Hot Rods Running board preservation question old model A Hot Rod

Bought this great 60s model A. The builder installed his mothers own kitchen floor mat on the running boards. Today because of shake rattle & roll the look is cracking away. Do you have any suggestions of how to restore or preserve?
Thank you,
Guy

 

If you want to keep that color and look-no suggestion. But, a cool, cheap way is to go to Lowe's and get a hall runner, ribbed (various looks, black) and about 1/8-3/16" thick so it can be cut and fitted easily. Some good contact glue (get only the best, like Scotch, etc.) and take a whole lot of time sizing and fitting. Results are good, and it lasts.

 

had a thought to look into urethane boat deck paint.

 

I wonder if there is something you could pour over it to encapsulate it. Not sure exactly what that something is, but I’m sure someone here has a product that is both clear and flattish in sheen to preserve what is there.

 

Time to look for a suitable linoleum replacement.

 

Not sure how to preserve it, but check @pecker head recent posts, on the material he used for the floor mat in the roadster pickup. Might like it, and get you buy for a while.
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/attachments/img_1101-jpeg.5964063/

 

I thought of putting an epoxy resin over top, but the problem is always going to be adhesion between the rubber and the running board. Sadly, I don't think that's saveable.

 

Asbestos. A lot of asbestos in early flooring. Caution, and possibly a HAZMET suit is advisable.

 

Spray-on truck bed liner is tougher than bear meat. I'm not sure how good the spray can, do-it-yourself stuff is but the professional stuff done by the truck accessory shops seems to last forever.

Are those triangles supposed to be step pads or are they modern art?

 

Early vinyl flooring. Not really designed for outdoors so has lost its plasticity due to sunlight etc. Not a reversable process.

Either strip it off and recreate it with new or cover with UV resistant clearcoat.

 

You might be able to recreate the look using heavy duty marine vinyl. Make friends with your local upholstery shop or fabric store that stocks upholstery supplies. Thinking that you could make the initial shape out of sheet metal, adjusted for size and then apply the new design piece to that and attach to the running board. Make a paper pattern for every thing, the initial, large piece and then the triangles. Show use what you come up with, Carp.

 

Run it as is, in "survivor" mode. It's been there 60 years.
Or, make them wall hangers, get a new pair of boards and replicate it.
I wouldn't mess with stripping them. As Bandit Billy mentioned, asbestos galore in early linoleum...

 

Thank you for the suggestions. I bought some boat deck white urethane non skid. I will cut around the triangles take off the 65 year old cracking linoleum and go for it with the decking paint....lots of coats but I have time.