firewall insulation

[jseth83]

Hi all,
    I'm happy my car did great during Cruising the Coast, but I realize it's high time I insulate my firewall.   Unfortunately I already have an underdash ac unit installed.   Doors anyone have recommendations on good aftermarket thermal and acoustic insulation?  Looking through summit is making my head spin.... There are tons of different ones for any price range.   Thoughts?

[gasman826]

Everyone is confronted with this issue.  If your car is a restore, put the original stuff in.  If aftermarket, they all claim to do the best job.  If you use too much, parts won't fit right.  Use the wrong stuff and you could trap rust causing moisture and have poor results.  Name brand stuff the big time builders use in expensive.

This is what I did.  I sprayed pillar foam in all the 'A', 'B', and 'C' pillars, roof edge structure, door frames and roof supports.  I followed up with Lizard Skin sprayed on the entire interior, in doors, in quarters, in trunk, and entire underside of the floors (toe boards to tailpan).  When installing the headliner, installed DynaMat between the roof supports.  Installed DynaMat on the inside of the firewall before installing Vintage Air air box.  ONE CAUTION when using Lizard Skin...it is water based which makes for easy water clean up.  Cover or wipe spray off any area where assembly will be altered by the thickness of Lizard Skin (.030-.040").  Doesn't sound like much but will really throw off your final fit on door hinges, trim and everything.

After the car is assembled, all products will only work if properly installed.  Disassembling the car would be a pain as would be installing insulation around accessories.  Lizard Skin can be sprayed like rust proofing or undercoating by using extension tubes and/or hoses but you can clean up any over spray.  If it was me,  I'd tear it apart and do it up.  Another thought would be to put in what you can.  Test it.  If it is not enough, then tear it down for a complete installation.

[jseth83]

Thanks Gasman.   I may try Dynamat then.  Where did you get the Lizard Skin from?

[gasman826]

I drove mine with Gen IV Vintage Air kicking out 35 degree air in heat and humidity with no insulation...might as well left the windows open.

Bought Lizard Skin on eBay from this guy...have bought other stuff from this site.
http://www.lizardskin.com/don-hart-radiators-demonstrates-lizardskin-at-the-paint-spot.html

[Ford Blue blood]

A link to a long thread on alternative insulation materials and meathods.  I have used a mastic from McMaster Carr with great results vice Dyna Mat.  Worth the read IMHO.


http://www.hotrodders.com/forum/alternative-lizard-skin-103610.html

[jseth83]

Thanks a bunch, I really appreciate it!

[Zapato]

Gasman, looked up pillar foam and was wondering if you used in to fill in the 2 voids that are next to the outside rocker panels in the trunk. Its a common rust area as dirt and moisture gets trapped in there. Am guessing the PF doesn't absorb moisture and it expands at a ratio of 10 to 1 which is as great as foams used for home insulation. Couple of questions. Can one stop in the middle of a can or is it once you start use it or loose it? How much Lizard Skin did you use and can it be painted over ?

Zap-

[gasman826]

I did not foam the rockers or the trunk drop area.  Pillar foam is formulated to repel water.  It is dense foam...really small bubbles for strength and to seal against moisture.  Filled pillars to strengthen, resist moisture, sound deaden, temperature control, and rodent proof.
Pillar foam is expensive.  A tube does not go very far so I never had any partial tubes.