Homemade Sill Mats Ideas??

[55 Fargo]

Hi yall, I have this question before, and would like to know what some of you have done for sill mats and how you have made them.

I am not currently in a position to buy new or used ones at the prices they fetch.

My original ones are crap, the metal is rusted out, only about one of them is anything halfway decent.

I just want to know what would be the best way to make up some low budget mats, and how to install them................Thanx Fred

[james curl]

Just go to the forum search and type in sil mats and it will bring up all posts on sil mats. Some time back Norm posted that he saw rubber stair tread mats at a local bulding supply big box store while walking through and thought they would make good door sil replacements for cheap. I believe that it was John who replied and posted pictured of them installed with four fender washers and screws.

[Ed Griffin]

You can also look around at any store that carries rubber (home) door mats or anything close and check the back side. Reason I say this is because on the back side some of them look like the original floor rubber and some like the sill mats. Find a company that sells the large two door mat's for the front of stores and they carry larger mat's.

[BobT-47P15]

It occurs to me that the original sill mats have a metal backing with studs attached to insert into rubber grommets that fit into holes in the sill. A

person might take a piece of sheet metal, glue the rubber to it, then use

some small screws to hold it in place. The studs might be difficult to reproduce as they seem to be part of the metal backing.

[Norm's Coupe]

My original sill mats still look good on my coupe. However, when it gets warmer I'm going to try and reproduce them in aluminum. Have been going over the idea for the past several days. The plan is to make them look close to original in shape and style but with no rubber on top. These would not have the pegs on the bottom, they would be screwed in with stainless screws in recessed holes like the aluminum sill plates in the 50's and 60's cars. When I say like original shape and style, I mean with the ridge around the outside and ridges going through the middle portion like the rubber mats have.

Only reason I'm trying this is because I want a custom sill mat with bright metal. Will either make them out of the patterned sheet aluminum or plain, then polish them. Of course, you could paint them black to make them look even more original, but thats not the look I'm after.

Also, if you don't mind custom sill plates you could contact Ed Gross "dndrodshop". His son made some nice looking aluminum sill plates for his 2 door sedan. Believe he will also make them and sell them to you. His are machined on heavier aluminum than what I'm talking about doing.

Otherwise, like the others said check out the Lowes or Home Depot for the rubber stair treads.

By the way, I don't plan on making the sill plates I mentioned above for sale, even if they do turn out good. Would take too much time to make them for resale on a regular basis with the way I'm making them. If they work out, I will post how they were made and with what so others can make them for their self.

[kdog1157]

have been tossing around the idea of making them of wood,similar to what you would use in a house flooring.it is already finished,all you have to do is use old sill plates as a pattern,just a thought,kevin

[Robin (UK)]

On my coupe, I used ribbed rubber matting, cut it to shape and glued it to the sill.

It's still there, and looking good, many years on.

Of course, the pattern on the rubber is not correct, but it's black, sharp looking and non-slip.

An easy and cheap fix.

Here's a link to the product I used (UK supplier, but I'm sure you will get similar in the US)

www.woolies-trim.co.uk/pc-1709-120-broad-rib-rubber-matting.aspx

[55 Fargo]

Thanx Guys, decided to go with the Home Depot Style Rubber Floor mat, looks just like the pics Robin sent. I do not think it is necessary to laminate it over sheemtal before installation, although that might be better.

Norm, I would like to make aluminum door sill plates at some point in the future............Fred

[55 Fargo]

Robin, how did you install your rubber matting, would you be able to provide a picture of it.............Fred

[littleman]

HD special, trim to fit,

[55 Fargo]

I also would like to know what I could use to clean up the outer aluminum strips on the outer edge of the sill mats. Mine are beat up, can they be acid dipped, or how can I get them to clean up and shine...............Fred

[55 Fargo]

Here is a pic of the homemade sill mats. They are only cut to size, and not secured yet, not sure exactly how I am going to do this, maybe I should eliminate the aluminum strips, or paint them or something, any suggestions, on this and how to fasten them..........Thanx Fred

[David Maxwell]

...called me the other day and said he had been recoating his original mats with layers of Rhino Skin (or whatever that stuff is called) and said it's coming out nice. Haven't seen them yet.

[Ed Griffin]

If your unsure exactly what you want to do for now I would pick up some sticky back velcro and use it to hold the mat down for now. May or may not stick to your indoor/outdoor carpet. If not you can always sew in spots of velcro into the carpet. Used that exact carpet for my boat and really liked it compared to some others. Last's.

If using screws I would use as few as possible. Contact adhesive (yellow glue) also can be used as well as revets. Idea is to try and keep screws, etc from showing as much as possible. Since these didnt have screws holding the mat down originally, thats my reason for suggesting the velcro or glue.

For cleaning the aluminum, you can go several routes for that depending just how shiney you want it, if you want it. All in all it's really up to you what you want the end result to look like. Good choice on the mat, looks good.

[greg g]

Littleman, what area of HD did you find the stuff you used? I am going to be needing something similar for my Studebaker truck project. I want to put something like it on the top of the bed sides and the top of the tailgate and the top of the front of the box, as well as the step ins.

[Allan Faust]

The studs might be difficult to reproduce as they seem to be part of the metal backing.

Take a similar size and length bolt... weld them in place, to the metal plate... and voila...

Allan

[littleman]

Littleman, what area of HD did you find the stuff you used? I am going to be needing something similar for my Studebaker truck project. I want to put something like it on the top of the bed sides and the top of the tailgate and the top of the front of the box, as well as the step ins.

Threshold tread? Step tread? in that aisle anyway, 36", trim ends to fit, cut long toe, down to 3/8 or what ever. Could use sabre or router for custom fit on ends.

After going back over your req., I think you would be more interested in narrower material that you might find in the same dept. in longer lenghts. Or if you're close to an industrial area, a supplier of fabricated metals. Lots of stuff laying around those places, almost as much fun as the olde junk yards.

AL

[Robin (UK)]

Robin, how did you install your rubber matting, would you be able to provide a picture of it.............Fred

Hi Fred,

I sold the coupe to a friend 4 years ago.

I'll ask him to take a picture.

Robin.

[BobT-47P15]

Here is what some person did on a P15 coupe. Looks like the strip came

out of another car, may have been shortened on the front end. Better

than nothing.......just extended the carpet over to the edge.

[BobT-47P15]

Here's a pic of a 47 Plym convert sill mat. Not a perfect example. It has body shop dust on it,

but you can see how it's made.

[55 Fargo]

Very similar to the stock Chrysler sill mats........

[55 Fargo]

Bob, where did you get pics of sill mats, are you an old Plymouth Investigator for the State

[BobT-47P15]

The sill plate that is narrow aluminum is on a coupe near here.

The rubber mat with dust is on the P15 convert in the background...being

repainted at a local body shop. So, now there are two P15 ragtops in

the area. Mine has been the only one til lately.

Strangely, I do not seem to have a picture of my own sill mat (original)....

will have to take one.

I guess you could say I'm the official old MoPar investigator in this neck

of the woods.

[Robin (UK)]

At last - a picture of the ribbed rubber matting I used to replace the sill mats on the car I used to own.

A quick, cheap fix.

Hope it's some help.

Robin.

[55 Fargo]

Robin, thanx, I have done something sinilar, I may laminate it to 1/8 hardboard or something similar to make it rigid and level, mine looks much like yours did, very acceptable.........Fred