TheSamba.com :: View topic - Carpet Kit Warning for EARLY '69 Vert Owners...

Tue Aug 26, 2008 10:17 am

I bought a TMI carpet kit from KGPR back in May. On their website it has a "68 Convertible Only" kit and a "69-72 Convertible" kit. Since I have a '69 convertible Ghia, I bought the latter.

I got around to installing it this weekend and I noticed that none of the trunk-area pieces of carpet were even CLOSE to fitting my car...I quickly realized what I SHOULD have realized from the get-go: The kit is tailored to the '69 1/2 model year Ghia with the glass rear windshield. As a result, the carpet pieces around the wheel wells, trunk, and hinge covers don't fit worth diddly-squat.

I called TMI to see if I had ordered the wrong kit and to see if I could get the carpet pieces that I needed. TMI amazingly told me to call KGPR as KGPR was apparently more familiar with TMI products than TMI themselves... :shock: Anywho....I called KGPR and spoke with Dave Ladelle (I have no idea if that's the correct spelling of the last name) and Dave was indeed extremely helpful. He reviewed the carpet kits availble from TMI and SewFine and confirmed what I had been suspecting: Neither of those two carpet suppliers have a carpet kit that fits the EARLY 1969 convertible car. The 1968 carpet kit wont fit the EARLY 1969 car because the seat rails are different. The 1969-1972 kit won't fit because it is for the cars with the glass rear windshield and larger hinge covers.

Clearly I was a little annoyed because the carpet kit is marketed as a "1969-1972" kit, and not a "1969 1/2 -1972" kit as it should be. Dave meanwhile, has been calling his TMI and Sewfine reps to remedy the problem. He says that since so few people have early '69 Ghia Verts they seldom get complaints about the kits not fitting, and figures that most people probably just make due with ill-fitting carpet. Hopefully TMI will get their act together and either offer a true 1969 kit, or at the very least, market their current kits as "1969 1/2-1972" kits. I'm just very grateful that Dave and KGPR are commited to remedying the situation for me, "one way or another."

Tue Aug 26, 2008 11:02 am

I had the same problem nearly 3 years ago with the TMI carpet for my early 69 vert.
After many phone calls to TMI. I sent back the pieces that did not fit and they sent me 68 vert carpet set minus the pieces that I kept.
Problem Solved.
I am really surprised that no one at TMI offered this to you.

Tue Aug 26, 2008 12:03 pm

69 KG wrote: I had the same problem nearly 3 years ago with the TMI carpet for my early 69 vert.
After many phone calls to TMI. I sent back the pieces that did not fit and they sent me 68 vert carpet set minus the pieces that I kept.
Problem Solved.
I am really surprised that no one at TMI offered this to you.

Yeah, when I called TMI I talked to "Len" and he immediately referred to me to Dave at KGPR. From what Dave has told me, it sounds like they're going to do the same thing for me, I'm just amazed that they've never botherd to market their kits correctly.

I assume everthing fit well once you had the '68 parts for the trunk? Were the trunk, wheel well, and hinge cover side pieces the only ones that didn't work?

Tue Aug 26, 2008 12:18 pm

IIRC it was pretty much everything in the back. The piece under the rear seat that crosses the tunnel was way off. The areas around the rear luggage compartment were incorrect at first as well. The carpet for the front trunk was ordered later and it seems like I just ordered it as a 68.
The build date on "Carlotta" is July 22 68 and I have found more and more that were "left over" 68 parts that were used. She's IRS so she IS a early 69 model.
Sounds like yours is possibly in the same boat, just be aware that when replacing something you will want to look at the 68 part as well.

Tue Aug 26, 2008 12:57 pm

Thanks for the advice, when I talk to Dave again, I'll let him know about the other pieces.

Yep, my built date is October 25th of 1968 and has an IRS too. Sounds like Carmen and Carlotta are pups of the same litter. (wow...that sounded a lot less lame in my head.)

Tue Aug 26, 2008 1:21 pm

I appreciate the heads up. I also have an early '69 'vert and need new carpet.

Thanks,

Clive in Lynchburg, VA

Tue Aug 26, 2008 4:35 pm

69 KG wrote: IIRC it was pretty much everything in the back. The piece under the rear seat that crosses the tunnel was way off. The areas around the rear luggage compartment were incorrect at first as well. The carpet for the front trunk was ordered later and it seems like I just ordered it as a 68.
The build date on "Carlotta" is July 22 68 and I have found more and more that were "left over" 68 parts that were used. She's IRS so she IS a early 69 model.
Sounds like yours is possibly in the same boat, just be aware that when replacing something you will want to look at the 68 part as well.

Hey KG 69,
Any chance you could post a pic of your setup in the rear luggage area? I'm talking to the guys at KGPR and they're saying that the wheel well covers are the same for all years, but I don't see how the early 69 could share wheel well covers with the late 69...

If anyone else wants to post wheel well pics of a PRE '69 1/2 rear luggage area (of any year) it would also be greatly appreciated.

thanks!

Tue Aug 26, 2008 6:43 pm

There were two rear wheel well pieces, they were cut to shape and glued on.
Then the longer center section went up the back of the fire wall down to seat edge.
Below are photos. Sorry, top is up, it's Raining here! Hurray!

Wed Aug 27, 2008 8:33 am

Awesome, thanks for the pics!

Sat Aug 30, 2008 10:08 pm

Just a quick update:

Dave from KGPR called me on Friday to tell me that TMI was shipping out the pieces I needed for my '69...free of charge.

Just another example of GREAT customer service from KGPR. They took care of everything, and I didn't have to worry about anything. I wish all merchants were as good as KGPR!