For photography purposes,...
For photography purposes, we're concentrating on the passenger side of the car. With the old carpet and the top part of the forward console bezel removed, Matt first prefits the passenger-side front carpet.
After 5-10 years of regular use, the carpet in your C5 is likely looking quite worn. Fortunately, as a Corvette owner, you have lots of options when it comes to installing new carpet.
Mid America Motorworks produces most of its own carpets on-site at its Effingham, Illinois, campus under the Performance Choice brand. Mid America has excellent print and online catalogs, so ordering the carpet for your particular application is easy.
While re-covering your C5 seats seems like a big job to many, installing a new carpet set correctly is not that difficult. While we were at Mid America Funfest installing the rest of Project C5X's interior, Matt Daniels volunteered to help us document the carpet install procedure. I again want to thank him and Nancy Bushur for their help with this article. Let's get some new carpet in there!
| Difficulty Index - 2 Wrenches |
| Anyone's Project: no tools required | 1 Wrench |
| Beginner: basic tools | 2 Wrenches |
| Experienced: special tools | 3 Wrenches |
| Accomplished: special tools and outside help | 4 Wrenches |
| Professionals Only: send this work out | 5 Wrenches |
Cut the carpet for the passenger...
Cut the carpet for the passenger front air vent located on the side of the transmission tunnel.
Here's an up-close view of...
Here's an up-close view of the passenger front air vent.
Locate the correct position...
Locate the correct position to cut for the passenger front-seat-control wire opening.
Cut the passenger front seat...
Cut the passenger front seat control wire opening into a T-shape.
Use Velcro to attach the passenger...
Use Velcro to attach the passenger front carpet onto the emergency-brake boot. Note that the forward console bezel and rear console have been removed.
Prior to starting this install,...
Prior to starting this install, the fuse-block cover located in the passenger front floorboard was removed. Matt reattaches the cover after the carpet is positioned around the fuse block.
Reinstall the forward console...
Reinstall the forward console bezel.
Carefully position the forward...
Carefully position the forward console bezel.
Connect the wiring harness...
Connect the wiring harness to the auxiliary power source.
Snap in the forward console...
Snap in the forward console bezel.
Remove the positioning keeper...
Remove the positioning keeper located inside the shifter knob.
Unscrew the shifter knob from...
Unscrew the shifter knob from the shifter shaft.
Replace the shifter boot in...
Replace the shifter boot in the forward console bezel.
Matt prepares to reinstall...
Matt prepares to reinstall the rear-console plastic.
Reconnect power to the controls...
Reconnect power to the controls in the rear-console plastic.
Secure the rear-console plastic...
Secure the rear-console plastic with 10mm nuts.
Reconnect the power source...
Reconnect the power source to the traction-control button.
Reinstall the screws in the...
Reinstall the screws in the forward console bezel.
Reinstall the positioning...
Reinstall the positioning keeper in the shifter knob.
Lightly tap the shifter-positioning...
Lightly tap the shifter-positioning keeper into place.
Matt reinstalls our newly...
Matt reinstalls our newly covered console cushion.
Replace the nut covers in...
Replace the nut covers in the rear console plastic.
Final touches are made to...
Final touches are made to the console cushion. Job done.
Doesn't the new console cushion...
Doesn't the new console cushion cover look cool? Now we can repeat the procedure for the driver side, and the front carpet will be in.