Carpet Installation (in a Beetle)

by Robert Kuhn

Carpet Installation VW Bug & Super Beetle

Installing the 7 or 10 piece carpet kit isn't that hard. Takes only a few hours to do and can be done by yourself. A large work area is nice, I like to lay the pieces out on the floor first (see diagram further down in this page) prior to installing. This helps me visualize how the carpet sections will go in and look (OK, so I'm somewhat weird, but it works for me). I'm not going to cover the trunk kit as it's pretty self explanatory.

When I did my car, it took me about 4 hours from start to finish. I laid the carpet out in my driveway, the warmth of the sun helpped flatten them out and made it easier to install. I also took my time and went slowly.

Tools Needed

  1. Glue; Contact cement - The brush on kind I find to be better than the spray on.
    • If you have a 7 piece kit, 1 quart is good.
    • If you have a 10 piece kit, 2 quarts should suffice.

  2. A 2 inch brush for the glue.
  3. Scissors; sharper the better!
  4. Exacto/Razor blade.
  5. 13 mm wrench or socket for removal of the shifter.
  6. If you have a 68 or earlier, a hammer and a small block of wood.
  7. If you have seat belts, whatever size socket/wrench for belt removal.
  8. A vaccum cleaner (a shop vac is ideal).
  9. Screw driver.

Here we go!

We're going to assume that your VW doesn't have any carpet right now.
If it does, remove it first!

  1. Lay your carpet kit down on the ground and make sure that you have all the pieces (ie: 7 piece or 10 piece).

  2. MAKE SURE THE FLOOR OF YOUR CAR IS CLEAN! Get the vaccum out and suck up all them old dried up McDonalds french fries, dirt, rocks/pebbles, sand and whatever else might be on the floor. Removal of the seats (front and rear) will make cleaning easier and faster and you have to take them out anyway.

  3. Remove the shifter (two 13mm bolts), put the shifter aside and out of the way. Don't lose them bolts! Might want to put them in a zippy bag or something.

    Refering to the carpet diagram below, install the carpet in the numbered sequence shown. Also be sure to spread the glue on each piece all the way to the edge.

  4. When installing sections #4 and #5, make sure the wide tails are to the rear of the car. In 1968 and earlier cars, sections #4 and #5 go under the metal edge and are held in place by gently tapping it with a block of wood and hammer (a small section of a 2 by 4 works good). I found that on a 1969 and later carpet kit, rubber is sewn on the edge of sections #4 and #5 which go over the metal edge.

  5. Turning our attention to section #6, lay it in place first. DO NOT GLUE AT THIS TIME! On one side, roll the carpet up to the side of side of the tunnel to the emergency brake ... make a cut at the base of the emergency brake. Now remove the carpet and cut the appropriate size hole to fit over the emergency brake mechanism. Now glue this section in place.

  6. Section #7; glue this section in place ... make sure you don't get any glue down the shifter hole. Once the glue has dried, take your blade and cut a hole for the shifter ... now reinstall your shifter.

  7. Section #10 might need some cutting/trimming.

(Front of car)

(Rear of car)

10 Piece carpet kit shown

Something to consider: When you remove the seats and the shifter, that would be a good time to repaint the exposed areas (the pedal assembly, emergency brake, shifter, seat rails and any other metal surface).

Now put your seats back in and we're all done! Looks pretty good, eh?


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