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Sat Aug 30, 2025 9:54 pm

Did the sound deadening make a big difference?

Mon Sep 01, 2025 7:37 am

EverettB wrote: Did the sound deadening make a big difference?

It does, although it's difficult to quantify. It definitely cut down the mid-range and lower end sounds.

Fri Sep 12, 2025 6:32 am

added teflon foil in the hope it protects better the rain gutter

Fri Sep 12, 2025 9:50 am

Finally finished this project. I've had this late 1950s Blaupunkt Frankfurt for years, but the more I dug in to it, the more I realised it was beyond economical repair. :cry: (Broken and missing parts and sections of wire missing from the radio body. The power pack was bought separately, isn't the correct one and again had broken and missing parts. etc.)

A couple of months ago; I bit the bullet and gutted the unit to fit a bluetooth receiver/amp module. I had to desolder the pot to allow me to mount it to a shaft so I connect it to the radio's on/off/volume switch shaft.
I didn't want it to be a 'dead' shell, so I've added a current-sensing switch to turn the dial light on and off when I turn the amp on and off.
The power pack was missing its lid, so I 3D printed one to hold a USB charger. I've replaced the braided cable and wired it to run power from the radio body to the power pack. I'm also going to use it to hide a couple of relays and other electrical bits that are currently loose on the dash tray.
I've a wanted ad up for the brackets to connect the power pack to the radio, but I'll fab something up to make it work for now.

If I get some time over the weekend, I'll install it in the dash.

Wed Sep 17, 2025 3:07 am

Speaking of sound deadening, I'm reluctant to using products like FatMat because if for any reason in the future it needs to be removed. Has anyone ever had to remove it?

EverettB wrote: Did the sound deadening make a big difference?

Wed Sep 17, 2025 9:24 am

LAGrunthaner wrote: Speaking of sound deadening, I'm reluctant to using products like FatMat because if for any reason in the future it needs to be removed. Has anyone ever had to remove it?

EverettB wrote: Did the sound deadening make a big difference?

Depends on the exact material, but these are removable with a heat gun, plastic scraper, and then some solvent for any residue.

Wed Sep 17, 2025 9:27 am

I added another layer of the 3-in-1 material (foam, butyl, and aluminum) on the forward side of the 'firewall' - this noticeably reduced the transmission noise.

Wed Sep 17, 2025 1:29 pm

Built a custom Subwoofer box for my Single cab! Makes a big difference in fuller sound.

Fri Sep 19, 2025 4:31 pm

Thanks them, good to hear that a heatgun can remove it.

thom wrote: LAGrunthaner wrote: Speaking of sound deadening, I'm reluctant to using products like FatMat because if for any reason in the future it needs to be removed. Has anyone ever had to remove it?

EverettB wrote: Did the sound deadening make a big difference?

Depends on the exact material, but these are removable with a heat gun, plastic scraper, and then some solvent for any residue.

Wed Sep 24, 2025 3:17 pm

thom wrote: I added another layer of the 3-in-1 material (foam, butyl, and aluminum) on the forward side of the 'firewall' - this noticeably reduced the transmission noise.

Saw you driving the bus the other day, and I couldn't hear anything, so it's working. :shock:

Thu Sep 25, 2025 9:25 am

Not today per say but last weekend I dragged my Double cab out of the weeds and stuck it in my fathers garage for at least the winter in hopes to start making some progress on it!

Thu Sep 25, 2025 1:50 pm

redbug64 wrote: Not today per say but last weekend I dragged my Double cab out of the weeds and stuck it in my fathers garage for at least the winter in hopes to start making some progress on it!

I bet it’s happier in the garage: one step closer to being back in service. I’d sit and drink my coffee next to it too haha. Good luck moving forward!

Thu Sep 25, 2025 7:51 pm

Took Raoul for his 500-mile new-motor break-in check. Tightened things, checked steering, brakes, clutch, tuning. Flying colors.

Fri Sep 26, 2025 1:59 pm

thom wrote: EverettB wrote: Did the sound deadening make a big difference?

It does, although it's difficult to quantify. It definitely cut down the mid-range and lower end sounds.

Late to this party but, having ANYTHING inside the bus helps! Have you ever driven a bare and empty panel bus? :shock:

By the way, I'd consider adding belly pans to ANY bus! Not only it does help for reducing noise but it also stiffens the whole bus too! 8)

Wed Oct 01, 2025 7:36 am

Well, technically I'm not doing the work, just paying someone to do it for me

Wed Oct 01, 2025 9:34 am

Trying to salvage a rusty flat-back rear seat back/top. I'm trying to re-spring it with commercially-available springs. The zig-zag springs are a lot thicker than original, but the pattern is really close. The coil springs are wider, taller, and thicker than stock. It's a relatively cheap experiment, other than my time, but I went to Pick-n-Pull 3x and dog-gone-it there wasn't a single flat-back seat! /s

Wed Oct 01, 2025 12:14 pm

LAGrunthaner wrote: Speaking of sound deadening, I'm reluctant to using products like FatMat because if for any reason in the future it needs to be removed. Has anyone ever had to remove it?

EverettB wrote: Did the sound deadening make a big difference?

If you have wood paneling, just add it to the wood instead of the metal. The bus will be there longer than the panels inside.

Wed Oct 01, 2025 12:35 pm

thom wrote: Trying to salvage a rusty flat-back rear seat back/top. I'm trying to re-spring it with commercially-available springs. The zig-zag springs are a lot thicker than original, but the pattern is really close. The coil springs are wider, taller, and thicker than stock. It's a relatively cheap experiment, other than my time, but I went to Pick-n-Pull 3x and dog-gone-it there wasn't a single flat-back seat! /s

Nice, I've thought about doing the same for a front flat back seat back.
That frame doesn't look terrible; worth the effort for sure.

Where are you getting your springs?

Wed Oct 01, 2025 5:03 pm

Stocknazi wrote: Where are you getting your springs?

coils: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DJFY8SH9
zigzag: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07YSN4175

Thu Oct 02, 2025 1:56 pm

What about using a curved back seat frame and building it up with new spring as a flat back? I'd bet the frames are the same or negligibly different.