This site is all about restoring old aircraft. One search I did for Everflex fabric (old rooftop fabric) got me to download a PDF file LOADED with tips on Fire-Retardant carpets and fabrics used in restoring a Falco (not Falcon) aricraft, used in Rolls, Porche, Ferrari. One of the toughest carpets to find is for door panels and cargo areas (short hair, looped) is listed in the file: "61002Upholstery.pdf" Found here: http://www.seqair.com/skunkworks/Notes/Notes.html But the main page has good notes on working different metals, fixing gauges, setting up a workshop, etc. http://www.seqair.com/skunkworks/skunkworks.html
You've heard of Sea-Gull management? Fly-low, look for a victim, and drop your load? Well, I might put a gull-wing door on the Fuel tank! That's as close as I'll get. I really liked the detail description they have in that file about flame retardant and self-extuinguishing, and the wear-quality of the automotive carpet. When you think about it, we spend more on the stereo and speakers (which we never muck up with mud and snow) than automotive carpets. A whole BIG wagon might have 20' X 6' - 120 sq ft = 13 yds (doors, cargo, passengers and seat bases) at $40 is $520 for the Rolls Royce grade. Not bad. Pricey, but not way off. The short haired carpet is $35/ sq yd. So it would be more like $460. I could live with that in my next project.
