50 Champion floor coverings

[wdills]

Dad is trying to decide between carpet and the rubber mat on the floor of his Starlight. I see where SI sells a rubber mat for the front but nothing for the back. What did these cars have on the rear floor when they had a mat up front?

[Mike Sal]

Rubber mats have killed more cars than any other reason in my opinion.....moisture getting under them & rotting the floors out. I know this doesn't answer your question, but I'd never put a rubber mat back into a car that I spent time fixing up.
Mike Sal

[52-fan]

My 52 Champion had a rubber mat in front and a very short fiber carpet in the rear.

[RadioRoy]

Rubber mats have killed more cars than any other reason in my opinion.....moisture getting under them & rotting the floors out. I know this doesn't answer your question, but I'd never put a rubber mat back into a car that I spent time fixing up.
Mike Sal

I agree with that, 100%. No more rubber mats for me.

[tim333]

I saw an indoor outdoor carpet at Home Depot that seemed a PERFECT match for the rear carpet in my 50 Champion, less than $20.

[tim333]

I saw an indoor outdoor carpet at Home Depot that seemed a PERFECT match for the rear carpet in my 50 Champion, less than $20. I work there so if you need the SKU, let me know.

[Lothar]

As I understand it, a fitted rubber mat in front and carpet in back was standard on Champions, but front carpet was an option.

[wdills]

I certainly hope Dad decides to go with carpet all around, but since it is his car, I will build it the way he wants it. Seems strange that Studebaker would do carpet in the back and a rubber mat up front, but a lot of things they did back then seem strange to me.

tim333, please send that SKU number. I would be interested to see what the rear carpet looked like when paired with a black rubber mat up front.

[tim333]

I'll send it when I go to work this evening.

[Greenstude]

My 1947 Champion has a rubber mat in front and carpet in the rear.

My father bought a 1952 Dodge Mayfair 2-door hardtop early in 1953. It had been the dealer's private car, and "had everything". When the car was about 8 years old, the left rocker panel and a chunk of the floor FELL OFF from rust due to moisture under the carpet. Since then, I have always been a fan of rubber floor mats.

On my Champion, I painted the floor with Trem-Clad last year --- it's out of sight under the mat. Also, I have a home-made gasket under the master cylinder access cover, and the cover bolted down, so moisture does not enter there on rainy days.

[52-fan]

tim333, please send that SKU number. I would be interested to see what the rear carpet looked like when paired with a black rubber mat up front.

I guess I should add that my rubber mat was a gray/brown that coordinated with the dash and metal trim. A black rubber would have looked rather severe with the other colors.

[tim333]

SKU's: Tan 702 930, Gray 779 514

[wdills]

Thanks Tim. The lighter color would blend pretty good with the rest of the interior colors.