[Andrew]

Since this club is fairly small (I didnt want to announce this on i-club because im not ready for that many responses, demand, etc. ) I wanted to share my project that I've started. Some of the bay area guys already know im doing this but I thought I'd tell others as well (also so I can gauge interest).

I am making diamond plated aluminum floor mats. My template is on its way here (should be here in 3 days), but my mom told me to wait till after christmas (she got me a tool that will allow me to cut the lines better). A couple days ago I ordered 4 different gauges of diamond plated metal and i successfully made a clean bend in the lowest gauge one by hand. so i am continuing the project with next making a bend.

In the end I'm planning on charging ~$125 shipped (depending on shipping cost). I also plan on designing something for the trunk... but first driver and passanger floor mats. im ballparking the trunk to be the same price or around 150 and of course a deal if you buy both. it will have (i forgot what they are called) but things on them for bungee cords and nets to hold things in place. it will also have a large hatch in the middle so you can access your spare and somehow id allow it to not be LOCKED but a design like a lock on a cabinet so it doesnt fly open and bounce around while you are driving-i may need to find some think carpeting (hm maybe the stock "carpet" can be used as a sound deadener). i dont know if it would be too much (gaudy) or loud/rattling too much/etc if i replace the back cardboard brown thing thats behind the rear seats with the same diamond plating.


so im just wondering what you guys think and if youd be interested.

i dont have a welder so i cant weld a lip around it. i was planning on using something to go around the edges to do 2 things: 1) so you wont cut yourself and 2) so itll hold in water.

i'm also thinking of personalizing the plates by somehow painting on something like SUBARU down the door side of each mat (SUBARU being in the subaru font and not too big and not too small). im just worried that under certain use itll flake/scratch/peel off. any suggestions other than powdercoating? id love to powdercoat but i dont have a kit or an oven...yet

also 1 square foot weighs about .9pounds. total is going to be less than 3 pounds each.

If there is demand I will continue on to GDAs once a donnor car allows me to make a template.

:checkit:

 

[Mea Culpa]

Sounds pretty cool, but do you have a picture of what the diamond plated aluminum looks like?

 

[Hndatch627]

sounds good, i would be interested in the trunk one...i was planning on using plywood to make the trunk piece. keep us posted.

 

[trojan9x]

if this is something that will cover the whole bed of the trunk, how will you fit it in? the trunk opening is not wide enought to fit it. unless it comes in parts

 

[JGard18]

ehh...no thanks.

it'll be tough to get other's to get them, I think... cause whoever doesn't like the stock floormats, go with the rubber ones, and I've heard nothing but good things about the rubber floor mats, and they only cost $45.

 

[Andrew]

This is what im hoping the final product will look like:

oh yeah and the trunk mat.... ive been giving it alot of thought on how to get it to fit. i think i might be able to make it 1 piece and get it in there through the rear seats. im hesitant to do it in multiple pieces because i want it to match perfectly.

 

[mtnbkrcr]

Looking forward to seeing the finished product

Mike

 

[Hndatch627]

how about hinged multiple pieces cause if it's gonna be durable it's gonna be kinda heavy and i'd like to remove it for auto-x's.

 

[puckaveli]

I have been looking for those things. Will you have a lip on the edges to catch water and such?

 

[Elite421]

You got my attention! i will buy! ihave the rubber $45 matts and my heel always gets caught on the end of the matt. i made my sales person throw them in when i bought my car.i never really use them now. How do you plan on shipping them, are they going to be premolded? or are we going to have to bend them in place when we get them?
Alex

 

[Andrew]

Hey guys!

Pricing, depending on how my final version comes out I am going to adjust pricing. definitely no higher than 125 if i charged 125 that would be 125shipped.

Re to shipping etc:
everything is going to be done for you. i know that means boxes will be bigger but so what, im not going to sell something to you guys and then make you finish it.

Re lip: I'm thinking about how to do that. If I had access to a welding torch it would come out very sloppy (i cant weld and i dont really want o be going to someone's house saying HERE DO THIS ONE NOW TOO). im thinking of some form of thin weather stripping or something to go over the edge, but i am open for suggestions.

Re trunk design: let me finish up my floor mats and then ill work on the trunk. i think it might have to be 3 pieces (left right and center-center being to access the spare).

Re weight: the trunk will not be that heavy. im guessing around 10 pounds.


Update: I just finished my first version of the driver side floor mat. It isnt exactly how i wnated it to come out so i need to adjust a couple things (example: the floor was being very stubborn and wouldnt let me put the mat in places i wnated to reach so i had to cut certain spots. i ran into a throttle issue with the mat not allowing the gas pedal to hit the floor. i fixed this by using the black screw type thing thats on the carpeting already. this holds it very nicely. i also want a longer end on it. right now its 27" and i think i can get it up to 29 or 30. I'm also going to make another one that covers the stock floor mat hole that is near the trunk opener thing. i didnt use the proper tools for this one becuase i knew there was going to be ugly written all over it. i used a table saw so the cuts arent smooth so dont pay attention to them in this picture. some cuts are very smooth but thats from the metal place doing it.

anyways, here is my first attempt at a diamond plated floor mat.

the pic is pretty big so im just going to link it:
http://members.aol.com/specopsrb6/v1.jpg

my camera sucks and it was low light so it couldnt focus very well.

 

[Andrew]

another pic:

please remember my camera sucks and its in low light

http://members.aol.com/specopsrb6/v12.jpg

 

[FuJi K]

here's a little input!

round off the corners a bit and the inside corners.

and where it bends up to the pedals. in stead of making it and sharp bend, try to make it a rounder bend going up.

the part where it bends up to the pedals. does it need to be bent like that?

looks awesome!!! me likes!
FuJi

 

[Hndatch627]

great job andrew...looking good so far

 

[Andrew]

the bend isnt a sharp bend. it is rounded (thats what happens when you try to do it by hand! ha!) but actually, the round bend fits much better than a hard bend. after christmas ill get more metal and begin making the final version and the passanger side and eventually the trunk..


question on the trunk:
if i put that in the trunk, wouldnt it be loud due to things banging on it?

 

[mtnbkrcr]

Hey Andrew,

Those are looking good, I agree with some others the corners need to be rounded. That would make them look a lot better.
I will be interested when you are done.

Mike

 

[Hndatch627]

question on the trunk:
if i put that in the trunk, wouldnt it be loud due to things banging on it?

i think you would only get a slight tinking noise and that could be solved with some sound deading padding ont he under side of it. but if you have stuff rolling around in there then yeah it'll prolly be loud.

jeremy

 

[MagicMT]

You can put me down for a set!

 

[HOK]

now i remember what this reminded me of....

MADMAX!!! hehehe i like it... get some high polish and i would get some too...

 

[Hndatch627]

i need to get madmax on DVD!