Black carpets turning green?

[zagatoman]

Hi all

Just fitted some black carpets to my series 1 coupe and this reminded my of a query I had.

I used to have a series 3 coupe with green carpets, but on taking them out to give them a good clean, the areas that were covered with the chair and the parts that overlapped were black. This car was obviously produced with a black carpet that has with the exposure to the light turned green. My question is, is this theory correct and also did some cars with black interiors also have the option to have green carpets?

I know it’s a silly question but I have always wondered.

Paul

[eyore]

Yes,I once had a S3 with green carpets and black seats and door cards. Bit of a 70s colour

[ColinMarr]

Paul

This sounds familiar, but not to do with carpets!

When I took over my early Fulvia S1 Sport in 1996 it had billiard-table-green baize head lining, which I assumed was original although it did seem unusual. I was going to replace it with similar green cloth until, when stripping out the original, black was revealed where it had not be exposed to light. I then had it done in black wool cloth and I think it’s great

Colin

(This should be my 500th post!)

[Scarpia]

Colin,
welcome indeed to the "500" ers club"...although I'm not sure a post on "colour shifting carpets" really should be allowed as qualification...

I hope its not like the "5 minute club" from the WW1 pilots (average life expectancy).....
and no, I don't believe black carpets turn green with sunlight, mine are still resolutely black.

[rogerelias]

I had a black Beta spider once , i left that outside over the winter, and it went brown all over, very quickly.

[zagatoman]

I don’t think this subject is being treated with respect it deserves.

It is a very important question that needs to be answered for the sake of all carpet fitters everywhere.

Mr fuming from Sutton

[Scarpia]

Not taken seriously? I have spent literally "minutes" pondering this mystery but given the lack of sunlight hours in the UK i find the basic hypothesis fundamentally flawed. Are you certain the green carpets are not turning black starting in the darkest places first....

[fay66]

Does anyone have an interior colour chart? that should help!

Brian
8227

[j886atv]

Does anyone have an interior colour chart? that should help!

Brian
8227

I was enjoying this thread - until a sensible person turned up     

[zagatoman]

The sensible person was the one that asked the question in the first place, me.

Seriously, dose anyone know if green carpet was an option for the Fulvia?


Paul

[lancialulu]

I thought most (all) series 3's were green carpetted. I have a colour chart but this only gives interior upholstery and paint colour (yes green was an option for these!).

Looking at the 70 years of Trail blazing DVD which has a lot of the fulvia brochures I cannot see any green carpet in any of the interior shots of the Series 3 one - nor any earlier ones too. All apear to be black apart from one brown one (but could be poor photography).

Tim.

[SteveGales]

Hi Paul

Sensible answer! My '74 series 3 coupe definately has green (original) carpets  fitted.
Last year I needed a piece for the sill and Ian who posts on here sent me some, so that's two cars at least!

Regards

Steve

[chugga boom]

s3 fulvia carpets were origionally black but fade green, when you take them out the edges are always black, i've broken up 14 fulvias and all of them the same, i have a very origional 1 lady owner fulvia 3 that spent the last 20 yrs in a garage ........carpet colour dark green almost black, origional photo's of the car from new show they are definatly black, i dont know how they fade so much but they do 

[lancialulu]

They must fade at all the same rate for Steve to be able to match so well.

Seriously James I do believe you!

Anyone know what the best dyeing process (not dying!) is to return them to black?

Tim

[rogerelias]

Right then As i have my sensible head on , but not for long, my s3 coupe which was Lancia Blue on the outside, most definately had green carpets, with a cream interior, and that car had been rebuilt by an ex Mugen Honda engineer, so i would say he did it right. no disrespect to you James, nice to see you back on.