Gimp on the MGTD Fear Floor

Bruce Cunha (TD 4139). Photos by LaVerne Dowdy.

The TD came from the factory with an edging that attaches to the rear flooring along the sides of the wheel well. According to Jim Sylva*, the material is called gimp.

The factory folded the edge of the interior material that comes down the wheel well to go over the top of the rear floorboard. The gimp was nailed over the edge of the interior material with 5 round head, black tacks to hide the edge of the interior material.

While the factory folded the interior material to be on top of the rear floorboards, today, it is typically put on and then the floorboard installed so the material is held down by the floor. The gimp is then applied to the floorboard to finish the look.

The piping is 7/9 of an inch wide and appears to have been black on all cars. It is folded so the two sides touch on the back. Jim stated that most of the kits come with material that is ¾” and that most do not know to fold it so that it is the correct width. With wider material, it may be needed to fold it over in the back to achieve the correct width.

Dark head tacks hold the piping onto the rear floor. There are 5 tacks that hold the gimp down.

The material runs from the back of the rear flooring to the front. It makes a 90 degree turn at the edge of the rear floor where it is tacked to the rear floor, and then goes across the tacking strip of wood that is at the front lower edge of the inner fender.

* Jim Silva runs Sure Fit Seat Covers, San Leandro, CA. and is one of the foremost TD interior builders.

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