Insulating Finishing hard top?

[cap35b]

Has anyone finished the interior of the top. By finishing I mean insulated and covered the metal to make it a more finished looking interior? If so lets see some pics.

 

[jdkin01]

If you mean a headliner, here are a couple of pictures of mine. I used insulation that I got at an RV supply, and a headliner that I got from one of the vendors. Around the windows I sprayed adhesive and put the same insulation as the top then glued carpet material on that is the same as my floor carpet. Sure makes it cooler and quieter.

 

[cap35b]

Yes thats what I was wanting to see. Has anyone built out the sides around the side windows?

 

[SC74]

If you mean a headliner, here are a couple of pictures of mine. I used insulation that I got at an RV supply, and a headliner that I got from one of the vendors. Around the windows I sprayed adhesive and put the same insulation as the top then glued carpet material on that is the same as my floor carpet. Sure makes it cooler and quieter.

Wow, that looks great!

 

[mitzel]

Mine is fairly similar to jdkin01. I have some ~1" thick carpet juke /
insulation glued into the hardtop between the bows. Standard cardboard
headliner covered in some foam-backed headliner material. Nothing
around the hardtop sides / windows. Bed sides have the same carpet juke /
insulation and then I have bed side panels that cover the sides.

 

[cap35b]

That looks good Mitzel. What color orange is your rig. Is it the Burt Orange?

 

[clkwrkorg36]

you should really consider dynamatting the headliner theres so much less wind noise and flapping.

 

[MarsChariot]

Funny how these threads pop up about the same time some of us are asking ourselves the same thing. The side panels on the top do not seem to get insulation treatment, yet it is a big area of metal that can transmit all sorts of sound and heat (and cold).

I was wondering if something like LizardSkin might work. Bed liner would not because, as some sage on this board said once, "bed liner looks like goober". You would have to be able to give it a nice coat of white for it to look right. Anyone know if you can paint over LizardSkin?

 

[jdkin01]

Funny how these threads pop up about the same time some of us are asking ourselves the same thing. The side panels on the top do not seem to get insulation treatment, yet it is a big area of metal that can transmit all sorts of sound and heat (and cold).

I was wondering if something like LizardSkin might work. Bed liner would not because, as some sage on this board said once, "bed liner looks like goober". You would have to be able to give it a nice coat of white for it to look right. Anyone know if you can paint over LizardSkin?

Yep, made a big difference covering up that little area.
What is Lizardskin ?

 

[Tito]

I bedlined the inside of mine (top and sides), it made it look like the fiberglass finish of the later model tops. I will still use a headliner on the upper section with some vinyl glued to it. Havent ran it yet to see if it reduces noise but when I tap on it it sure is quieter ;D

 

[72Quarterhorse]

If you mean a headliner, here are a couple of pictures of mine. I used insulation that I got at an RV supply, and a headliner that I got from one of the vendors. Around the windows I sprayed adhesive and put the same insulation as the top then glued carpet material on that is the same as my floor carpet. Sure makes it cooler and quieter.

I used this same type of insulation on the roof and floor this stuff is good $50.00 for 2' by 50' roll. I bought it at a home improvement store.

 

[GraficO]

my top gets painted Tuesday...
My plan is to put Dynamat under the stock cardboard headliner kit that I had covered in charcoal Pleather.

As far as the sides... I think I figured a way to make inserts out of 3/8" foil wrapped pliable closed-cell foam and cover that with the same Pleather.

That, I'm SURE will keep the heat/cold and sound transfer down to a minimum.

I have some other plans for my top as well. I put in my 3/8-16 Nutzerts in the bed rail yesterday and got chrome, round head Allen bolts to lock the top down. A couple months ago, I got polished aluminum "L" brackets made to fit perfectly into the area of the top that bolts to the bed rail and drops down to make a super sano cover/lower qtr panel keepers.

I'll post photos shortly... just have to get the paint/body guy moving so I can get it into the build shop...

 

[Scoop]

I shot the whole inside of my top with paintable rubberized undercoating, gray primer-sealer over that, and then shot it with the light gray trunk liner spatter paint - it has black and white specks in it. Both the undercoating and the spatter paint have a texture. Seems to help a little on noise. I need to shoot another spatter paint coat though, in order to get more even. I wouldn't do this for a nice restoration or custom resto-mod, but for a driver or trail rig this works well.

Here are a couple of pics -

 

[blubuckaroo]

I used the 1/2" thich white foam insulation panels from the home improvement center. Glued it to the top and put the factory headiner back in. Used the same stuff in the quarter panels and doors. I didn't put anything around the windows but was wondering about that too.

 

[jdkin01]

I have some other plans for my top as well. I put in my 3/8-16 Nutzerts in the bed rail yesterday and got chrome, round head Allen bolts to lock the top down. A couple months ago I got polished aluminum "L" brackets made the fit perfectly into the area of the top that bolts to the bed rail and drops down to make a super sano cover/lower qtr panel keepers.

I'll post photos shortly...

Would like to see pictures of that. That's one area that don't look too good in mine, was wondering how to make it look better.

 

[MarsChariot]

Yep, made a big difference covering up that little area.
What is Lizardskin ?

Here is a little info about LizardSkin.
http://www.hotrodscustomstuff.com/PS-LizSkin.html

Recently there was a resto article in Auto Restorer in which the restorer used LizardSkin to completely coat the underside of a restorod. Seems promising. Its water-based, too.

 

[oh2bnok]

I think I'll use this product all over to insulate. Has foil on both sides. Maybe the same as the RV insulation not sure.




http://www.lobucrod.com/

 

[jdkin01]

Mine is fairly similar to jdkin01. I have some ~1" thick carpet juke /
insulation glued into the hardtop between the bows. Standard cardboard
headliner covered in some foam-backed headliner material. Nothing
around the hardtop sides / windows. Bed sides have the same carpet juke /
insulation and then I have bed side panels that cover the sides.

The side panels are my next project, what did you use plywood, particle board, or........ ? I'm thinking about putting little doors in there for storage. I should've done that before I put the roll bar and top on. That's the fun thing about old Broncos, you can do whatever you want.

 

[GraficO]

Check into this marine use rigid foam core board... variety of thicknesses...
http://www.defender.com/category.jsp?path=-1%7C10918%7C16458&id=309319

 

[Broncobowsher]

OK, I have had this plan for several years now, just never got around to it.

Take the top off, put it upside down in the garage with some lumber around the drip rail to support it. Get some A-B foam (not sure about the density) and fill the roof. Use a belt sander to carve down the high spots. Do a quick fiberglass cover to finish it off. Fast paint job and a rigid insulated roof. I could carve a little deeper where the cage is at, and maybe a Gurney bubble if headroom became an issue. Problems I thought of were the bolts at the windshield, I would weld them in from the top first, making them studs. I would also never be able to reach the bolts for the rear hatch afterword either. Neither a problem I could see. It would add a little weight to the roof, but I don't think enough to really worry about. Also it would be easy to bury a couple of wires in the foam for dome lights, etc.

I now have the spare hard top. I have finished the move into the new house. Just need that belt sander and some foam. Oh, and the time to do it.