Pre-war (up to 1942) 1940 Lasalle Carpet

[Ben Medlock]

does the carpet go under or on top of the scuff plate?

[Tom Boehm]

By scuff plate I assume you mean the aluminum threshold under the door? My opinion is the carpet should go on top of the scuff plate. My reasoning is: 1940 Lasalles did not come from the factory with carpet. They had a rubber mat with carpet inserts. The mat was removable so it went on top of the edge of the threshold.

Reproduction mats were sold by Bob's Automobilia but availability was not consistent through the years so many went with carpet.

A bit of editorializing: This is the kind of question that is getting harder to answer. When I first got my Lasalle over 20 years ago there were many guys from the generation who grew up with these cars still around. I knew who to go to to get answers to such questions. Those guys are almost all gone. The authenticity manual is important but it doesn't have all the answers.

[Ben Medlock]

Bob,
Yes,  the aluminum threshold. Just had my interior done and my upholstery guy made carpet for the front. He laid the carpet on top of the threshold but I notice in the authenticity manual it looks like it is under the threshold. Thats found on age V-2 of the 1939/1940 manual. However, looking closely, this does not look like a picture of an actual car but maybe a drawing...

The carpet does not line up with the raised ridge of the threshold perfectly so that bothers my OCD. I may try tucking under to see how that looks.

Thanks for you input

[Tom Boehm]

Hello Ben, turn a few more pages in the authenticity manual to the section on floor mats. There are better pictures that seem to show the edge of the mat butting up to the ridge on the scuff plate. (mat on top of the scuff plate.) My answer was an opinion. I don't know the answer for certain.

[Tom Boehm]

I just got my seats back from the upholsterer also. My car is a 1940 Lasalle woodie. The seats were custom made along with the body in 1940. Post a picture of your upholstery. I would have sent a PM but pictures can't be sent that way. I know all about Lasalle induced OCD.

[Ben Medlock]

Attached are a few pics of the front carpet. I have to say I am very disappointed with the quality of work this business did for me. I was very surprised because this is the kind of car they do and have been doing it for many years. Just picked it up Saturday so I'm working with them to see if they will make everything right. That said, I have a lot more questions if you have time:

1- I believe the carpet should extend under the front seat. Is that correct?
2- How should the carpet go around the pedals and column?

[Tom Boehm]

Hello Ben, I agree, I would expect higher quality if it were my car. I can't say for sure how far under the seat the original mat went. But... In my opinion It should go under the seat. The guy is making this from scratch and has total control over the final look. He could have added a few inches under the seat. I attached a picture of the reproduction mat in my car. I ordered it uncut and did the trimming around the edges myself. Notice around the pedals. That is the way the originals were cut. It should be cut close around the column and shift shaft. Also there was a rubber ring around the column to disguise the trimming. I reused the original but Steele may have this. If so, you will have to cut it to install unless you want to remove the column.

We both agreed on that OCD thing.    

Actually, the fit next to the scuff plates looks OK to me.

[Ben Medlock]

Bob,
Thanks for that picture. It's worth 1000 words. Who did you buy your repo mat from? I like the idea of using the mat with carpet inserts instead of full carpet. I'm a pretty handy guy and believe I can cut it to fit my car then use the carpet I have to make the cut outs.

[Tom Boehm]

The repo mats came from Bob's Automobilia. That is a reproduction Buick parts vendor. He had reproduction mats made for various prewar Buicks. Because the GM shared body shells, certain Buick mats fit in Lasalles. The slight difference is originally Lasalle mats had carpet inserts on the toeboard also. Buick mats only have carpet inserts on the floor. So, the Buick mats are not 100% exact to what was in Lasalles but it is the only option available (other than carpet) and I'm glad to have it.
Availability of these mats at Bob's has been spotty over the years. He sells out and it will be a while before he gets more. They are still on his website. I got mine uncut because the pedals may be in a different place on a Buick.
Do you have a 1940 50 series or 52 series. I will look up which body was shared with Buick for you.

[Ben Medlock]

I have a 1940 model 5019. Thanks for your help

[Tom Boehm]

series 40 Buick Special, series 60 Buick Century, and Lasalle series 50 all used the same GM B body. Therefore, if you order a mat for those Buicks it will fit perfectly.

You should order #FF-390BN from Bob's Automobilia. Brown mat for 1939 and 1940 Buick Special and Century. They may not include the carpet insert anymore. You would have to get it separately. Your car does have a tan interior? It looked like it in the pictures.

The Bad News:   The website said out of stock. Call and inquire.

[Ben Medlock]

My interior is grey so would need to go with black. Maybe an option.... I'll reach out to the folks at Bobs Automobilia.

Thanks

[Tom Boehm]

They have a black one too. Part # FF-390BKU.

You Got Lucky. It's In Stock!!!

[wheikkila]

When I purchased my 1940 model 52. It was from the second owner. It had 77,000 original miles. The mat was under the seat and scuff plate. I had to remove the scuff plate. So i could fold back the mat to get to the battery. Located under the drives seat.
           Thanks Wayne   

[39LaSalleDriver]

Coming in late to the party here. I agonized about all of this some time back on my 39 model 5019. As I recall, current info indicated that brown was the only color on those front floor mats but I make no claims to be an expert. I too installed the uncut Buick mat from Bob's Automobilia and trimmed it to fit. I then cut out carpet pieces to glue onto the rubber. I also trimmed it to fit somewhat under the front seat so that no metal or underlayment was exposed.


As to over or under the sill...I chose to let it lay over. I think it looks better and makes it easier to access the battery panel. It's hard enough to get in there to begin with, and there's no way I'm going to remove the sill plate or try to feed the rubber back under it every time I want to access the battery (which is pretty much every time I drive it).

[Tom Boehm]

Hello Ben and Jon, Jon was right and I was wrong. I looked it up in the authenticity manual.
 
All 1939 Lasalles had brown mats with brown carpet inserts.

All 1940 Lasalles had brown mats. Cars with gray interiors got gray carpet inserts. cars with tan interiors got brown carpet inserts. Carpet inserts in convertibles matched the upholstery color.

I would call Bob's and ask about mat availability now and in the future. If he does not intend to get more brown mats I would buy the black one that is in stock. It is not factory correct original color but that is your only option if brown ones will not be available.

[Ben Medlock]

Just ordered the mat from Bobs. My interior is Grey so I have to assume the original mat was black. If I remember right, the old one I removed was black.

Thanks for all of the advice on this. I'm excited to get the mat and get rid of the poorly made carpet.

[Abe Lugo]

Guys.  How much extra wider is the mat before trimming?
I have heard of using these on the 1940-1941 Cadillac model 62.  But I'm am weary that it might be too narrow. 

[Tom Boehm]

Abe,

The 1940/41 Cadillac series 62, 1940 Lasalle series 52, 1940/41 Buick series 50, and 1940/41 Buick series 70 all used the 1940 & 1941 GM C body. Therefore Bob's # FF 418 BKU  (black)  or FF 418 BN  (brown) should fit your series 62 Cadillac.

That is a different item number than the ones mentioned in the above posts.

[Ben Medlock]

Abe, I can get you some measurements and pics when mine comes in if you want to verify. Out the door price from Bob's was $441 which included freight to South Carolina. He said he had a ''few'' of these mats left.