[w.michael]

I just finished putting new welting on my original boards last week. The original tacks were irregularly placed, approximately three or four on each short side, about six on the longest side, and two on each short piece on the top edge. I could not tell from my original if the welting continued across the recessed portion at the top/frontmost edge, but I continued the new welting across the cut out and tacked the underside to the back, just as I did everywhere else. It fit and works fine, but I cannot tell whether it was originally supposed to go across the recess.

I read Mr. Wesenberg's post about the corners before I installed mine, but I decided to cut the corners anyway. I cut the corners on the back side at a 45-degree angle, so that there is only one thickness on the corners.

I notice that the new welting I bought from one of the best suppliers is 2 inches wide, while the original was about 1 1/2 inches wide. It will show from the bottom side if anyone crawls under my car and looks up; but the dirt and rust will help hide it.

I also took the time to install the washers and machine screws to fasten the floorboards down for the first time since 1965. I was taught, and believed, that it just wasn't necessary to fasten the floorboards down. After watching the videos from the grand tour at French Lick two years ago, when a fordor rolled over onto its side, I realized that in even a gentle roll-over, my floor boards and battery would beat me up badly. I fastened the battery for the first time, and now I have tied down the floor boards as well.

I cut a small hole in the welt for each screw hole, but I'm not sure that was necessary. You can probably wiggle and force the screw though the welt without cutting it.

W. Michael