In working to improve the recently acquired '62 Dart, I am working on the engine noise getting into the passenger compartment. It is really annoying at over 40 mph. (BTW, this car has the original vinyl floor mats and jute or jute-like insulation so never likely was all that quiet. )

The biggest single source at this point seems to be the clutch pedal linkage, believe it or not. The position changes of that linkage while trying various motor mounts changed that noise contribution a lot. BTW, the motor mounts are new NOS from Old Car Parts NW (thanks for that suggestion, /6-Dan); trannie mount is the orignal.

The linkage z-bar bushings have been changed recently (by the PO's mechanic). Not sure the new bushings are original type; have not taken that apart yet to see. But I am trying to figure out what else I can do to isolate the engine noise that appears to be getting transmitted through that linkage into the floorboards/firewall.

I may also try some new floormat padding but am interested in other suggestions of what to do/change. Thanks in advance!

I have put some Dynamat into my 64 Dart and will do more of that. It did make some difference, but I don't have a ton in there yet.

Lou

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Home of Slant6-powered fun machines since 1988

http://www.sounddeadenershowdown.com

Read the info pages there and learn most of what you need to know about making your car quieter.

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Casually looking for a Clifford hyperpak intake for cheap.

Thanks very much for the links and info.

I did make some progress; I thought about the motor mount change and that fact that I had moved one mount a bit to level the engine better, and wondered if I had something torqued. So I loosened the trannie mount bolts and one motor mount bolt, started the car, let it idle, and revved it a few times hard to torque the engine/trannie, and then stopped the engine and retightened the bolts. It actually quieted down a fair amount, and the column shifter is easier into 2nd gear. So I suspect I had things a bit cocked and this let it 'settle' and take any twistng off the mounts, and some misalignment of the 2-3 torque shaft in its bushings.

And, BTW, I did take apart the Z-bar linakge to inspect the bushings. They had been recently replaced but were installed completely dry...! Some moly grease makes all that so much better now.

Almost all new cars and trucks have a molded insulation panel applied to the front side of the fire wall. It would be interesting to know if any late models are similar to the old A body cars.

Sam

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I know that by the mid 70s (at least as early as 74) Mopar was putting the jute/cardboard sound deadener on the inside of the firewall behind the dash. My brother's 74 Duster had it, but it was disintegrating. It ran across the whole firewall behind the dash. It was factory and held in place with rubbed plugs that ran through the soundproofing and into holes in the firewall.

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Casually looking for a Clifford hyperpak intake for cheap.

What Reed said. I found that in the Dart Special Editions and Valient Broughams the floor insulation was a thick jute padding bonded to a heavy backing that seemed to be made of an asphalt impregnated hardboard. It was very heavy, and dried out with age so that when you try to remove it the backing tends to crack and crumble apart. I think the key to its sound deadening qualities was the (when new) flexibility and weight- almost like a lead blanket. We have a 1975 Swinger and a 75 Dart Special Edition 2-door, and the S.E. is way quieter than the Swinger with the same engine/trans and equipment. The door upholstery panels on the S.E. also were carpeted from the bottom up about 6 or 8 inches, cutting out a lot of road noise from the lower door. We did the carpet trick on the doors of our Scamp and noticed the difference in before-after. P

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"Louise", a 1976 Dart Custom project, (now sadly reverted to being just an "organ donor" to our other project Darts.)