1968 Floor Mats

[curtis0916]

I'm nearing completion of restoring my late brother's 1968 Camaro SS396 and am looking into correct floor mats for it.  It came with a standard black interior, and it appears to me it would have had black rubber floor mats with the bowtie on them.  Can anyone confirm this for me, and guide me to a good source from which to purchase the mats?  Ecklers has a set for $182, but I was hoping to find a more affordable source.

Thanks for any help you can give!!

Curtis

[bertfam]

Yes, black rubber and they should have the Chevrolet "Bow Tie" on them, but I don't know if they're being reproduced. Do you have a link to the Ecklers mats?

Ed

[curtis0916]

Thanks, Ed.  See the link below:

https://www.rickscamaros.com/camaro-rubber-floor-mats-with-bowtie-logo-show-correct-1967-1969.html

And here's Camaro Central's link, for a little less:

https://www.camarocentral.com/1967_1972_Camaro_Floor_Mats_Set_Front_and_Rear_p/int-82.htm

[bertfam]

Neither of those are "correct".

Not a great picture, but this is what you should be looking for (see below)

Ed

[x66 714]

Would those be assembly line correct or accessory type? thank you, Joe

[bertfam]

Would those be assembly line correct or accessory type? thank you, Joe

Both as far as I know, but there are so few cars that originally came with B37, and even less that still have them, that it's hard to say.

Ed

[x66 714]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Bowtie-Floor-Mats-Black-GM-Licensed-Chevelle-Camaro-Impala-Nova-4pc-bow-tie/370838953239?fits=Year%3A1969%7CModel%3ACamaro&epid=28012754845&hash=item5657b95d17:g:4ygAAOxyA4ZRQf3d

These are described as being accessory type & will need to be cut for some applications...Joe
 

[x66 714]

https://www.yenko.net/forum/showthread.php?t=150784&highlight=floor+mats

These are described as being originals. I need to do more research for myself as I will be at this point soon...Joe

[bertfam]

Okay, William used to deal a lot with Chevrolet parts and accessories back in the day, so I asked him about the factory vs dealer floor mats. He said the factory mats were molded exclusively for that model and accessory mats were generic and had scoring lines on the back so they could be trimmed to fit. (see picture below)

Thanks Bill!

Ed

[curtis0916]

Do you know if all 1968 Camaros came with floor mats, or was it an option?  If an option, was it a common one?

[x66 714]

Floor mats were an option & came as 4 position. They could also be bought in the parts department as an accessory either fronts or rears. it's looking like accessory mats were not the same custom fit as the one ordered as an option...Joe

[Mike S]

I addition to the picture Ed posted about trimming the front mats, I found this picture of trimming the rear floor mats on ebay which was posted with a pair of NOS mats.

Mike

[bertfam]

Only 30,713 1968 Camaros came with RPO B37, which is just over 7 percent, so you can see why there's confusion on exactly what they looked like! The picture I originally posted above was lifted from an ebay auction from a few years ago. They were "early take-offs" (the seller's wording) from a 1968 Camaro. (although to me, the picture looks like a set of reproduction mats with the typical white background!) Anyway, I don't remember exactly what they sold for, but I DO remember is was stupid money! Something like over a grand!!!

The 1968 Camaro Custom Features and Accessories Manual shows a drawing of what they looked like (see attached), so I'm assuming the ebay auction was correct since they look basically the same as the drawing. However, remember that drawings and publicity pictures aren't always what the end result was.

If anyone has a car that actually came with RPO B37 and STILL HAVE THEM, please post pictures!!

Ed

[69Z28-RS]

Floor mats were probably a $10-12 option for anyone ordering the mats on a new car from the factory in 1968! 

PS.  but dealers, who order the great majority of new cars for their lots, do not add items like this to their factory orders, as they make MORE$$ by selling accessories thru their parts departments!

[bertfam]

Boy, you know, the more I look at those supposedly "early take-offs" I posted above, the more I'm convinced that they're actually dealer installed accessory mats! If you really examine the trimming instructions, you can see that the basic shape of the mats BEFORE trimming, is what those look like. And if you look at the picture of the "original mats" on the Yenko site (see below), they look like what you would get AFTER trimming. At least the fronts. The rears not so much, and they're missing the Bow Tie.

I'm going to guess and say the ones on the Yanko site are either original like the seller stated, or dealer installed accessory mats that have been trimed, and the ones that were on ebay were dealer installed BEFORE trimming! If that's the case, then someone on ebay spent a HUGE amount of money on dealer installed accessory mats!!! (Wouldn't be the first time!)

Ed