Doug said, re: hot air blasting into the cockpit:
> The tranny cover originally had insulation attached to the underside.
> This needs to be in place to keep the heat and noise down. If this is
> missing
> or damaged, or if you add a plastic cover, you really need to design
> and install
> some suitable insulation.
>
> The ideal insulation, IMHO, would be a one to two-inch thick layer
> of dense styrofoam molded directly onto the entire inner surface
> of the tranny cover. A pity they don't come that way!
I used 3/4" closed cell foam, of the type normally used to insulate
HVAC ducting. Bought a big roll for $4 at an industrial
surplus/recycling
place here in town. Blocks excessive temps, dampens noise. Flexible,
and can be bonded to the trans cover with standard 3M Spray Adhesive
which you can find at WalMart or similar. Cuts with scissors.
If you don't have a recycling/reuse center, I would imagine any
HVAC supply place would have it. Or ask the guy who services the
furnace/AC in your house.
It worked so well, when I re-did the interior last year I pulled up all
the
carpet, pulled off the cheap foam that came with the set, and replaced
it
with 1/2" closed-cell foam I bought from the same place. Took me just a
day to
do the whole interior. Even pulled out the three panels in the rear
compartment
and backed them with the foam.
The noise reduction is significant. I can actually hear the radio.
Also, I replaced the seal around the trans cover - that does a world of
good,
and would be the first thing I did since it's cheap and a quick fix. In
particular,
the top of the front of the old cardboard covers tends to fold over
backwards,
letting in noise, heat, water and all manner of annoyances. Back when I
was
very poor, I used a piece of plywood cut to size to hold that top up
until I could
afford a proper ABS cover.
One last thing if finances are tight and that cardboard cover is more
cracks
and holes than cover - a friend of mine and I covered his busted-up
trans
cover with cheap fiberglas. We covered the cover with the matting, and
then
just poured on the resin, one half at a time. Total cost was about $15.
Not elegant,
but it worked.
Oh, and other other thing - after I got that ABS cover and had it
installed
to my satisfaction, I took the cardboard cover into the back yard, put
a bit of kerosene on it, and had a celebratory bonfire while I had a
pint
of bitter.
Ken Strayhorn
Hillsborough NC
'72 MkIV
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