In a message dated 3/24/04 5:24:29 PM, vanagon@ASTOUND.NET writes: << . . . In the old days we used undercoating and fiberglass matting and built it up on the inside of the doors. It really makes the whole vehicle feel allot more solid. I would hate to be the body guy now having to scrape that crud off the inside of the quarter panels we did.. . .
. . . The stuff in the back of your vanagon over the engine deck, behind back seat and up front in the footwells is definitely there for sound deadening and heat insulation. It is put on very well to not allow water to easily get in between the metal and the material. If you have ever removed any of it, you will notice it is very well stuck on. . . .
. . . Anyway, if you want an alternative to Dynamat get some heavy construction felt like #30 or #60 and cut it into the shape and use a MILD contact adhesive that will keep it attached for then next 10 years or so like 3M #77 spray on adhesive, it is not that strong of a bond use it sparingly and you will be able to remove the asphalt felt at a later time. . . . >> In the old days in my part of the world, bodymen would apply an extra charge for work done on a car which had been rustproofed because of the hassle of dealing with all the goo. The asphaltic sheets in the Vanagon are definitely in place to dampen panel resonance, but I don't know about their usefulness as heat insulation. Anyone who ever had the occasion to stand on a built-up asphaltum roof in the middle of August might agree with me. Tar is great stuff, but it can be a mixed blessing. Whenever it is warm, it will conform and stick to nearly any dust-free surface. But, if cold enough, it becomes as brittle as a witches tit. Coupled with the different expansion rates of various materials, asphaltic sheets can delaminate from the surface to which they are applied. That is exactly what I found when I pulled up the front carpeting in my van. Under the loose asphaltum I also found unpainted floor metal. I caught it before it rusted, but if left go with that moisture trapped beneath the loose sound deadening material would have been the perfect recipe for rust. Don't think that you can dodge the bullet by living in the Promised Land of Southern CA. Condensation, a spilt cup of coffee, a minor leak in a heater core and who knows what else can cause moisture to be entrapped. Using roofer's felt stuck on with some contact adhesive is the worst idea. If you speak to a mall owner, you will find that their biggest problem and ongoing expense is locating and repairing roof leaks. And their roofer's felt is stuck on with asphaltum heated to several hundred degrees. George |
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