Mustang Carpet Removal Part 2: Under the Console

Overview

This is part 2 of removing the carpet from my 2006 Ford Mustang. After running into challenges with the center console area, I had to make a practical decision: cut the carpet sections rather than disassemble the entire instrument cluster. Sometimes with older cars, you have to prioritize getting the job done over preserving every original piece perfectly.

Key Moments

• Discovered the carpet segments under the center console hump can’t easily slide out
• Would have required removing the entire instrument cluster base
• Made the decision to cut the passenger side carpet segment at the hump
• Planning to reuse approach for driver’s side
• Cleaned up the exposed floor and found surface rust
• Investigating potential leak source in the A-pillar section
• Considering aftermarket carpet options that may have a better design

Full Transcript (Edited)

Alright, so this is an update on the Mustang carpet removal. I’ve gone ahead and removed the carpet. I tried to remove it thinking that just by removing this cover right here, I was going to be able to slide the carpet out from underneath. But I think in order to remove the segments that go over this hump, I would have had to remove the entire cluster, or at least this entire base down there. I just wanted to go a different route. Let me show you what I did.

What I did was cut the passenger side segment that connected over the hoop. Basically, I just ripped it off. I realized that even though it’s nice to have a complete set like this, it’s going to be fine. This is an older car. Even if I reuse this carpet—which I don’t think I will—I will end up cutting the original one as well, or go ahead and remove the entire piece that I need to remove in order to join an aftermarket carpet.

I still haven’t seen if the aftermarket carpet has that segment in it or not. Hopefully they changed the design with the aftermarket ones so that I don’t have to remove all that center console. But who knows? I’m still trying to figure it out.

I cleaned up the passenger side over here. I still have to get rid of that surface rust, probably using some vinegar or some other rust remover. Then I’ll start looking to see what actually caused the leak. It’s somewhere there inside that A-pillar section. So we’ll see how that goes. Not bad so far.