Just like the topic says. When the top is up and not folded into the well to act as a sound proof barrier I get a ton of exhaust noise in the cabin. Any tips on how to make the drive more livable?

thx

You might be missing this. (http://www.yearone.com/serverfiles/part.asp?pid=DJA68V&c=1&e=0&cat=0&hid=011AD48064) They also have one made out of better material but it is not original (don't know if you care or not).

*edit* Sorry that link is for 68-72 but they have one for 65s as well.

I agree, my 65 has some road noise. The exhaust is OEM so thats not a real issue. I'm hoping trunk spatter and the mat will help some. I'm curious to hear what ideas come up. I'm trying to stay as stock as possible.

I get a lot of road noise my '65. Most of the noise is the sound of the wind passing over the top and noise generated by other traffic (mostly trucks). The top is original, or at least built the same way as original-thick padding on the side rails and thinner padding under the cross pieces. I think the only way to make it quieter would be to replace the top with an insulated folding top, like the kind that comes on new convertibles. That being said, the road noise really doesn't bother me much. I'm about half deaf anyway.

I took that jute insulation materaial and glued it on the inside of my arm rest as well as on the floor and on the back of the back seat. Im not sure how good of a job it is doing but its got to be better than nothing. My question is when the top is up the noise is comming from the trunk area because all you have is the well liner to keep any sound out. I dont think there is anything you can do to help that unless you carpet the trunk. I quess you could undercoat the floor from the bottom that would probably help as well. I think I will live with the noise and keep mine original.

jk

alot of the road noise comes from the trunk..
it acts like a big acustic chamber and with the top up , only the well liner there to dampen the echoed rumble... How to lession the rumble ???

Thanks all. I got a few good ideas from you. I really like the idea of lining the armrests. I am also thinking of carpeting the trunk as mine is the furthest from stock. I just keep my '65 HT stock that I am the second owner of. the convertable is my attempt at having classic car with as many of the luxuries of today's muscle cars.

Originally posted by danieltell:
Thanks all. I got a few good ideas from you. I really like the idea of lining the armrests. I am also thinking of carpeting the trunk as mine is the furthest from stock. I just keep my '65 HT stock that I am the second owner of. the convertable is my attempt at having classic car with as many of the luxuries of today's muscle cars. If you are going to go with carpet then it might be a good idea to put Dynomat underneath it. You may even want to put it underneath the interior carpet to help lessen the overall noise.

It always quieter with the top up, think about what noise is being blocked... It's not what is coming through the car's body. It's what's around you outside, like in a coupe and you roll up the window. I think a well insulated car will help but loud exhaust is not conducive to topdown quiet... My magna flows are too quiet for cruise in gatherings but sure is nice when the tops down and your driving through the country side. They really open up and roar at WOT too...

In my particular application I get more of the reverb droning with the top up. when it is down there is the nice rumble of the exhaust but you can still talk. when the top is up however my wife and i have taken to using earplugs. I think some of this my be due to the fact that I have the tailpipes ending just past the rear tires and they are slightly pointed to the outside of the car. I am sure that if I hade the pipes exiting the rear of the car I would get rid of the majority of the reverb but I like the clean look of the pipes they way they are now.

I'm with Jim on this one. I'm in the middle of redoing my 68 ragtop and I remember the significant noise with the top up. it seemed to be a combination of air passing by the the top and sounds intruding from the trunk.

I went down to my local carpet joint and got some foam underlayment and put it all under the interior carpet and even used it as a mat in the trunk. It's a high desity gray foam, about 3/16 think, it seemed to me like a great sound barrier and it was c-h-e-a-p. So, even if you don't use it, it's little invested.

I'll also do as Jim suggested and put some type of a sound barrier between the top liner and the trunk, (probably the same stuff) expecially on the sides where the top mechanism goes into the trunk and there's nothing to stop the sound from the trunk.

I've noticed new convertibles have more sound-deadener in the tops, so there may be something you could do there too?

Good luck.
Dale

its a convertible the top shouldnt be up..lol.....

Originally posted by danieltell:
In my particular application I get more of the reverb droning with the top up. when it is down there is the nice rumble of the exhaust but you can still talk. when the top is up however my wife and i have taken to using earplugs. I think some of this my be due to the fact that I have the tailpipes ending just past the rear tires and they are slightly pointed to the outside of the car. I am sure that if I hade the pipes exiting the rear of the car I would get rid of the majority of the reverb but I like the clean look of the pipes they way they are now. I completely mis-read your question... I was thinking making it quite with the top down!! graemlins/clonk.gif

There is a thread in Tech titled ZZ4 motor
a guy replied and has a link to his home page 1964 SS HT..
This is for the none 1000 point Type
It has a finished off trunk area .
This would cut down on the road noise with the " TOP UP " graemlins/hurray.gif
it also would hide the ugly splater paint and possibly just possibly, you now could put somthing in the trunk, with out fear of denting you 1/4 panel from sliding cooler,lawn chair or Clean up kit

Originally posted by WayneK:
There is a thread in Tech titled ZZ4 motor
a guy replied and has a link to his home page 1964 SS HT..
This is for the none 1000 point Type
It has a finished off trunk area .
This would cut down on the road noise with the " TOP UP " graemlins/hurray.gif
it also would hide the ugly splater paint and possibly just possibly, you now could put somthing in the trunk, with out fear of denting you 1/4 panel from sliding cooler,lawn chair or Clean up kit Here is a link to the pic of the trunk.

http://www.insightatlast.com/chevelle/Chevelle2.html

Two suggestions for cutting down on sound with the top up: Originally, GM made the well cover (the fabric that the top folds down into) with a layer of padding to help cut down on noise from the trunk area. I've never seen an aftermarket replacement that was anything more than a single layer of thin fabric.
Second, Cadillac added a piece of fabric between the header and the first bow (over the front seat passengers)with a layer of sound insulation sewn to the topside. When the top is down, any noise given off by the body structure radiates up and out of the car's interior, but with the top up, some of this noise bounces off the top fabric and reflects down to the occupants. That is why Cadillac had this extra insulator-to absorb some of that sound that would be reflected down. These items could be added to any top and would help lower the sound level.
Hope this helps,
Rich

I had a 1967 Camaro convertible and the noise through the trunk bothered me because the engine (6 cyl) was so quiet. I wanted to keep that one stock so what I did was made a sound wall out of thick foam. It went in the trunk, under the well liner and pressed up against the back of the rear seat. Just behind where the well liner attached to the body below the rear window, the foam came up and was pressed pretty hard against the underside of the panel between the rear window and the trunk lid. I did a pretty good job (if I don't say so myself) fitting it tight to the wheel wells also. Any gaps will let noise through.
It was pretty darn effective.
The good thing about this is I could take it out anytime I wanted.
My convertible Chevelle has more HP and Flowmasters and I kind of like the noise or I'd do the same thing again.
Dennis