tinovdv, redriley was quoting my picture. And unfortunately, this website screws up pictures when you upload them.

Red Riley, either your subframe is way out of whack or you have one wacky camera!

Ditto...we don't replace them either. I'm sure the idea was to prevent metal on metal contact but both the boot floor and rear subframe would need to be seriously out of whack for this to occur.

Everyone I've done, I've just thrown in the trash. Maybe there's a purpose and I'm screwing up, but that's what I do.

Holly crap... I thought I was crazy!!!  Mine had the same thing??  I just thought it was put there for vibrations... or just stuck there by a prev owner... hmmm... now I want to know to!  My subframe is out now to; Do I need it????

Coincidentally mine's a '80 Cdn Mini....

That was the bit of felt cunningly placed there by Rover to help rot out the subframe and boot floor...

I think that's what it is.

Let me start off by saying that I don't even know what to call the thing. It's the fiber pad that is situated between the rear subframe and the boot floor. You can see it in the picture below. Looks like a dirty piece of carpet pad glued to the subframe. 

 

So here's the deal. I'm almost done refurbishing my subframes and before I put the rear subby back in I want to install a suitable replacement for this piece. Has anyone used a modern material to do this? I was thinking that a good closed cell foam of the same thickness yould work well and won't hold in moisture which leads to rust. 

 

What is this damn thing called (and what is its exact purpose... vibration control, noise dampening...)?

 

And what can I replace it with? I don't mind using the original material but a modern material or "better" replacement is preferred... this thing was a rats nest.