Has everyone ridden in a first gen Firebird or Camaro and felt the heat from exhaust pipes coming right thru the floor and carpet, feeling like you could bake a pizza under their legs? With no AC, add headers, an engine with more horses and it can get ugly hot inside pretty fast. It always seemed like under the knees of the front passenger was the worst place for the heat, making the carpet literally hot to the touch after 30 miles of travel. And the noise was intense, a rock hits the floor pan and it sounds like its coming thru the car.
On my current 69 Firebird, I want to address these issues and would like to know what others have done and what you feel really made a noticeable difference.
My car has had the interior stripped and painted back with epoxy paint. While several have said thats all I need, have most painted over their epoxy primer or left it as is inside the cabin of their car?
To control the sound, it appears the proper route is to cover the floor with Dynamat Extreme, and i see it comes in precut kits for our cars. Has anyone tried this product, and how did it do? I realize there are many "cheaper" copies out there, so feel free to comment on any you used. I see this used on all the "TV" built cars floors and doors. It should dampen the sound a bunch.
Next to control the heat thru the floors and ceilings I see Dynaliner is to be used over the Dynamat. Dynaliner is a closed cell foam product designed to block heat transfer. The specs look great, and we all know advertisers never lie,... so has anyone used a heat blocker under their carpet and how did it do? Noticeable difference, or seems the same? Heat still coming thru the floor?
Last I see a product called "Lizard Skin". It is a sprayable covering to take the place of the coverings mentioned above. They offer a sound control spray and a heat control spray, and they are separate products. It appears easier to apply, but you have to use a special spray gun, and I hear most say it does not do as well as the others? Anyone with experience with Lizard Skin in their cars?
Thats my interior sound and heat questionnaire! Your input and experience will really help me and everyone else trying to stay cooler in their car out greatly. Thanks!
I have a feeling you gonna be removing your carpeting. Whoever recommended "just" to paint the interior/floor pans and add carpeting steered you wrong! You need some type of a tar matting like the original to keep sound and head at a minimum. I installed tar mats plus I added a dynomat throughout the floor, rear seat and front as far as I could reach. I love the results and have very minimal road noise or heat. Epoxy paint is also a very good idea to fight of moisture.
Umm, yeah, you may want to listen to some different people about your car in the future...
1968 400 Coupe, verdoro green, black vinyl top 1968 400 Convertible, verdoro green, black top 1971 Trans Am, cameo white, auto 1970 Buick Skylark Custom Convertible 350-4(driver)
I have two cars with separate issues. The Firebird was sound/loud the other one was heat. I used the Hvac duct wrap( foil backed rubber )( Home Depot) to help with sound. Worked ok. Better than it was. I used Mylar bubble wrap sheets( also Home Depot) for the heat issue. Worked ok. Better than it was. Seems like most of these products address either one problem or the other but not both.
Did this on my 71 FB resto....will do the same when I get there with the 69.
I made my own "Lixzardskin", which is basically an epoxy paint mixed with a high volume of microballoons (glass microsheres used for filling/bulking fibreglass when fairing). The microballoons act as an insulator....2 coats of this, then I covered the floor, toe boards and up onto the firewall with Dynamat. The firewall inside was covered with Dynapad, but most of the heat comes through the floor when you have headers, as well all know. Over the Dynamat on the floor, I used Dynaliner on the floor pan footwells, then a layer of underfelt, then carpet. I also insulated the ceiling of the interior with a layer of alluminium foil backed bubble mat....ver ylight ,and an excellent insulator. When driving, I had no sensation of heat through the floor or firewall, and when you stepped into the car when it was parked in the sun, it was pleasant inside.
Installed Dynamat Extreme this summer in my '68. Great sound deadener but does nothing for heat. My next project is to install 1/2" thick Dynaliner over the transmission tunnel and 1/4" thick Dynaliner on the floor boards assuming I can make thickness work with new carpet.
