between body panels

I have a fender off the deuce right now, it got welded, sandblasted and primered. In the front where it rests on the frame bracket there was a strip of rubber to cushion between the metal. Makes sense, and it is re-usable and I will. But also along where it joins the cab there was...something...but it was rotted away. Almost just looked like a strip of fabric?

What is a good material to put in there to serve that purpose?

Don't know if it is the same material but when I took my '54 M37 apart I found a thin strip of felt material between panels. Mostly caused the panels to rot. I think it served as a sound deadener/anti-chafe and possibly a draft guard in some spots. In the hidden spots I either didn't replace it or used spray foam insulation (for doors and windows). In other areas I have considered either felt (window insulation strips found in the hardware stores) or thin foam rubber strips.

3M makes a self-adhesive sound deadener that comes in rolls about 4" wide. Peel off the backing and stick it down. I used this and it worked fine for me. The self-adhesive ice dam material used by roofers would be similar and probably work fine. When I rebuilt my trucks, I used cosmoline (cut with mineral spirits) to coat the entier insides of my doors. I slopped plenty in all the corners, and repeated it several times. If you do this, leave the doors open so they can drip for a while. If you were around in the 1970's, you might notice how cosmoline smells a whole lot like the old Ziebart rustproofing. Same material?

Mine has (had) what looks like canvas fire hose material at those places. On one side it had pretty much rotted away, and the rattle was louder then the exhaust ! Used some fairly soft rubber sheet as a replacement (cut to size), seems to work fine. What ever you use, just make sure it doesn't hold water - solid rubber or closed cell foam rubber, not open cell foam. I've also used the self adhesive asphalt / butyl stuff (it's usually the stuff for sealing around windows and doors, what ever I have left over from construction projects) it really helps to dampen out vibrations on the sheet metal panels.

Saturn Surplus sells the stuff. It looks like the webbing used for gas can hold downs. Some i've seen use rubber. Mine has a cut up bicycle inner tube which has worked great for several years.

Old tire flaps work great for this.

That's Great!

gimpyrobb said:

Old tire flaps work great for this.

Click to expand...

I just love this answer!!!

I have been using the polyurethane foam to fill voids. The foam deadens noise, vibrations, and insulates.

But, for a wear tough connection spacer, that mud flap ideal beats them all!

I have been cutting up those 55-gallon plastic drums (made of ABS plastic) to make my wear tough spacers. Your mud-flap ideal is much better. It adds for a little cushion affect. I bet it seals out moisture much better, and keeps things sealed over the long term use.


PS. I like to drill, and bolt the ABS in place, and then I use a propane torch to soften them, re-tighten the bolts, and to shape them.
A heat gun also works too!

Dont forget about the old VW's fender beading. That is what I am going to use. Here is a link to an Ebay sale

Fender Beading Universal 25' roll Black VW BUG | eBay