26-27 Floor mat

[Eric Sole]

I bought a new floor mat 8 years ago and with great difficulty installed it last week, tearing the brake pedal slot in the process.

The old mat was already quite torn, making it easy to install and remove.

The new mat is covered in a black sort of dust or mold release agent which stains anything touching it. I want to remove the mat to clean it but am afraid of ruining it while pulling it around the pedals. Any tips or tricks for installing/removing the reproduction floor mats over the improved car clutch and brake extensions?
Thanks

[Norman Kling]

Not real easy. Two people can make it easier and since there are two doors. I would pull the parking lever back to make it almost straight up. Then raise the mat as far as possible at the pedals. Then work it over the clutch pedal Then the reverse and lastly the brake. It is even harder if you have a Ruckstell shifter in the center, but it can be done.
Norm

[RecklessKelly]

Get it warm with a space heater or heat gun set on low. It will be more plyable.

[Eric Sole]

Thanks for the tips. I'll try them out tomorrow.

[23ford]

If you are not caring about the ford logo go to a local janitorial supply and buy bulk rubber mats and cut to fit.

[Eric Sole]

I have some self-designed items on my car but I enjoy having it as close to factory equipped as possible.

I saw this mat on the Forum and it has cut-outs for the pedals, so I was thinking about doing the same if it helps to fit it over the pedals. Not sure if it would really help or not.

[TXGOAT2]

It's best to install the mat on a warm, sunny day when the mat is new and fresh. Most all rubber exudes some kind of crud over time. Tire cleaner wold probably remove it.

[kmatt2]

What I have done in the past on a 26 roadster pickup is to take a razor knife and cut out the non-embossed area out of the Ford type mat. Then I got some heavier industrial black rubber mat material designed for high traffic walkways and made an over size overlay, mounting the overlay lay piece with some small wood screws with flat washers into the wood floor boards. To remove mat for engine work just remove screws and overlay and then remove Ford mat. The slightly thicker industrial mat material doesn’t tare very easy.

[Robert Kiefaber]

I always glue burlap to the back of my mats. It helps to keep it from tearing and believe the original mats were made that way.

[Eric Sole]

Thanks for the ideas. I may be using them soon.

[Ed Fuller]

I don’t have a ‘26-‘27 to know how the mat is supposed to be cut, but on my ‘12 & ‘13 the whole square area that has no texture around the pedals is cut out.

[Steve Jelf]

Don't you have the metal trim for the lever and the pedals?
My mat is in a 1923, but I'd be surprised if the same thing isn't available for 25-27.

https://dauntlessgeezer.com/DG114.html

[Norman Kling]

Another thing to keep in mind is that the pedals move sideways when you push them. The clutch moves to the right and the brake and low move to the left. So while the mat is still on, you should trim out enough from the slot where the pedal moves so that the pedal does not stick when you push it in which will keep it from coming back when you take off your foot. Once you get this trimmed right the slots will be a bit wider and it will be easier to remove the mat.

[Eric Sole]

Norman, I'll keep in mind the sideways movement of the pedals. It just seems like an open slot would make it easier to manage over the pedals.

Steve, I've never seen a trim plate like yours. That would probably solve my installation problems.

[Steve Jelf]

https://www.modeltford.com/item/3625BS.aspx

[George House]

Steve - the metal trim for the pedals and lever is supposed to go under the rubber mat and attached directly to the wood floorboards.

[Steve Jelf]

Yes, that's why most mats have a square cutout to go around the pedals.

[Eric Sole]

Steve, your metal plate around the pedals is so nice and shiny I mistook it for an accessory plate fitting over the mat. After closer inspection I see that the older mats are cut out around the pedals. Looks like Ford wanted to make the interior more weather proof and made the pedals fit through slits to keep some of the air from coming in.

Using the image from Lang's catalog, we can see the difference between the earlier and later floor mat design.

[Steve Jelf]

I've never had a 26-27. I always assumed the square cutout around the pedals is normal, but I can't say for sure how accurate any of the current mats is.

[Original Smith]

How many people know Ford made a floormat for the 1925 model year? Snyder isn't interested. In case you are unaware, Ford had a wide cowl body on the tourings and roadsters in 1925.

[Dan Hatch]

Robert what glue do you use on the floor mat?

[Robert Kiefaber]

Robert what glue do you use on the floor mat?

Dan, I use rubber contact cement that comes in a quart can (hardware store). I brush it on the back of the mat then apply the burlap. Trim it when dry. It’s the way the original mats were and keeps the rubber from tearing/cracking.

[Dan Hatch]

Thanks for the info

[TXGOAT2]

I haven't tried this, but:
Cutting out the plain area of the mat around the pedals would make installation easier and would eliminate any interference by the heavy, stiff mat material with the pedals. I'd cut it with a suitable tool after using something like a 3/4" belt punch to punch out all 4 corners of the area to be removed, which would leave a neat 3/4" radius at the corners. Then make an insert to go around the pedals out of inner tube rubber with slots cut for the pedals and place it around the pedals,which would give a good seal, and the flexible inner tube rubber would allow for free pedal movement. The metal trim pieces could secure the inner tube insert, or it could be secured with screws or tacks. Something similar could be done at the brake lever.
If your car doesn't have the metal shield under the floorboard at the pedal area, adding one goes a long way toward keeping heat and dust and noise out.