# Custom-made diamond-plate aluminum floormat inserts..



## blitzboi (Apr 13, 2004)

I finally started customizing my not-quite-four-week-old 2005 Altima 3.5 SE (5MT!). Yup, as this thread's subject implies, I designed and fab'd my own custom 6061-T6 (aircraft-grade) diamond-plate aluminum floormat inserts. These are not entire floormats made of metal, they're just custom-cut pieces that I bolted (using stainless hardware of course) to my stock embriodered "ALTIMA" floormats.

The initial purpose of making these was to cover-up those ugly depressions that appear in carpeted floormats where the driver's heels are always rubbing.

Beyond that initial purpose, they just look *damn cool*. Although, I'll say here and now that they have one annoying drawback... they squeek when you wear certain shoes and there's water on 'em. I found this out last night while driving shortly after a rainstorm. However, this can be solved quite easily by cranking up the stereo... 

I've got some leftover diamond-plate, so I think I'm going to fab up an insert for the dead-pedal when I get a chance, plus maybe one for the side of the tunnel (beside the go-pedal).

Total cost for the sheetmetal was C$43, plus anothing C$20 for the stainless-steel fasteners I used. It took me about 2 hours to finish all four mats (the rear two are easiest). I'll post pictures soon, but if anyone's interested I could also post a parts list, templates and instructions... so lemme know!


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## Coco (Apr 30, 2002)

:showpics:


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## blitzboi (Apr 13, 2004)

Okay, I stole my digicam back from a friend and took some pics. These pics are also available in enlarged size on my cardomain site, along with some basic instructions on how I went about making them.


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## 7875 (Apr 3, 2003)

Hey, I don't comment in this section much but those look real good for a do-it-yourself job. +1 for originality! :cheers:


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## blitzboi (Apr 13, 2004)

[redacted] said:


> Hey, I don't comment in this section much but those look real good for a do-it-yourself job. +1 for originality! :cheers:


Thanks for your positive comments. Personally, I think it turned out well because I'm reasonably skilled (did I mention I'm an engineer?), I took my time and did it carefully, and I didn't skimp on the materials (over CAD$20 for the stainless hardware alone!).


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## Coco (Apr 30, 2002)

They came out very nice. Stainless steel foot and dead pedals would compliment everything really well.


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## blitzboi (Apr 13, 2004)

Coco said:


> They came out very nice. Stainless steel foot and dead pedals would compliment everything really well.


Yup, it's in the works actually... and I'll post pics when it's done too.


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## Ruben (Oct 15, 2002)

I actually like those. The full alum mats look ricey, but that isn't bad.


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## blitzboi (Apr 13, 2004)

Ruben said:


> I actually like those. The full alum mats look ricey, but that isn't bad.


To be honest, I did consider making full aluminum floormats, but I opted not to mostly because it would clash with the 2005's new "upscale" interior, what with the plasti-chrome and plasti-brushed-aluminum bits around the shifter, guage pods, speakers, door pulls, etc.

Besides, the ricey-look wouldn't work for me since I'm a 6-foot-tall twenty-something white guy... :fluffy:


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## blitzboi (Apr 13, 2004)

*Aluminum pedals and such*

I was at a performance store yesterday ordering McGard locking wheel nuts for my Alti, and looked at their selection of aluminum pedal covers while I was there.

The dilemma I'm having is figuring out how to mount an aftermarket pedal cover onto this stupid accelerator. If everyone didn't realize already, the go-pedal is made entirely of plastic. This includes the shaft coming down from the throttle-by-wire sensor unit, which is beefy (but mostly hollow)and about 3/4" across and 1" deep. To my eye this pretty much precludes using the straps that come with most of the sets.

So, has anyone mounted aftermarket pedal covers onto this stupid accelerator, and if so what type of covers did you use and how did you mount it? Also, when did Nissan introduce the throttle-by-wire on the Altima, 2002 or later?

Thanks in advance!!


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## Ruben (Oct 15, 2002)

Drive by wire... 2002, on most, if not all, models.

You need the pedals that have just clips, no straps that go behind the pedal, as you noticed they don't fit. I would however, make my own and bolt it to the pedal drilling all the way through it. The others come off...


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## blitzboi (Apr 13, 2004)

Ruben said:


> Drive by wire... 2002, on most, if not all, models.


That's what I was thinking...



Ruben said:


> You need the pedals that have just clips, no straps that go behind the pedal, as you noticed they don't fit. I would however, make my own and bolt it to the pedal drilling all the way through it. The others come off...


I don't recall seeing any with just clips at this store, but it doesn't sound like a very secure mounting method. Actually, to be honest I'm not even a fan of the strap mounted ones.. despite having had them on a previous car ('91 Escort GT - don't laugh so hard!! -- sold it way back in '99) and they never came off or even slipped.... but still...

They did have the ones that bolt on, but I've read a few times that the factory pedal's metal is hard to drill through (either that or these people were using dull bits). I'll take another look at those when I go to pick up my locking nuts.. hopefully they'll be in today...


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## blitzboi (Apr 13, 2004)

Well, I finally got my McGard-brand locking wheel nuts and installed them tonight.... although that kinda shite (wheel theft) doesn't happen around Toronto too much anyway, unless you park in sleezy areas at night or whatever..


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## 7875 (Apr 3, 2003)

blitzboi said:


> Well, I finally got my McGard-brand locking wheel nuts and installed them tonight.... although that kinda shite (wheel theft) doesn't happen around Toronto too much anyway, unless you park in sleezy areas at night or whatever..



Better to be safe than sorry. :thumbup:


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## blitzboi (Apr 13, 2004)

[redacted] said:


> Better to be safe than sorry. :thumbup:


True 'nuf.. or to coin a phrase: "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure".


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