Insulation and Sound Deadening for A Quiet Ride
Our old cars are a lot of fun but one thing they are NOT is quiet. Sound deadener is the best solution for a noisy ride. There are many brands and types of sound deadening material on the market today. We will look at the different materials available and the reasons to use them. Hopefully, you are reading this before your interior has been installed because that is the best time to install the sound deadener.
Most sound deadeners will also have an added benefit of insulating in addition to keep noise down. Products like Dynamat's Xtreme and R-Blox are made of a butyl backing with an aluminum facing. These products are easy to install with just a utility knife and a small roller to press it in place.
Clean the mounting surface thoroughly and remove all dirt, rust, oil, etc. to assure a good bond with the product. A clean, fresh (but cured) painted surface will give the best results. Always try to install this material in temperatures above 60 degrees F. If you must work in lower temperatures, use a hair drier or heat gun to heat the mounting surface before attempting installation.
Trim out a piece of the material. Lay it in place to check the fit. You do not have to cover every square inch of surface, but get as much covered as possible. Cut around any bolts or other objects that prevent the sound deadener from laying flat on the metal. Peel the backing and carefully lay the piece in place. Use the roller to press firmly onto the metal. If any bubbles develop, cut a small slit in the sheet and press down again with the roller. This material can be used on the floor, inside firewall, headliner area (on metal roof vehicles), inside doors, or any metal surface that can be reached and is covered.
For wood bodied cars in the headliner area and under hoods where you cannot use the butyl backed product, an excellent product is Dynamat Hoodliner. This product is a closed cell foam with a reinforced aluminum layer. It will reflect up to 97% of radiant heat with the aluminum and the foam absorbs noise.
No matter where you are trying to get the sound deadening material, there will always be those hard to reach areas - in the wheel wells, down inside the doors, up under the dash – these areas can be handled with sprayable liquid dampeners. Dynamat and R-Blox both make them but they require special sprayers for application. Another easy alternative is to use aerosol undercoating. It has very good sound dampening qualities when used in hard to reach areas.
If you want pre-cut insulation and sound deadening kits, Quiet Ride Solutions makes pre-cut, ready to install kits for 1933-1964 full size passenger cars and 1936-1987 trucks. Each kit comes with illustrated instructions, pre-sized sound dampener pads, pre-cut heat shield absorber panels, spray adhesive and aluminum sealing tape.
No matter which product you choose, the money and time you will spend on installing sound deadener and insulation will be enjoyed each time you take your old car for a ride. It is the single best investment you will make in your restoration.