VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1937-1945 running board rubber mats mounting question

I am thinking about getting a set of rubber mats for my 38 coupe and was wondering how they mount and how hard it is to install them as well as the chrome or stainless trim that goes down the side of the running boards?

thanks!

If you get the mats that are already mounted to the metal backing they are pretty easy to mount. There's are arrow shaped tabs that stick through slots in the running board then twist to hold the mat in place. The rubber on mine were a tad long & needed to be trimmed to fit.

Where did you order yours from and what did you trim them with?

Thanks

I bought them from Chevs of the 40s. The shop doing the body work trimmed them. I didn't know they were long until I was told.

I am wanting to install steel backed rubber mats. I am going to have to glue them down. what is the best glue/cement to use and should I sand the paint down on my running boards before I put the glue down?

?????? If you have steel backed mat why glue them? I'm missing something here. The steel back is there to allow the proper fastening method. I discovered while trying to glue sound deadener resembling the original on the underside of the deck lid that most glues lift paint.

My slots have been filled in...... the guy at chevs of the 40's said I would need to glue them down in my case. I have no way of cutting slots in the running boards so gluing seems to be the best option.

Can you see where the slots were? A body shop should be able to reopen them easily. You can do it yourself with a drill and hacksaw blade. Drill each end of the slot then connect the dots with the saw blade. You can also do it with a dremel tool & it's small cutting wheel. They don't have to be fancy, they'll never be seen. Glue won't work. Even contact cement will soften and come loose from heat. A black rubber running board rubber on a sunny day will get quite hot. Epoxy may hold but I don't know about how paint will react.

Stumpman,
If you make the modification that Tiny suggests, Rock Auto carries the metal backed ribbed running board mat. They were $307 plus shipping.

I glued my mats(without metal backet!). I bought them at Rock Auto because the price was the cheapest.
The mats are originally from metro and there is a "urethane adhesive / sealant for underwater usage" recommended.
The material is EPDM and very difficult to glue. From the various adhesive manufacturers I got no advice on suitable adhesives.
First I tried, preferred for marine Use, Sikaflex 291i, which was a complete disaster. The rubber let himself pull back without resistance.
On the painted metal, the adhesive holding pretty good, but not on rubber.
Than an adhesive manufacturer (Innotec) recommended me its glue "Adheseal", because pond liner is also made ​​of EPDM. Do not know if this is available in the USA.
In any case, the stuff sticks great! Important is a good preparation of the rubber by roughen with sandpaper. I have then drilled a thin wooden slat to press the rubber with the trim strip on the edge, because this is in my opinion the problem area. Then I wrapped the running board with plastic wrap to press the rubber everywhere. Critical points, I also still clamped. For the Moldings I made my own clips to screw. The purchased are not able to firmly press the molding of the rubber. The yellow tape is for protection from adhesive residues.

Outstanding!!! I admire your workmanship.

--Bill Barker

Takes a long time and many considerations how to do it best.

Andre.

Great job! Great workmanship and craftsmanship, too.

I don't have your patience and brain power to figure these things out. You and ol' Steve have something in common. He was former 1938 owner over in Tennessee whose holy grail was an engine with no leaks. Can't be done for the old sixes but no one could tell him that. May be owing to hardheadedness. Who knows. He almost succeeded, though. We think about him now and then but he's a thing of the past and so we try to move ahead without looking back. But, It's hard to get him outta your mind. Sorta like a song that won't go away. Like "It's a small, small world" at Disney World. Satchel Paige, an old baseball player said, "Don't look back, something may be gaining on you." When we think of Steve, we can still see that emerald green. It's indelibly etched in our minds, it seems.

Best,
Charlie

BTW: If you need some clips for the chrome moldings, let me know, I think I have some. Same deal.

I like the color of your car.

Here's a pair with the mounting slots intact. They appear to be in fairly good condition.

[[URL=http://s1357.photobucket.com/user/fldrifters/media/DSCF1374_zpse2ea4880.jpg.html]......First time adding Pictures , hope I did it right. I replaced my skins last summer and used contact cement. Had to weight down a few areas for a couple days , but is holding up well. I used Dap Black Latex Caulk on the ends to fill cracks of overlaps . It blended with the rubber perfectly and looks good, although I`m sure it wasn't the "way" to do it. Mats came from Rock Auto....cheapest in price. Had to trim off the bottom rubber channels to glue on flat aftermarket metal boards. This was the hardest part of the job , had to make a tool to skim cut the rubber off. Done deal....holding up great!.....

Thanks,
unfortunately I do not no the name or the code of the color. Think it is a special one for Argentina.
Original clips I have enough, but they are good for nothing