The previous owner of my '83 replaced the carpet, and it looks a little funny. The carpet itself looks nice enough, but it slides around and it now receding from the area where it should be tucked under the center console.

I'm fixing my mirror switches today, so I'll have the center console torn apart anyways and my question is, what do I put under the carpet to get it to stay put?

You can use spray adhesive for a semi-permanent fix. Or use some drawer liner rubber betwixt the carpet/backing and floor. That might work as well.

Spray adhesive! What a great idea! I've even got a can of 3M 90 sitting right here... Thanks!

I don't know if this was original to my 79 or an add-on improvisation by the PO, but I found a few strips of heavy duty velcro going up and over the trans tunnel, connecting the driver and passenger side.

I thought about doing velcro, but I know that area gets hot and I was concerned the the adhesive might melt. Have you had any problems with that?

No issues whatsoever, though the velcro is mainly attached at the upper edge of the carpet, and goes across the tunnel to attach to the other side. Works well, and should it ever need to be replace, shouldn't be a difficult task to tend to. I do like the idea of the spray adhesive, but would be afraid of cooking it-thus making it a more permanent thing.

It probably will cook it, but I have access to lots of chemicals (through my work) that would melt the adhesive even in its cooked state. I like the idea of it being connected to the other side. Is it supposed to be that way originally? That would help solve the problem on both sides and prevent it from happening again.

I don't know if the velcro was original or not, nor do I have any photos with me of where it attaches... I'll take some after work tonight and post them tomorrow for reference.

Spray adhesive! Yes but were? I just removed the carpet in my 78 only 50,000 miles.

the carpet is in great cond. my carpet was glued to the pad in the heel area of the floor pans.

Use heavy glue in that area and the carpet wont move.

Just so happened that I had the drivers side carpet loose, so here are a few pics to show the velcro.

It appears to me that this was indeed original, as it's stitched quite well. There are two velcro tabs-the forward part straps across the area underneath the center console (holding radio), the rearward tab goes under the center armrest. Also, there were several strips of heavy duty tape holding the carpet to the floors-some of those strips, upon removal of the carpet, stayed with the carpet/padding (shown in photo), others were more attached to the car and chose to stay there (with some of the padding attached). No pics of that, as I cleaned that up some time back (when I recolored the carpets).

Driver side velcro has the hook component, passenger side has the loop/fuzzy part.

Passenger side has longer straps of velcro to go across the tran tunnel, as what you can see in these pics clearly won't bridge the gap.

From what I gather from your posts, your carpet is far from original, and therefor not molded/fitted. If I were in your situation, I'd get the heavy duty velcro with adhesive backing, and apply several strips (leaving the outer tape cover intact until you've got the carpet just where you want it.

I'd put a strip up on the firewall-an upper anchor; one strip on the outer edge, where the floor goes vertical to meet the door; one strip along the upper edge of the transmission tunnel; and one close to the seat mount.

Once you've gotten the carpet just right, remove the tape-exposing the sticky, then lay the carpet down down on it-apply pressure, and repeat elsewhere...

As to connecting the two sides together, I'm sure you could figure out a reasonable way to do that too.