Looking for Rattle advice

Not sure I want to embark on this but... When I go over bumps the car rattles. Some of the sound is the bumpers (when I hit them with my hand I can hear a clunk), then there is the door. They are tight and shut well. I assume that most is coming from the seal between the body and the pan.

I am looking to stiffen (quieten) the car a little. Has anyone experienced this and rectified it? My car is an early 80's FF. It's great, runs well and I take care of it.

If I was looking to add some rubber between the body and pan this would require a frame off..... something I am not comfortable doing.

Get a louder stereo, or an obnoxious exhaust. Or be like me and get both.

Kidding aside, I have the same problem but I thought it had more to do with my suspension. The tiniest bumps shake my Speedy like a martini.

I have a few rattles with the interior in my car...there are fiberglass kick panels and they tend to squeak.

But I also have a rattle or knock in the rear driver's side when I go over big bumps... the kind that come close to maxing your suspension out. The whoopty dooos as we called them as kids. It sounds like something is loose but I've yet to find out what it is.

Brian

Mike,

When I was working on my car I found that besides all the other issues you mentioned...I found that the fwd body support bracket
between frame head and body was loose. I've also seen that if wasn't even installed on toher cars which means all of the body weight was hanging(flapping) fwd of the firewall. Worth a check. I don't think
your issues are body to pan, that would be pretty far down on the list of probable troubles.
You've already found one clunk. Have your buddy move your bumper while you'er on your back. It may be as siple as a loose clamp.
As for the door rattle, wrap your striker with rubberized electricians tape.

I have some rattles in my car too Mike; if I were you I wouldn't worry too much about it. I guess it comes with the territory with these type of cars. The fact is that I have so much fun driving it that the rattles don't even bother me.

I used sound dampener. Fiberglass acts as a megaphone to the rattles, so used Dynamat on a lot of the surfaces that I could reach and would echo without. I have def'y noticed a difference. It may also be that the exhaust screams, but I think that I like how loud and obnoxious it has become.

Mike:

Bumper rattles: Push the bumper mounting bracket rubber seal (the one that seals/covers the space between the mounting bracket and the body fiberglass) back towards the bumper a little to expose the outside body where the bumper mounting bracket goes through the fiberglass.

Squirt some clear Silicon Caulk all around the bracket where it passes through the body such that it is forced into the space between the body and bumper bracket.

Get under the car, and squirt more silicon in from the back side around the bumper bracket, the same as you did on the front. Make it look neat.

Back on the outside, use your finger to make the silicon around the mounting bracket look neat, then slide the rubber seal/cover back into place such that the silicon will "glue" it back in place so it won't move. Hopefully, you don't put so much silicon caulk in that it squishes out all over the place when the seal/cover is replaced. If you get a little squished out so that it shows, you can either try to remove it now, or wait til it firms up and carefully use a sharp razor blade to score it along the seal/cover and just pull it off.

Leave it be for at least 12 hours to allow the caulk to thoroughly firm up all the way through.

Do this to all bracket locations where the bracket goes through the fiberglass. Once this is done, your bumper rattles should be eliminated.

Do the bumpers first and see if that cures it. Bumper rattles can sound like they're coming from all over the place, so try this first, then report back, eh?

Body Rattles: Don't go the rubber-between-body-and-pan just yet. First, try tightening all of the pan to body bolts all around the bottom, including those out on the back, just ahead of the shock towers. Bruce mentioned the front body bracket - find that one (it should be right ahead of your gas tank) and tighten those four bolts, too. Let us know what happens.

While you're under the body messing around, look for anything (wire groups, hoses, brackets, etc.) that is on a torque arm (set at a distance from its' mount, thereby making a lever) that might be moving around when the car is moving. If it moves, tighten it. If it still moves, find a way to keep it from moving.

Another common "body" rattle is where the Speedo cable goes through the fiberglass to enter the cockpit. Use your new-found silicon caulk trick around the cable where it passes through the fiberglass. I'll bet you'll find several places to use that tube of caulk up. Good hunting!

Good Luck, eh?

gn

I had a front sway bar bracket fail early on and it made a terrable noise

Out side of a squeaky seat spring mines very tight . I used early GM truck bumper bracket boots front and rear .I think the bumper guards helped prevent problems like this they steadyied the bumpers.

I seam sealed the pan to the cab with black urethane. inside and out.

Do you have disc brakes front with the backing dust covers that can rattle?

I also just remembered that I redid the front trunk to allow a full size spare that makes the intire front end a lot more rigid. and I still have my patterns. If any one wants some paper traceings that mail easy Just let me know.

Does anyone know how to sort out the rattles in the doors? Is there something on the market like a wedge (Karmann Ghia Type) that stops the doors moving around when you hit bumpy roads???

If the adjustment is firm and you have rubber weatherstrip for the door to set against there should be no movement.
Try moving the door jamb striker a scoosh, first outline it where it is now with masking tape so you can return it if necessary.

What Alan says is right on; the rubber thingies on the striker can be shimmed (on older models) or swapped on newer models if they shrink to adjust the doors properly.

Barry,
I'd like to have a set of your spare tire/trunk mod templates, or a drawing with dimensions. That seems like an obvious upgrade.
Does it make the front end more solid because of the added panels and fiberglass or do you attach more of the front end to the frame/pan?

Greg

They are fiberglassed into the body at the lower front and the lower nose is fiberglassed to the trunk floor at the bottom lip. Its 4 peaces.. and Yes both it set in shock mounts bolted to the forward bumper brackets.

I got the 1/4 fiberglass stock from Mcmaster Karr and its not ckeap but of excelent quality.

I cut the old trunk out 3 inches in front of the fuel tank and straight up on both sides at that point and the new side walls go all the way to the nose and are fiberglassed into it on both sides all the way around.

I cut the forward trunk wall out 1 inch below the inner edge and let the sides taper back tward the tank at the top of the side cuts

You realy have to support the front of the car well before cutingt out the front trunk. If your not careful the hood wont line back up if anythng moves.

I took off the wheels and put the car on blocks.

I also put the nose on blocks cut to fit snug. leave the hood on and check the seams constanly at every step.

But it is a very worth while upgrade.

Send the emailing address to zegfredgrummin(at)earthlink.net

3 inches in front of the tank is more than you need . but leave the sides long just incase.

Just use the templates to make card board patterns and scripe them on the car.. If your not sure how much to trim away just leave 2 extra inches here and there, untill the patterns wiil fit.

I cut part of it out with a skill saw .

Long sleeve shirts. googles and a dust mask are a must. Yelp the Darh Vader G Q look.

Greg Just send me a address and I'll unroll the old wrapping paper.

Alan yours are on their way.

Alan I have you some more pics in High defenetion so skan them twice and zoom in all you want.

Mike,

i just bought 50ft2 of this stuff that was highly recommended to me called b-quiet. essientally it's dynomat, but cheaper.

Here is a link to some comparison tests:
http://www.b-quiet.com/compare.html

They are based out of Alberta, so there is no brokerage fees for you or I.

I received my package two days ago.

Type in CCA and get 10% off. :-)

also- another bit of advice - pay the US amount. with our dollar as strong as it is - it's a way better deal.

That's what I used in my car, and it really made a difference.

Are there any specal tricks to putting it on? I have some to put on my bug when i change out the trannys and motors.

I do hav a nother small new rattle the (p) top latchs have started to rattle some . is there a simple fix i tried crimping them , new roll pins an even small oring that eventuialy break and fall off. is here some way to secure them when the tops down?

No tricks. Just apply to a relatively clean surface and use the little roller (included) to flatten in out. The black goopy side can get a little messy, if your not careful. You WILL get it on you.