Sound deadening in an A7...

[James Anderson]

Must admit my Mk2 Ruby (ADY 95) is so quiet I sometimes think I'm in a modern (no insult intended!) and look for a radio, electric clock etc but it has most of its original sound deadening (and uselessly water absorbing) dimpled cardboard material in place and it has a 3-bearing engine which I think is quieter than a 2-bearing if mounted correctly. Fawn rubberised camping mat material wouldn't look out of place.

[Ian Williams]

James, would you please take some photographs of your car and and of the sound deadening dimpled cardboard. Would anyone know when Austin first used this material, was it with the advent of the Mk2 Ruby or earlier?

[Peter Naulls]

Ian,

I think this is what James is referring to. This was our '37 Ruby. The cardboard was used extensively, as can be seen from the patterns in the remaining paintwork.

Peter.

   

We replaced it with felt which works very well but is absorbent.

   

[Nick Salmon]

The phrase 'wound up Vera Lynn' conjures up a vision...:-)

[Malcolm Parker]

I think the dimpled sound deadening material with a black bitumen like finish was first used for the 1936 range of 'streamlined' Austins.  I have a Practical Motorist road test of the Austin Ten Cambridge dated 2nd January 1937 which makes a point about the sound deadening used in the bodywork.  There is a photo of the drivers footwell with the carpet folded back, under which is a layer of felt. The dimpled bitumenised material is glued to the floor.   I suspect if it has a bitumen finish it will stay in place and bond itself to the floor.   My brother had a 1936 Ten Cambridge and the dimpled material was applied to all the body panels up to window level.
There is a type of foam carpet underlay that has a very similar dimpled finish.   If this was painted underneath with bitumen I imagine it would be quite effective.
I am following this thread with interest as the Pytchley saloon will soon be on the road.  This has a stressed plywood body that amplifies any noise.  Rather like a motorised double bass!

[James Anderson]

James, would you please take some photographs of your car and and of the sound deadening dimpled cardboard. Would anyone know when Austin first used this material, was it with the advent of the Mk2 Ruby or earlier?

Ian, I see that the information has been kindly already supplied. Is that enough? I'm hoping to take the car to a Southern Classics Meeting at the Bluebell Railway tomorrow and I'll be 'chuffed' in more ways than one if the weather is better! After a period of about 7-10 days of 'scorchio' weather typically it has started pouring here in the South. While checking the car over I was surprised to see the material even on the inside of the metal spare wheel cover. Sadly, it is missing in other places like the floor but noise surprisingly doesn't seem worse for this and understandably the material was the same shape as the rubber mats. It was fairly grubby when I removed it about 30 years ago not long after purchasing the car in 1982. One of the reasons the car is fairly unmolested is that it was displayed in a local BMC Dealership (Hares of Rustington) for the previous at least 25 years, that plus my ownership of 36 years, takes its 'known history' to over 60 years and the car's mileage to just over 107,000 from new.

[Oxford Jack]

In advance of the Euro Tour last year and while replacing the soft top and sliding head of the RP I fitted quite a lot of sound deadening to try and reduce the noise levels experienced.
The attached photos show the bitumen backed 1/2" felt I fitted to the roof and sides of the body. I bought a roll of the sound absorbing?/deadening material which has a sticky back and a diamond shape impressed on the outer surface, it is quite heavy, easy to cut and sticks like ..... to a blanket. I fitted new rubber floor covering over the sound deadening. I also fitted it in the under seat boxes, below the back seat and up the bulkhead.
I think the single biggest difference has been the gearbox cover. In the past I have draped several layers of towel or foam backed with thin rubber over the gearbox and noted the improvement. The new cover is made from aluminium, lined with the sticky sound deadening and ribbed rubber over to match the floor covering.
Did we notice much difference? Well it is possible to have a conversation inside the car now, at least if the engine is switched off, otherwise the usual shouting match is the order of the day. Actually we did notice in 3,500 miles being rather less worn at the end of each day, which might be due to reduced decibels. Whatever, I felt better about the car and it is noticeably warmer in very cold weather.

The gearbox cover, which is fixed to the floor with two screws and must be lifted to access the filler plug, must modify with a swing plate
   

Felt lining to the roof and sides and a piece of carpet behind the rear seat back, which also protects the body when the seat is removed to carry luggage for longer trips
   

The passenger side of the gearbox cover, note oil creep!
   

The sticky diamond shape sound deadening, also covers the bulkhead. Note the large grommet fitted to the bulkhead to aid rear core plug replacement and the 240 volt 13 amp inverter is for charging batteries and lap top. I am using a military engine crankcase which is 1.5" longer than standard, so the speedo drive has been rotated 180 degrees to miss the rear cross member.
   

Floor, under seat tool box and former battery box all treated to sound deadening