Now, lets have a look at a solution to the foot rest.
Removing the foam block was the easy part, but what do we do once it's out? Having looked at the carpet carefully, it's moulded a specific shape and won't invert, or allow itself to be reshaped easily whilst still looking OK or allowing the fitting of a different. lower, rest.
So after scratching my head for quite some time, measuring, measuring again, then spending literally hours trawling the net for alternative footrest ideas, a solution has come to me!
Sadly, the carpet does have to be cut carefully to allow the planned surgery. I've done half the job now. Removing the foam block, cutting the carpet, researching for a suitable alternative part and ordering said parts to finish the job. We'll have a look at that lot, then it's going to be a week or so before we can come back to finish off.
Before starting slide back the drivers seat as far as it goes. Remove any floor mats and vacuum the area clean. Get yourself a kneepad to kneel on as you'll be working through the open wide drivers door with knees on the ground! You might want to get a torch/light as well if it's not a bright and sunny day, as it's a bit dull down in the footwell.
To generally access the area of the foot rest and allow the carpet to be pulled back to remove the foam block that makes up the original rest, then to cut the carpet safely, we need to remove the side panel above the rest along with a plastic retaining nut behind the pedals. This is dead easy. You just unscrew the retaining nut, (circled in red) then gently pop out the centre of the plastic rivet fitting at the front top of the panel with a small screwdriver. This allows the rivet to disengage from the panel. You then just gently slide your fingers under the carpet at the base of the front of the panel and wiggle and pull it forward carefully to disengage two spring clips. The panel can then be carefully removed. See pictures below for reference.
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Once you've done this, put everything safely out of the way
You can then fold back the carpet from the corner and wrestle it under the pedals. You'll now see the block of foam, or rather you won't, as it's cocooned in a thin layer of white foam, carefully cut/tear at this to expose the block and slide it out. You can then carefully cut back any remaining loose foam as needed and slide the carpet back in to place. Keep the block safe, we're going to need this later. It's going to be cut down to suit as support for the new lower rest.
The block removed:
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Next, I cut the carpet out that made up the rest shape around the foam block, leaving a lip of around 10mm. You'll see I carefully cut around and retained the heel pad bonded to the carpet. This can then fold flat against the central tunnel area leaving no holes after the new pedal is fitted.
So this is what the area now looks like:
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So that's all for now, but here's the plan. Shown below is what I propose to do:
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As you can see, the side panel needs extending to fill the hole left by the removal of the old foot rest area. I intend to use 2mm grained black plastic sheet, cut to size and bonded (or plastic riveted, not sure yet) to the inside of the existing panel at the hatched area shown. This new section will also engage with the new rest, which is going to be a LHD VW group part, which has the right dimensions to fit perfectly (I think/hope!) with a little modification. The new rest will in turn be bonded to the existing foam block, trimmed to suit and the block will in turn be bonded (or maybe Velcroed for serviceability) to the floor section.
So, the parts currently en route, plastic sheet:
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And the new foot rest itself:
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Stay tuned...
