn't seem to clog up.
It's a 3M product called Dual Lock.
You don't need hook tape and loop tape - this stuff locks onto itself and it's very grippy indeed.
The self adhesive side is good and sticky too but if it's going onto carpet I imagine a few stitches would help.
I use it for securing loose items on the All Weather Lifeboat, like the trackball units for the navigation computers, and it keeps them in place very firmly.
HTH.



Greybeard

I wasn't suggesting Bitumastic be used an a carpet adhesive nor was I suggesting not to remove carpets occasionally to check. I would though suggest some form of coating as a preventative measure.
Oggers

Rob,

I know that the Featherlite seems expensive on auction sights and I just looked at ours and it is not magnetic so probably aluminum. I also looked at the owners manual and the latest copyright date is 1954 so it is newer than I thought. It also has 8 extra attachments in their original box, tools, cleaning brush and an extra drive belt. It's a Model 221. It is a bit of a time capsule and knowing how my wife takes care of things, I'm surprised that everything is still there ( I didn't say that ).
Martin

Grey

Thanks, that Dual Lock stuff sounds good - will investigate.
Bill Bretherton

You guys make me go and do stuff that really needed doing a while back
Unfolded the Singer and gave it a bit of a cleanup
Now, can someone tell me how old it is from these pics
I'm told it's quite rare being so ornate, even having a figured head plate

+2 more pics





William Revit

next two





William Revit

Wow, that's bloody fabulous Willy.

1910 according to this table.

https://ismacs.net/singer_sewing_machine_company/serial-numbers/singer-g-series-serial-numbers.html

Model number 44, and only 5000 made if I read that right.

You can buy a new belt for that too.

If you haven't got a local supplier, this uk place near me, can probably help.

https://worldofsewing.com/service-and-repairs/


anamnesis

Thanks for that-
I knew it was fairly old, we found an old post card jammed in one of the drawers with wishes for a happy new year 1/1/1913 but weren't 100% sure how far into it's life that had happened
The belt's ok, it unhooks itself like that when the machine folds down below deck and when it's up like in the pic it has to be wound back on, probably could do with some leather food being a leather belt I guess, but generally ok
willy
William Revit

leave out the carpets. Will only lead to corrossion. Better use rubber mat and get those out in the winter time
a.o. arnold

I'm intending to put shaped to fit rubber mats in the footwells (probably the dampest area) and removable bits of carpet in other places. Ive now decided to buy the front tunnel carpet that goes over the gearstick as it's a difficult shape but I won't glue it in. Either poppers or dual lock tape.
Bill Bretherton

Bill,
I bought the transmission carpet in 2012 from PJM Motors and it still looks good.
Jeremy MkIII

Jeremy

The only seller I could find supplying that carpet separately was Terry Murphy / Danbury Carpets in Chelmsford on *bay so I thought it was worth a punt. It's arrived today. The "turret" cutout is too small so I'm considering what to do.
Bill Bretherton

I have also used PJM Trim as others have - though for door trim items only - and been pleased with the quality of their parts.
Philip Sellen

Bill,

you've jogged my memory as I think I had to buy the transmission carpet (2 pieces) 'set' which included the piece you want and the bit that covers the rest of the transmission tunnel.
I didn't mind as the quality is really good and the price wasn't too bad.
I rang them to ask about it and they were really helpful but that was nine years ago. Maybe be worth a call to see what you can negotiate?
Jeremy MkIII

Jeremy

I've emailed the guy about it. If he doesn't reply I'll ring.
Bill Bretherton

Bill, is the hole much undersized?
On the set I bought the hole seemed a bit small at first but there was a bit of give in the carpet and it eventually pulled on over the turret.
GuyW

Guy, I'll have another go tomorrow and take measurements.
Bill Bretherton

Bill,I've sent a couple of photos to show how my "too tight" one fits
GuyW

Thanks Guy.
Bill Bretherton

Well I've eased it on. Quite tight but it seemed to stretch a bit. Bit long on the sides but I'm happy enough with it.
Bill Bretherton

Just reviving this thread as I'm about to order some rubber matting. I've decided to make rubber mats (flush fit, no carpet) for the footwells and boot area (Frogeye) and bits of black carpet around seats and on heel board,

I can get smooth, ribbed, "coin" or "checker" type rubber styles and wondered if anyone has an opinion on different patterns? I think smooth might be best for the boot but not sure about footwells. Cheaper to get same for both.
Bill Bretherton

My choice would be ribbed for looks. Or possibly checker that might hold any mud and moisture on its surface making it esier to lift out and shake for cleaning without it spilling into the car.
GuyW

Guy

Yes, ribbed looks OK- it's just that I thought it might feel uncomfortable on those occasions you have to crawl into the cave!
Bill Bretherton

More condensation under just rubber mats I've found. No carpet in my Capri (work in progress), just rubber mat, and the result is loads of water from condensation. Depends I guess, on how, where, and when you'll use it, and where you'll keep it when not using it.
anamnesis

My cars are both carpetted, but in winter weather I add a rubber mat on top to catch the mud and water as it's quick and easy to lift it out and shake it clean.
GuyW

Anam, yes you have a point but I intend to use in the dry only and it's stored in the garage. I started this thread with the concern that carpets, especially in the footwell, might get wet anyway and,especially if glued in, would be a pain to dry. The idea of fitted rubber mats is that they won't get wet and can be removed to dry any condensation (or removed anyway in the winter).
Bill Bretherton

👍.
anamnesis

Interesting the point on condensation and rubber mats.

In my rat I've just got everything painted inside, with very little trim, no carpets, and rubber mats in footwells on basis that there's no place for carpets in a car in the UK minus its roof six months of the year. Every so often I re-caulk it, as if it was used on the Kennet & Avon. Plus, it's got the packaway hood which isn't a five minute job to assemble, so it's either On or Off.

I'd assumed that the water under the mats was just down to leaks various. Maybe time for a re-think and drying them out more often.
Peter Allen

Well I've completed the Frogeye carpets and am happy with my DIY efforts. The footwells and boot area are covered with checker pattern rubber. It holds in position, the footwell pieces being additionally held by the trim panels. The white panels in the rear boot area are white hardboard, the light came from my local scrapyard with an LED festoon fitted.

The carpet pieces are cut from a cheap piece I got on *bay. I'd tried the local carpet place but domestic carpet is too thick. They are held here and there with dual lock - nothing is glued to enable easy removal. I bought the tunnel turret carpet as it's an awkward shape. There is nothing under the seats, just strips around them.






Bill Bretherton

This shows the heel board piece and rear tunnel. I used a screwed on plastic right angle strip from B and Q to secure and hide the join from heel board to boot.


Bill Bretherton

Very tidy, Bill. I also like the idea of a light in the back of the boot.

I don't suppose you will be going out in it today though! Bit of a breeze expected today down your way, I gather.
GuyW

Thanks Guy. Yes, a bit windy here! I was thinking of starting a thread.....
Bill Bretherton

Well done Bill. Looks magnificent! I like the boot light...........Much better than my magnetic torch
Bob Beaumont

Thanks Bob. Another job finished!
Bill Bretherton

This thread was discussed between 04/11/2021 and 18/02/2022

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG Midget and Sprite Technical BBS is active now.