Air tight cabin

[tgrace85]

Hi folks. I've got my second-gen getting scuff and buff before it heads to the interior shop Mar3. The car was "done" in September and got about 500 miles on it before I put it away for the winter and decided the paint and interior should be upgraded to the same standard as the rest of the car. The issue that's been gnawing at me though is how I can make the cabin as air-tight as possible. I know it has frameless windows and yes, I know the car is almost 50 years old and won't ever feel like something built new today. But I've got to believe there's something I can do to make the driving experience more comfortable. I built this car to DRIVE, and drive a lot. I just don't want so much air coming through the cabin. Any tips, tricks, or suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!

[cpd004]

My 71 has dynamat throughout and my 79 had the factory stuff. The 71 was much more enjoyable from a heat and noise standpoint. I'd try one of those spray on applications next time around. I do get most of the air entering around the windows though. They both have new weatherstripping.

[sccacuda]

You'll have to shim the weatherstripping, either from behind, or by inserting a rubber inside. The easiest thing I have found is to spray the weatherstrip with spray can glass cleaner. It is white and foamy, but leaves no residue and really nothing to clean up. Spray the weather strip and then shut the door. Open it real quick and you'll see where the door is contacting. You'll probably see a few spots where the contact is very narrow and some not at all. Those spots will need to be shimmed. You'll have to work a spot, test again, and keep going.

The other very important area is the door to fender. The door needs to be flush or slightly behind the fender. If the door protrudes out further than the fender anywhere, it scoops the air into the hinge pocket causing excessive noise.

I just started using an ultrasonic checker. They are about $150. You put the transmitter in the car, close it up, and listen around seals and windows. Although it won't show where the seal is leaking (glass cleaner), it will tell you if the glass isn't sealed properly.

[tgrace85]

Thanks guys! I used a lot of sound/heatproofing inside with some asphalt-backed aluminum roofing material and some standard carpet insulation. It was way cheaper than Dynamat and very easy to apply. The doors shut solid and have that sound everybody wants.

I really like the rubber-shimming windex idea. I will definitely be trying that out. I talked to Grant at Greening Auto and he suggested using all Steele Rubber for the seals, so I'll be putting in an order for all that soon. Thanks a lot for the help, I'll let you know how it turns out!

[vette427-sbc]

On top of what Craig said, look into sealing the door gap with a thin piece of weather strip. Ive noticed a few manufacturers started doing that to prevent air from entering the door jam area at speed. Should help with wind noise, aero and interior drafts.