Engine insulation options for a 356C?

[Sean M Rooks]

That jives with my car, which has no waffle pattern in the sound deadening and is a Karmann built '64 C.

[Harold Singh]

Can anyone confirm that it’s literally coconut matting? If the Karmann kit is basically tar paper and coconut mat, I think this could be easily made at home. It sounds like someone else is already running with double tar paper. There’s got to be a way to make you own. I can’t believe that someone like Willhoit has been using these bad replica kits all this time or paying $1776 more recently. There must be some secret I haven’t run across yet. I feel like the raw materials should be much much cheaper than $1776.

Semi off topic, how do you remove all those one way clips? That doesn’t look fun.

[Mike Wilson]

I can't confirm that the material was coconut but, if you Google "reptile cage mat", you'll see material that is very similar. If you bind that to 30 lb. tar paper, you might be able to make up some suitable sound deadening panels.

As far as the speed clips, they can be worked loose and sometimes spun off. If you can get enough space between the clip and the surface, just cut them off.

Mike

[Harold Singh]

I hadn’t looked but the guess these clips are available on stoddard. Was not sure if I needed to save them all!

[Doug McDonnell]

I don't think original speed nuts are available. See discussion here: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=40269&hilit=speed+nuts

[Tom Wavrin]

I made my own as well. I was given some industrial thickness roofing felt by a roofing contractor that had similar texture (not a waffle texture like on Reutter cars) on one side as the original insulation in my Karmann built car. After matching patterns to the original, I glued the two sections of felt together with oil based contact cement and repeated the process by re-using the horsehair backing. Even though the felt is black I did paint it with latex black paint that had an eggshell sheen. I probably put about 4 hrs total and $40 into paint and glue. I used a hair drier to get the felt to bend nicely at the top edge at the opening where the pieces are glued and screwed in place. Touched up with the black paint as needed. Still looks new after 7 years of driving.

[Harold Singh]

I made my own as well. I was given some industrial thickness roofing felt by a roofing contractor that had similar texture (not a waffle texture like on Reutter cars) on one side as the original insulation in my Karmann built car. After matching patterns to the original, I glued the two sections of felt together with oil based contact cement and repeated the process by re-using the horsehair backing. Even though the felt is black I did paint it with latex black paint that had an eggshell sheen. I probably put about 4 hrs total and $40 into paint and glue. I used a hair drier to get the felt to bend nicely at the top edge at the opening where the pieces are glued and screwed in place. Touched up with the black paint as needed. Still looks new after 7 years of driving.

Reuse the backing! Why didn’t I think of that! Thanks for the tips. You glued two layers of felt together to double the thickness? Is that necessary or do you think one layer might work? Was that just for originality or needed for function? I was leaning toward 3m super 90 for the glue selection. What brand was your oil based contact cement?

Any photos Tom?

Thanks

[Tom Wavrin]

Harold,
I mentioned DAP? oil-based contact cement because I don't think the water-based works well. I only use the 3M spray when glueing foam backed interior as it dries quickly and doesn't dissolve the foam. It would work in the engine compartment but would have to mask off so much stuff that I feel it would actually take longer to use. I also applied 2 coats using a cheap paint brush and it goes where I want it. I put two coats on the horsehair as well, letting the first coat nearly dry before adding the second until it dries to tacky. Same process as when installing carpet. I glued 2 pieces of felt together because I wanted to make an exact copy of the original insulation which was also a double thickness with the back piece being larger. It's doing the bending around curves, etc. The engine compartment had been brought to bare metal and had been primed and then painted black with automotive chassis black paint. I painted the insulation pieces using a black, eggshell latex house paint using a foam roller. I've recreated the vinyl insulation in 55100 in the same manner and have to say the research, process and results were fun. $1700 pay check for ~4hrs work - not bad. Good luck.

[Harold Singh]

Well done Tom!

[Tom Wavrin]

Harold, one more suggestion. Don't cut the nails as they are part of the interior back vinyl piece. With a helper pushing on the nail from inside of the car you should be able to get a needle nosed pliers on the nail behind or in front of the washer while using a pliers to unscrew or back off the fastener. You should be able to re-use the original fastener.

[DonCichocki]

To anyone who had a "bare" engine compartment that added the insulation did it make the car quieter?
Mines bare, except for the firewall, and I'd like to get the car quieter.
Thanks!
DC

[Bob Kittel]

I made these pieces for my car some 25 years ago. I used double tar paper stuck together with contact cement. For the insulation pad I used carpet underlayment, the old jute type. It looks like whatever product was originally there. The jute I soaked in latex paint to keep it somewhat water proof or to keep the water, if it got wet, from staying around. Color of the jute is your choice, I used black because that is what I had, tan is correct though. I used black latex on top to get away from the tar paper look. My car is a late 63 built 64 Karman, no waffle pattern.

[Harold Singh]

Thanks Bob!

[Jim Liberty]

Here is what Porsche did in '54 - '55. Try keeping this clean.

[Harold Singh]

DSC_0093.JPG

Here is what Porsche did in '54 - '55. Try keeping this clean.

Thanks for the reference Jim. My car and the reason for the thread I started was for a 1964 model so luckily I won’t have to keep that clean!