When was the last year Chevrolet put asbestos insulation in either the fire wall or under the dash?

I hope it's earlier than any of my cars! http://www.chevelles.com/forum/smile.gif

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Bob (Pa.)

1963 Impala 283
1966 Chevelle SS 409
1969 Malibu 307
1972 Malibu 307
1969 Chevy stepside 350

Bob's 409 Chevy Page

silverstone.fortunecity.com/tvr/246/bob_s_409_chevy_page_index.html (http://silverstone.fortunecity.com/tvr/246/bob_s_409_chevy_page_index.html)

Thank You Mr409 for responding I hope you are right. But I am still wondering what the answer is.

I doubt that any of the insulation was asbestos. The temperatures of the car do not demand such insulation. What was used a lot was jute, which is a vegetable fiber.

ASBESTOS?

I'm selling my Chevys and buying an early Mustang. At least I won't worry myself to death, I'll burn up in a giant fireball!!

Survivor of:
Lead Paint
Red Dye #6
Cyclamate
Sacchrin
Leaded Gas
Global Warming
Impending Ice Age
Greenhouse Gasses
The Reagan 80's
The Cold War
Fall of Soviet Union
Ozone Hole
Second Hand Smoke
Postal Workers
Air Bags
Un-Managed Health Care

Ahhhhhh!!!!!

I think I'll put my unregistered handgun to the back my head (ala Vince Foster) and make my wife a wealthy woman!

Sorry mcfly, I just couldn't resist.



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Dale P.
Team Chevelle Member# 423
65 El Camino
72 Monte Carlo
"..you did you take the washer off, right?"

Dale...you forgot the OJ Trial...

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Better Late than Never Fred
Team Chevelle #400
Madness takes it's toll, please have exact change.
www.geocities.com/motorcity/shop/9385/1970Chevelle.html (http://www.geocities.com/motorcity/shop/9385/1970Chevelle.html)

I didn't know He-Man was with us in the 90's but I guess I found him--- (DaleP). So ask again what is the answer?

I'm hangin' on hold with Chevrolet, but I thought I'd pass on the url for the Customer assistance page at Chevrolet.

www.chevrolet.com/gmnav/contact_us/a439.htm

You notice the address is deceptively simple: www.chevrolet.com

Anyone can email a question to Chevy and they also have an 800 number which is:
800/222-1020

Hours of service:

8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. for customers in the Eastern Standard Time Zone

8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. for customers in the Central Standard Time Zone

8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. for customers in the Mountain and Pacific Time Zones

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Dale P.
Team Chevelle Member# 423
65 El Camino
72 Monte Carlo
"..you did you take the washer off, right?"

AHA!

I not only provide abuse, but answers too!

Chevrolet could not pinpoint a date, but someplace between 1977 and 1982.

I hope this helps.

Maybe a lawyer on the site could draw up a waiver form (pro bono of course) so we Chevy owners could protect ourselves from the lawsuits of our passengers who contract Chevy Lung disease. :-})

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Dale P.
Team Chevelle Member# 423
65 El Camino
72 Monte Carlo
"..you did you take the washer off, right?"

Wait a minute! Are you saying that they did use asbestos in our cars? What the....

Maybe that's to get even with everyone that's been using bowties on their websites?

P.S. I still wouldn't buy a Mustang. I'd rather walk. http://www.chevelles.com/forum/smile.gif



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Bob (Pa.)

1963 Impala 283
1966 Chevelle SS 409
1969 Malibu 307
1972 Malibu 307
1969 Chevy stepside 350

Bob's 409 Chevy Page

silverstone.fortunecity.com/tvr/246/bob_s_409_chevy_page_index.html (http://silverstone.fortunecity.com/tvr/246/bob_s_409_chevy_page_index.html)

Thank You for your most excellent response DaleP. I knew you had it in you to come up with a first class answer after all you have survived everything and more.
On a serious note I do believe the firewall insulation was made of jute back before 77 but the dash insulation was of asbestos. So why did I ask? Because in restoration do you need to change it or is that little bit never going to kill you and it really doesn't matter anyhow. Or could it be a real problem. I mean lets not get to stupidly health conscious but hey after all Steve McQueen only died from it.

1977?!?!??!
WOW! If mustang owners can sue ford for that gas tank explosion problem, lets sue chevy! I mean, I'm only 20, and *cough* ....

DaleP, you had me cracking up.... Oh yeah, what's that quote about the wiper motor supposed to mean? I've been wondering about that for a while.

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Ian McDermott
1970 Chevelle SS 396
Gold Member #101
E-mail: havoc@chevelles.com
Web page: chevelle.dhs.org (http://chevelle.dhs.org)
ICQ UIN: 3923441

Whoa!!!

I think you guys need to think about something. You should of asked WHERE the abestos was located.

I believe I have the answer...


I called YEAR ONE tech support a while back and expressed concern about the crumbling "stuffing" under the dash. The guy I talked to thought it was just an equivalent to "recycled rags" or in other words the jute responce would be correct. Another guy thought it "may" be asbestos content. To me it looks like rags...I hope http://www.chevelles.com/forum/frown.gif


I however found out after ordering my restoration packet that my car (70 malibu) contains asbestos! YIKES!

Where...

Sprayed in a mixture form inside the rear wheel wells! You see GM used that as a sound deadener and heat resistance material. That would makes sense about the '77-'82 phase out period when they used different undercoating proceedures.

I understand they may also have used asbestos mixture in some of the under-body coatings.

Check your GM/Chevrolet restoration packets on the page that talks about the specifications of your vehicle.

Original brakes used asbestos linings as well.

The bad news is I found this out after doing some rust work around the rear wells..cough, cough...Luckily I didn't inhale too much http://www.chevelles.com/forum/smile.gif

I think we are safe as far as the interior goes, but you never know. That's why a good car restorer takes care on all components of a vehicle.

I hope this helps.

Would someone like to confirm?

Ian, Dale is referring to the harmonic balancer.
Philip

Mcfly,

I thought my first answer was the quality answer. DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT!! Stress shortens your life more than Chevy insulation.

The second answer was merely reporting stuff from an 800 number anyone can call. Kinda' like pointing out the obvious.

Maybe I should change my quote to:

"Drive a Chevy. Kick the dash. Breathe deep. Die young and leave a good looking corpse."

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Dale P.
Team Chevelle Member# 423
65 El Camino
72 Monte Carlo
"..you did you take the washer off, right?"




[This message has been edited by DaleP (edited 10-30-99).]

So what exactly does this asbestos stuff look like. Is it that crumbling junk or the sheets of stuff?

What are you guys worrying about,you want to live for ever,ain't going to happen.So enjoy your selves and stop worrying...FRED

DaleP,

You should change your quote. It matches the season and Halloween and everything. What the heck get a bumper sticker made and put it on the back of one of your chevelles. And while your at it make another one for 1-800-Chevy for ??? to make it even more obvious.

Excuse me Fred. Can I have an answer anyway?

I think that the change to remove asbestos from the car (77-82 time frame per the Chevrolet info) has to do with the gasket materials in the car and not the dash insulation. I worked in gasketing for Chrysler engines in the late 70's and we were just getting into the non-asbestos stuff. Asbestos was used where really good temperature resistance was required. If the temperatures under your instrument panel required asbestos, then the passengers would be toast. In general the temps above 400 degrees F would get asbestos.

Asbestos was a cheap, easy to use and readily available insulation. It was used in many non automotive applications that did not require high insulation factors. The stuff was tough, stable and easy to work with. It does have some annoying, as they say in medicine, countra-indications. Like it will harm you if liberated in particulate form and inhaled in sufficient quantities.

I think the bottom line here is the only time to be worried, is when you are removing it. If you spray the stuff with water and a wetting agent like Amway LOC or Shaklee Basic-H, wear a protective mask and some gloves, you can get it out without liberating it into the atmosphere.

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Dale P.
Team Chevelle Member# 423
65 El Camino
72 Monte Carlo
"..you did you take the washer off, right?"
Whiners please point your browser to http://www.nader.org




[This message has been edited by DaleP (edited 10-31-99).]

Asbestos can take on different forms. So its hard to say it looks like. Brake pads used to have it in them, foam spray insulation can have it. Gaskets can also contain asbestos. So it can be white and it can be dark. It all depends on the heat range the material is designed to take.
Asbestos won't hurt you until it becomes airborne, as in Brake pad dust or loose insulation that is blown all over the place. If your worried about it, keep it wet and wear a dust mask when working around it. When its wet it can't fly all over the place.
I think it tastes like chicken http://www.chevelles.com/forum/smile.gif

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Lynn Robinson
Pacheco, Calif.
64 Malibu SS, 71 Camaro SS
"Just Hit the Ball and Touch em All"
Team Chevelle Member #246

mmmm...asbestos-helper makes a great meal!

Hey coach- does it smell like fish??? http://www.chevelles.com/forum/smile.gif

I restored a '37 Chevy Coupe and I have never come across any mention of asbestos as an insulator. But yea as others said, brake lines, gaskets etc.

The sound deadner from the 30's was jute also

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1970 Chevelle SS Convertible
1937 Master Business Coupe
1996 S-10 Blazer

Yup, I'm Chevy Prejudiced!!!!