Heat barrier question
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 112
Likes: 0
Heat barrier question
The extremely hot weather helped me decide it time to get around to fixing the A/C in the 77. I figured the the first step would be to try and reduce more of the heat that enters the passenger compartment. I have put a manual shut off valve in, placed a heat barrier under the carpet and placed new seals in the heater box. My question is this, would adding more of the heat barrier up behind the heater box and around the duct work help or would it be over kill that would just be a waste of time and money? If it would be beneficial, what type barrier would you us?
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 1,347
Likes: 121
From: Kernersville NC
The car was built with anda/c that should cool it. If it is broke you need to fix it. The insulation on some of these cars is in pretty bad shape and was probably minimal (by today's standards) to begin with. There is much better insulation available today and it would not hurt to replace or add to what you have. I have no a/c and I replaced the insualtion on the inside firewall, floorboards, and under the floorboards and tunnel using metal heat shields and reflectix and fiberglass mats. It is not cool but is now drivable. This was a pretty big task which required removing the entire dash. That also led to other hidden problems that had to be remedied. It took November thru April to complete. The a/c is the place to start if you want it cool.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 945
Likes: 10
From: Winston Salem NC
I used Hushmat (sound deadener) and Reflectix (insulation) on my firewall, tranny tunnel and floor pans. It made a huge difference. Make sure you have the tranny tunnel collar in place too.
Keeping the heat out is half the story, putting cold air in is the other. It sounds like you are ready to move to phase 2.
Keeping the heat out is half the story, putting cold air in is the other. It sounds like you are ready to move to phase 2.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 849
Likes: 0
From: Woodland California
The extremely hot weather helped me decide it time to get around to fixing the A/C in the 77. I figured the the first step would be to try and reduce more of the heat that enters the passenger compartment. I have put a manual shut off valve in, placed a heat barrier under the carpet and placed new seals in the heater box. My question is this, would adding more of the heat barrier up behind the heater box and around the duct work help or would it be over kill that would just be a waste of time and money? If it would be beneficial, what type barrier would you us?
I've also talked with people who enlarged the hole for the fan in the air box, installed a fan and blower motor off a newer Vette for more air flow and insulated the air box. All three of these done will bring a bad design up to date.
Ralph
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 112
Likes: 0
I read a article on where they adapted a newer fan into these cars, I found a template of he spacer. The only issue is they never stated how thick the spacer was. I think I will experiment with it. They did say the air movement of air was greatly increased.
Ron
Ron
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