FE sedan with carpet in back

[fe2ek]

Did some Fe sedans come out with carpet on the rear floor and vinyl on the front floor.

Regards Geoff.

[RET]

Yes.

Exactly when carpet was introduced I'm not sure, although my Sept '56 FE doesn't have it.  I know it was deleted and went back to vinyl some time in early '58, and was only ever vinyl in the FC series.

If I think of it tonight I'll have a look in the master parts catalogue and see if it sheds any light.

cheers
RET

[zulu]

Hi Geoff, My FE had carpet inthe back, Westminster I think the brand was.
Gary

[Geoff_K]

My FE Specials (September 56 and October 56 Sydney Build), both have original Westminster Carpet.
Carpet is dark blue, to complement Elk Blue, and Teal Blue over Elk Blue Colour Schemes

Regards,

Geoff_K  

[gp]

Hi Guys,
From what I can make out, it would appear that the carpet in the back is a carry over from the FJ Special's that also had Westminster carpet in the back. Perhaps Ken could enlighten us??

Cheers,

Graham.

[RET]

I don't know about that Graham.  My FE is a very early one (body number FE-225-5678, which predates any manufacture at Sydney or Melbourne), and it has a rubber floor mat in the rear.  FWIW it was assembled in Melbourne, one of the last before manufacture commenced there.

I had a look in the parts manual last night, but it was inconclusive.  Some trim codes show both a rubber mat and carpet as a valid option for the rear floor covering.  Others have only a rubber mat.  Surprisingly, some of the carpet options are listed for FE/215 as well as FE/225.  Very strange indeed.

cheers
RET

[4hammers]

Hi.
There is a fella in the TAS club with an FE his Dad bought brand new in 56. It was a very early car & was optioned with carpet in the back. You probably know him RET, David Mitchell (Blue FE just like yours). BTW, his car was also optioned with a CRANK HANDLE .
Apparently, his Dad who had only ever owned a car with a crank handle, didn't trust a car without one, so demanded the dealer option one on. He must have been VERY persuasive.
Also, the local Shannons agent (Rodney Belbin), has an immaculate metallic green FX with carpet optioned. It is an early car, with the door lock buttons down the back of the door. It was optioned with the full carpet front & back.
This car also has "Georgia" on the firewall. We have always wondered why it looks as if it was written with a finger in the wet paint, but now know (From an earlier post by RET), that it would have been written in chalk & the paint has never adhered, so it came away, leaving it looking like it does.

Rob J

[gp]

Well here's something I DO know about. Rob, the early 48/215's all came standard with carpet front & rear!! I'm not sure when the rubber mats became available, but I think it was late '49 or early '50?? I did a fair bit of research on this when we were restoring Dad's car which was built in Sept' '49. This car originally came with all the luxury gear:- leather seats, full carpeting, metallic paint, variable intermittent wipers (Oh, oops, I thought that vacuum wipers were supposed to work like that   ), etc. And I bet you all thought that this stuff was reserved for late model luxury cars!!

I'd be interested in seeing some numbers off that car Rob.

Cheers,

Graham.

[mcl1959]

It seems from more studying of the various parts books that carpets or mats were optional on all FE 225's and 215's.  It also appears that FE217, 219 & 229's only had mats.
It maybe appears that mats were were more expensive than carpets and perhaps carpets were standard issue unless mats were specified.
Possibly very late FE's (1958 production?  or maybe since the release of the wagon - hence no wagons with carpet?) never had carpets at all as they had possibly been superceded by mats entirely, as by the release of the FC carpets had dissapeared entirely.
I don't recall seeing a 1958 FE with carpets - can anyone shed any light here?

Ken

[zulu]

Only that the carpets in my beast looked like they had been fashioned by a blacksmith rather than a GMH design team. Also they were on top of the rubber mats, so must have been an option.

[graham_fuller]

All I could say is that my 58 FE came standard with mats no carpet.The cost wouldn't have been extra or Dad wouldn't have got them.
Cheers,
Graham

[Geoff_K]

The rear Westminster carpet came standard with my My FE Special.  My grandfather's car (grey similiar to Wayne Skuse's car, bought at the same time as my Elk Blue Special) had red Westminster carpet.  The rear carpet in my Teal Blue over Elk Blue looks original and is still glued down.
Because the Westminster carpet had no 'give' it was cut to fit the floor profile, and this is quite visible over the tunnel under the front seat.
It is certainly a very 'classy look', but bearing in mind the FE's weather sealing problems, it may have been pragmatic of GMH to remove the problem sometime after the initial launch stock ran down.  Wet rear carpet is not good for Sales!

Cheers

Geoff_K  

[mcl1959]

I think your right Geoff about it being removed.  The only problem I have is that the FE parts book lists the carpet for all trim codes for FE - this includes the change to the trim in mid 1957.  So at least somewhere past mid 1957 is when it was deleted.   There is also plenty of reports of 1957 cars with standard factory carpets.
Zulu's car is definately a home handyman job as carpets were not fitted over the top of the mats.
Ken

[Wayne]

Mine is an early 57 built Jan and it has the carpet in the rear with mat in front
WAYNE

[FCwagon]

Came across this sales bulletin (No. M771) from GMH Dandenong to dealers:
27 August 1957,
To All Holden Dealers
Victoria:
"Effective immediately all Holden Special Sedans will be equipped with a rubber mat in the rear seat compartment.
This rubber mat covers the floor previously covered by carpet.
We feel sure that this will prove an added selling feature because of it's attractiveness and ease of cleaning".
sorry but the scan is a copy of a copy so it's not a good copy. (I think that's wot I mean)
cheers,
Leigh

[mcl1959]

Well there you go

Ken