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Most cars have drain holes in their floors that received plastic plugs before jute and carpeting. I suspect your C3 should have plugs in the holes. It would probably be a good idea to apply a good rust-resistant primer to any bare steel before sound deadening.
Dynamat wasn't designed to be a heat reflector or a soundproofing device; it was invented as a "panel deadener", to damp the irritating low-frequency vibrations that are produced by large, flat body panels as the car goes down the road. It does that very well, but if you're after reducing heat transmission or ambient noise from outside the car, a better choice is to get a product designed specifically to meet your objective.
Dynamat wasn't designed to be a heat reflector or a soundproofing device; it was invented as a "panel deadener", to damp the irritating low-frequency vibrations that are produced by large, flat body panels as the car goes down the road. It does that very well, but if you're after reducing heat transmission or ambient noise from outside the car, a better choice is to get a product designed specifically to meet your objective.
John,
What products would you recommend to reduce heat in a 62? Also what about noise reduction?
Thanks,
Marty
Well I have it installed in my '61 and I thought it made enough difference on heat deflection that it was well worth installing. I do not have the stock engine or exhaust so maybe mine was hotter than some. I live in Indiana so the weather changes all the time.
Anyway I guess what I'm saying is that I recommend it.
best way to stop heat is before it passes through the floorboard. I've found DEI floor and tunnel shield to be a great product. I installed it on the floor pans of my 289FIA Kirkham which has the exhaust and mufflers installed directly under the foot wells and floor pans.
I used Mighty Matt on my 62 and think it does a great job. Mighty Matt is 1/4" fiberglass with reinforced foil on both sides. I used it on the firewall, under the carpet, in the soft top. glued to the underside of the car (been on for 50,000 miles and still perfect). I also have wrapped the exhaust and you can actually touch the pipes without burning yourself. Also the product is inexpensive compared to most other I found.
It's great for keeping the car cool. I couldn't tell you if it helps with noise levels, I'm sure it helps some, with the top up.
Does it make any sense to paint the metal floor pans before I add the foil?
somebody has a corvette with metal floor pans????????
just when i thought i was starting to learn about vetts....
Also, there is a small round hole in the center of each floor pan. There is no rust, it's a factory hole. Should I leave that open or cover it with foil? I wonder what it's for?
John,
What products would you recommend to reduce heat in a 62? Also what about noise reduction?
Thanks,
Marty
I can recommend "Thermo-Tec" (woven aerospace fiberglass with woven highly-reflective foil on both sides) for heat rejection; I lined all of my Cobra replicas and my Grand Sport replica and both of my 57's with it, and it WORKS (and it ain't cheap, but stuff that works usually isn't).
Many stereo installers use Dynamat, as it allows the expensive speakers to perform cleanly with no background "panel drumming" distorting the sound.
You can buy "Peel 'n Stick", foil faced, tar-backed stuff they use on mobile homes and sheds for next to nothing. I've done two cars with it and have gobs left over; its cheap thin and does sound insulation just fine. Heat, well nobody knows - when you can cite an R-factor for Dynamat we'll talk - they don't have one. I even put it under the headliner when I added A/C. NOBODY (NCRS or otherwise) will ever know if you don't tell them. Judges aren't allowed to pull things apart to verify originality.
As far as 'the feel' of keeping your car all vintage; that's blown as soon as you bolt on radial tires (and for the better)...
Oh - should I add this car was regionally judged a very high Second Flight and no dings for the insulation ? Prob shoulda mentioned that...
Frankie,
Did you install the foil at the bottom around the fuse box as well?
Did you notch out for screws and bolts, like the wiper motor, etc?
I have my dash out on my 67 and starting the clean up process. I have some frost king that I was going to use for the upper insulation, wondering about the bottom.
Dynamat and like products are for vibration dampening, not sound or heat insulation/shielding. There are other products for that and they far surpass traditional carpet padding and firewall insulation in effectiveness.
To install heat and noise barrier is to miss out on the experience of owning an early vette. May as well add PS/PB/AC/FM, an aftermarket frame, IRS. Heat, sound and vibration is half the joy of reliving the past. Why bother owning an early vette?
Exactly.
I currently own 4 convertibles. None of them have the open air feel of my 60. It’s noisy, windy, the belt line is low, the windshield is low. It’s the closest thing to a motorcycle I’ve driven.
I’ve never driven it with the top up, I’ve never talked on my cell phone while driving it (can’t, even with a headset) and hope I never do.
When I pull it out of the garage, I’m excited and joyful, when I put it away, I feel a little melancholy.
It’s primative and a little rough, not very fast, can’t out perform any of my other cars, but the experience of driving it is invigorating and it’s achingly beautiful. I wouldn’t dream of changing it in any way.
Did you install the foil at the bottom around the fuse box as well?
Did you notch out for screws and bolts, like the wiper motor, etc?
I have my dash out on my 67 and starting the clean up process. I have some frost king that I was going to use for the upper insulation, wondering about the bottom.
Thanks!
John
I didn't go crazy with the stuff but got around everything the best that I could....it does help.. Other quickee items were used as well. I did not want to get into pulling up original carpet and dealing with the 63 coupe new carpet "jigsaw puzzle" nightmare. So, I bought some foil-backed acoustic barrier that you just lay in the cargo area over the carpet, a logo-embroidered carpet protector to lay over that. The difference in sound levels is significant and it has to help with heat intrusion.
Finally, I tinted the split rear windows with this product - you literally can't tell its on the glass and the heat/UV rejection are phenomenal (last two pics) - around $250 total for these last three items and no effort on my part; well worth it IMO:
Designer Imagines A Corvette That Looks More Like a Corvette Than the Corvette
Slideshow: A Jaguar designer's personal project imagines what a modern front-engined Corvette might look like if Chevrolet revisited the golden age of the Stingray.
An over-rated product and its some sound insulation but minimal heat insulation.
