Thread: Interior Tips!

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I decided that I would throw up a thread about interiors here since I plan to do my own and have been looking around for deals, how to's, etc. So post up any tips you got on how to do things like headliners, door panels, good materials to use, where to find materials, how to find cheap materials that don't cost a fortune (ie: rip off Dynomat).
Here is a site that I used to check up on regularly for good tips on how to do things on a budget. This is for insulation and sound proofing.
http://www.alanhorvath.com/54chevy/i...ion_phase1.php

There is also this stuff called "Quick Seal" that you can get from Home Depot or Lowes and it's pretty darn cheap and stick it inside your doors, etc to keep them from clanking real loud.
If I get time I will type out how to make fiberglass center consols, etc. But if anyone here has any links to this kind of stuff then that would be better!

I am having my interior kit done by lazy boy rod interiors fo my 40 ford coupe .
I will have to install it myself . The door panels and rear panels will come somewhat larger than needed . the seat will be an exact fit ( I hope) and the carpet is cut and bound .
I already have a headliner but I have to wait on the windlace to install it . My total cost is around 1500.00 . I checked with a couple of local shops and the cheapest was around 4000.00 keep us posted on how yours comes along .

1500 for all that sounds like a great price! I will definetely keep you guys updated on my project with anything I do to either the 66 or 48. I have bucket seats sitting in my room (they are nice to sit in front of the tv and use haha) and I will be upholstering them and then making me a nice center console out of fiberglass but that will be later when I get an automatic tranny in here. In a few weeks I will have all the insulation done in my truck with the carpet, my gauges done, headliner and door panels. I have digital gauges that I have had for months now but never got around to buying the sending units for them so am going to wait on that and do that later when these gauges go to crap (which they are about to real soon it looks like). Anyone here use Vinyl in their hot rods? I was thinking about it for the seats because I cant' use tweed. I was going to get tweed but forgot that I start itching like crazy from tweed and my skin get's all red, etc so can't go with that.

FMX--DO NOT USE BUILDING SUPPLY STICK-ON STUFF!!!! I used it inside the roadster doors, and although it seemed to really stick to the interior door skins, within 3 weeks it had all fallen off.

What you do also depends on what your goal is. The jute that Horvath used has moderate sound deadening capability and no heat blocking to speak of. He did indicate he intended on a heat reflective material in phase 2, but I'd say he got it backward.

Another relatively low cost material I've used is available in most home supply places. It's essentially a sheet of bubble wrap with reflective layers on both sides, is just under 1/4" thick. The air gap is a poor conductor of both heat and sound. To apply, the 3M Super Adhesive Horvath referenced is a good product and, if used properly, will stick very well. He sort of glossed over it, but it's important to let the sprayed on layer of adhesive "tack" on both surfaces before pressing together..................same as you'd do with contact cement (which is another good adhesive to use, albeit unforgiving of misplacement). Also, good adhesive on a dirty surface won't hold. Then on top of this reflective material went a layer of thin jute for added padding. And no, I didn't have any problem with the bubbles "popping" when stepped on. I suspect the two outer layers of reflective material added strength.

Besides quieting and cooling the interior I experienced another "phenomenon" on a '40 coupe I did with the bubble material. It had cheapo glass packs I intended to replace because they sounded "tinny". Once the whole interior of the coupe was done (roof, sides, as well as floor) it changed the exhaust tone too. Not just inside as you would expect, but also from the outside. My only guess is the reflected sound from the floor pan gave less resonance, and thus a "mellower" tone. Probably wouldn't make as much, if any, difference on a pickup.

Brian and Dave, thanks for the info! I hear that stuff will stick as long as you get ALL the air bubbles out and it takes time to work out. But thing that I hear negative about the quick seal is that when it gets really hot inside the vehicle it will start smelling like tar a little. I do plan to use the stuff the guy on that link used but should I lay down the hot water heater stuff first with the deflector or whatever the chrome stuff is on one side?
Bob, I will look for that stuff your talking about too. I would like to use that AND that other stuff that is on that link.
Not sure yet. I am getting my American Racing wheels and BFG tires on Monday or Tuesday and then that will be over a grand so I will have a couple hundred bucks left that I have to get back brakes with, shocks and all the bolts for my bumpers, bed and some other small things of that sort. I am hoping after my birthday on July 10th I will have enough money to get the interior done because all I need to do is buy materials and me and this lady are going to do everything BUT the seats because her sewing machine isn't big enough or something like that she said but that's ok with me, as long as I get it insulated some. After that I need to get everything sealed off around windows and doors good because new interior and leaking windows all over won't be a good mix.
All a matter of time and money of course! Well that and now I have two vehicles I am going to get all ready for paint up the the primer so I have to get them done first.