While the search continues for the unobtainable double race pinion shaft front bearing for my 352 transaxle I decided to focus on something else that was easier to acquire for my Europa rebuild.
Several months ago I started looking at suppliers of interior carpets and a number of people on this site suggested Auto Mat in NY. They have a fairly extensive web site and lots of details on their various carpet kits for just about every car you can imagine. I had called them and spoke with a nice woman who provided a lot of information, but the choice of which carpet to choose became difficult to decide without sending a bunch of samples. So I made a note to go see them when I had time (it's a 2 1/2 hour drive from my house).
Well, yesterday was that day. Blue skies, mid August mid week which means low traffic volume for Long Island and a fairly clear day of work (just phone calls) so off to Auto Mat I went (after rush hour traffic was over).
When I arrived at their shop the parking lot was filled with every type of car you could imagine. A Rolls Royce limo, a very nicely painted impala, a corvette, a mustang, almost everything was American cars. Oh......and the Ghost Busters ambulance. The show room has an MGB in it with half the car in need of a restoration and the other half completely restored (interior and exterior). Lots of photos framed of various projects and happy customers. Finally got to the counter (it was almost lunch time and the place was empty) and met Tim. Friendly guy and told him what I was looking for, a complete 1972 Lotus Europa carpet set including padding. When I told him I had driven all the way from Princeton he said "well you deserve the complete shop tour".
First we looked at the complete range of carpet samples, of which there were many. Tim explained what came stock with the car and showed me the difference of each type of carpet. I ended up picking Wilton 4 as it was the nicest and closest to the OEM look. There is also a velvet wool III that is close (and more expensive) but I liked the Wilton 4 better.
Tim invites me into the shop for a tour and we start in the cutting and sewing rooms where there are thousands of carpet patterns hanging on racks of every car imaginable. Lots of big cutting tables, sewing machines and electric cutting devices. Then we moved into the installation rooms where a number of cars were having entire interiors installed, seats, carpets, headliners, soft tops, etc. In another part of the shop they have an area filled with just every type of mechanical tool needed to do serious mechanical work and a hydrolic lift. On it was a car they were installing an air ride system for a low rider that could "bounce" with electric controls. In the back of the shop outside were about a dozen cars all waiting to be brought in for interior work.
Even though it was lunch time, plenty of guys were still working. We went back to the pattern department and found the hanging pattern on the racks for a Europa. Tim took out the complete pattern and layed it out on one of the cutting tables. We went thru all the pieces of the patterns and that is where there was an ah-ha moment......
Some of the pieces for the patterns had marked on it '73 Europa Twin Cam and up. The rest of the patterns were marked '68 to 73 Europa. I said to Tim the Europa body changed from an S2 to the Twin Cam in 72, not 73. He didn't know. After careful review of the patterns I decided that he needed to use the 73 Europa patterns, not the earlier version.
During our pattern conversation Tim showed me some custom made floor mats that had the car manufacturer logo cut into the carpet in full color. Very cool looking and he said he could do a 5" Lotus logo on each mat in color for me. Sold!
Then we talked about the padding (it's included) and how to install in the car. Tim also showed me additional sound insulation that I could buy (thin flexible rubber with a metal foil on it) for further sound proofing, but the stuff was heavy and I didn't want to add that much weight. Note that if you decide to buy this they precut it from the pattern!
They happen to be putting the final touches on another Europa carpet set in light grey and showed me the finished product. Very nice sewn edging and the cuts were very clean.
I'm glad I decided to vist Auto Mat. It was well worth the trip and now I have a full understanding of who they are and what they do. Delivery of my order will be in two weeks.
The carpet set with padding was $1026. The custom floor mats with 5 inch color Lotus logs was $280. Two cans of spray adhesive $36.
