Big Blue's Transformation

[ArdWrknTrk]

Jonathan - There are two sets of black on the floor: some original drops of probably seam sealer, and the POR-15 that Jim mentioned. Both of which are well covered up at present.

But I didn't use any adhesive for the sound deadener. It REALLY sticks, and I can't imagine it could be gotten off once it is properly rolled on. There's a waffle pattern in the aluminum foil on it and the instructions say to roll it until the waffle pattern is gone. That takes quite a bit of rolling, but once done the sound deadening itself is not going anywhere.

It is the insulation that I'm thinking I'll use the spray adhesive on. It has its own adhesive on it, but it isn't as aggressive as the sound deadener. I'm sure it'll be fine under the carpet, but for the roof I'm not sure it'll stay. But I've really not started installing it yet, so don't know for sure.

As for how much difference there is, bear in mind that I'm going from no sound deadening to lots, no insulation to quite a bit, and no headliner to sound deadening & insulation. So there had better be a big difference. But I'll let you know, for sure.

Jim - You are right, I put two heavy coats of POR-15 on the rusty areas. So they are well and truly SEALED.

Scott - I went with Noico products. I'm using their sound deadener and will be using their RED 150 mil closed cell foam insulation. I found it to be well rated and less expensive than the Eastwood stuff. So far I'm impressed sound deadener. But I have yet to use any of the insulation so will wait to pass judgment on it until I do.

I'm really interested to see how my truck sounds with the floor and firewall covered in decoupling mat and insulation.

I had some in the doors before, in conjunction with the stock padding.

But this stuff is stuck on there!

And shouldn't absorb water...

I left it back an inch or so from the edges so any infiltration has a clear path to the holes I drilled.

There's not much harmonics at the corners anyhow.

[Gary Lewis]

I'm really interested to see how my truck sounds with the floor and firewall covered in decoupling mat and insulation.

I had some in the doors before, in conjunction with the stock padding.

But this stuff is stuck on there!

And shouldn't absorb water...

I left it back an inch or so from the edges so any infiltration has a clear path to the holes I drilled.

There's not much harmonics at the corners anyhow.

It will be interesting to see. But you are right, corners don't vibrate much.

You have carpet on the back wall, but is there damping material under it? I don't have carpet for back there, yet. I'm guessing that the original '85 won't want to go over the new tall tranny cover, so I may go with new carpet. If I do it'll include some for the back wall. And it'll have the mass backing.

[ArdWrknTrk]

It will be interesting to see. But you are right, corners don't vibrate much.

You have carpet on the back wall, but is there damping material under it? I don't have carpet for back there, yet. I'm guessing that the original '85 won't want to go over the new tall tranny cover, so I may go with new carpet. If I do it'll include some for the back wall. And it'll have the mass backing.

No, I don't have anything behind it, but this is just a beat up work truck.

Ive got no intentions on legacy, or where it will go when I'm dead.

Hopefully there won't be any petroleum economy at all by then.

Maybe just wishful thinking, but it has to stop somewhere.

[ArdWrknTrk]

It will be interesting to see. But you are right, corners don't vibrate much.

You have carpet on the back wall, but is there damping material under it? I don't have carpet for back there, yet. I'm guessing that the original '85 won't want to go over the new tall tranny cover, so I may go with new carpet. If I do it'll include some for the back wall. And it'll have the mass backing.

I bought a mat for '80-'96.

I'm assuming it isn't intended for the Zf cover, but it fits much better than that thick vinyl mat from LMC ever did.

[Gary Lewis]

I bought a mat for '80-'96.

I'm assuming it isn't intended for the Zf cover, but it fits much better than that thick vinyl mat from LMC ever did.

I just posted in the thread entitled "1983/84 DK Harbor Blue - correct shade of blue PARTIALLY solved. Need Carpet code" re the carpet. As said there, in at least '87 and '88 there were several manual transmissions offered, and at least two different transmission covers because of that - presumably a high and a low one.

So why ACC doesn't seem to differentiate is confusing. Perhaps all of their '87 - 96 carpets fit the tall cover and will work with the low cover? I hope to determine that will a call to them in the morning.

But that may be why one mat fits and another doesn't. I remember that getting the carpet to fit on Dad's truck with the taller cover was a real pain, and it never did lay correctly.

[Sac79]

I just posted in the thread entitled "1983/84 DK Harbor Blue - correct shade of blue PARTIALLY solved. Need Carpet code" re the carpet. As said there, in at least '87 and '88 there were several manual transmissions offered, and at least two different transmission covers because of that - presumably a high and a low one.

So why ACC doesn't seem to differentiate is confusing. Perhaps all of their '87 - 96 carpets fit the tall cover and will work with the low cover? I hope to determine that will a call to them in the morning.

But that may be why one mat fits and another doesn't. I remember that getting the carpet to fit on Dad's truck with the taller cover was a real pain, and it never did lay correctly.

What are you doing for the headliner Gary? Are you still thinking of the Highliner?

[Gary Lewis]

What are you doing for the headliner Gary? Are you still thinking of the Highliner?

Rob - I am still planning on the Highliner. Do you remember if it goes up into the recesses of the roof? IOW, can I put a layer of sound deadening and insulation up there and still get the Highliner on?

As for what I did today, I got about half of the insulation on. And I take back my thoughts that the adhesive might not be up to the job. Several times I had the adhesive stick to my fingers so well that it pulled foam off the mat. So for the first layer I'm pretty sure it'll be there forever. But I doubt you could stick another layer onto the first layer of foam and get it to stick. If layering it I think the spray adhesive would be needed.

[Sac79]

Rob - I am still planning on the Highliner. Do you remember if it goes up into the recesses of the roof? IOW, can I put a layer of sound deadening and insulation up there and still get the Highliner on?

As for what I did today, I got about half of the insulation on. And I take back my thoughts that the adhesive might not be up to the job. Several times I had the adhesive stick to my fingers so well that it pulled foam off the mat. So for the first layer I'm pretty sure it'll be there forever. But I doubt you could stick another layer onto the first layer of foam and get it to stick. If layering it I think the spray adhesive would be needed.

Sound deadening sure, I put some up there. I would hold off on the insulation. It comes with a foam pad which leaves very little room. You might want to use your insulation instead of the pad, but I doubt you could use both. And yes, it goes into the recesses.

[Gary Lewis]

Sound deadening sure, I put some up there. I would hold off on the insulation. It comes with a foam pad which leaves very little room. You might want to use your insulation instead of the pad, but I doubt you could use both. And yes, it goes into the recesses.

Thanks, Rob. Good to know. While I'm on a roll I'll put the sound deadening up there, but hold off on the insulation. I can always put it on later.

At this point I'm going to leave the trim off, meaning the corner trim, kick panels, etc. I want to paint them as well as the Coverlay dash cover with SEM and get everything to match. But I'll wait until I get the thing on the road to do that.

Maybe tomorrow I can get the insulation finished and the carpet laid in to see how it is going to fit. Call ACC to get my head around what the options are, and probably get samples in the mail. And maybe the t-case shift mechanism and the tranny's shift lever in place.

Then soon I want to get the seat in, the front fuel delivery module in, add the tranny, t-case, and power steering lube, and it'll be time to fire it up!

[ArdWrknTrk]

Thanks, Rob. Good to know. While I'm on a roll I'll put the sound deadening up there, but hold off on the insulation. I can always put it on later.

At this point I'm going to leave the trim off, meaning the corner trim, kick panels, etc. I want to paint them as well as the Coverlay dash cover with SEM and get everything to match. But I'll wait until I get the thing on the road to do that.

Maybe tomorrow I can get the insulation finished and the carpet laid in to see how it is going to fit. Call ACC to get my head around what the options are, and probably get samples in the mail. And maybe the t-case shift mechanism and the tranny's shift lever in place.

Then soon I want to get the seat in, the front fuel delivery module in, add the tranny, t-case, and power steering lube, and it'll be time to fire it up!

Be mindful of getting too much build-up beneath the throttle pedal.

Even the retrofit 'floor mat' pedal might be overwhelmed by carpet, sound damper, insulation and....