interior install tips needed

Ok, I have a pre-formed carpet kit I just installed. It has the thick grey wool insulation underneith. (Its in a 65 fastback) My question is, after the carpet is installed, what do you guys do to go about finding all the screw holes for things like: consoles, shift boot, random mounts and such.
I can figure out the seat belts and seat mount holes easy enough.

One old thread I checked out mentioned to hit the spot you need with a soldering iron to melt the carpet, then drill it. That way the carpet wont wind up on the bit and pull out strands, making your new carpet look like a ruined pair of snagged nylons.

Im not too conserned on finding the original screw holes I guess, I can drill new ones in the sheetmetal, but I obviously dont want to ruin the new carpet. This car has a full console running ontop of the driveline hump from the dash to the back seat. Screws all down it on each side. I cant drill from the bottom side; no way to match the hole on the console.

Any other tips on how to make carpet holes and drill through carpet?

Thanks

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on the drilling thru carpet deal

I used tape on my drill bit..worked for me.

 

I use an old ice pick to poke around thru the carpet and find the holes. It wont hurt the carpet because it goes thru the weave.

But, good luck finding an old ice pick. It's really a handy tool, I use it for all kinds of stuff and its a cl***ic murder weapon.

 

Scratch awl, jewelers screw drivers, or a nail is what I usually use.

 

humm, those are all good tips. I tried using a sharped electrical light poker. you know, the light in the handle and the super sharp pointed end to poke into wires? Well, it must be that thick wool insulation, but i couldnt jam it through that stuff. (??)

 

I cut square holes in the padding over all of the holes before I glue the padding down, and leave holes in the padding for the seat feet to sit in so the seat feet can sit all the way down onto the steel floor. The slight depression in the carpet where it's not supported by padding underneath makes it easy to find where you need to make holes in the carpet, and you stick an icepick or scratch awl through the carpet to find the center of the hole. To make bigger holes in the carpet for stuff like seat belt bolts, I use a razor blade to cut an X shape, and then pull up the four flaps of the X and snip them off with scissors or a razor to leave a diamond or square shaped hole in the carpet. For the seat mounting holes, I use a razor blade to make a U shaped cut in the carpet, so I can peel back the flap, bolt the seat down, and then fold the flap back down over the foot of the seat to hide the bolt and the foot of the seat.

If you can get to the holes from underneath, just shove a scratch awl or a sharpened nail up through the holes from underneath, then look on top to see where it's poking through, then use a razor blade to cut an X or a U in the carpet.

If you need to drill new holes for something through the carpet, you might want to use a razor to slice away a small opening in the carpet a little bigger than the drill, and then drill. That way you won't snag the carpet and pull a big "run" in it. That soldering iron idea might work too.

 

You mentioned making new holes. The trick I got from my buddy at the upholstery shop is to take the drill with the screw and run it in reverse for a couple of seconds to get through the carpet and padding. After that, press hard and get the screw to "self-tap". I haven't run into any problems yet. Hope this helps.

 

dont freakin glue it down... get a pointed tool to poke and use a heat gun to singe the carpet where you put the hole so the carpet doesnt fray.