maybe illegal i dont know, but apparantly driving on the street with a race helmet on IS illegal... even if it was right after a run down the street to the gas station to take a leak and buy a drink....

taking note on this thread for mine.

 

Why is it illegal? Too much safety?

If mandating helmets in all cars for the hundreds of millions of drivers and passengers in the US saved the life of just one single precious hungry and helpless child...

 

This is turning into a good thread. Hooray for quiet daily driver miatas

 

We're all getting old - 5 years ago, all the rage was "what can I do to remove weight from my car to increase performance?" - now it's "where/how should I add weight to my car to reduce noise and heat?"

 

I used to think putting this crap in the car would weigh it down a TONN.
Now that I actually used it, the 15-20lbs is nothing when compared to how much nicer the car is with it.

 

My thoughts exactly. If I don't want to take the weight hit, I can always get a smaller battery/lighter seat/loose the extra 20lbs I carry around my middle

 

That's a big yes.

 

So what was the stuff actually called? I don't think you've said anywhere.

 

Originally Posted by JasonC SBB
I use Etymotic ER-4's for long top down drives, and for concerts, clubs, and loud movies.

I don't know if it's illegal; motorcycle riders regularly use foam earplugs which attenuate more.

If you try the ER-4's, you will realize that it's absolutely silly to suggest that they diminish your hearing ability wrt emergency vehicles, hearing the direction horn toots or screeching tires are coming from. The ER-4's just turn the volume of everything down.

In conclusion, who the ---- cares if it's illegal or not? You can gem em in flesh color, they can't be seen easily, if you get pulled over for something else, you can discreetly pull them out.

 

To the helmets comment, I know a guy who has received tickets in two different states for wearing a helmet while driving.

 

i was in mineral wells... something about impaired vision (top was down) and lack of hearing surroundings (again, top down and more capable to hear than a dirtbag on a harley)

I never looked up the laws. just a informal warning

 

Just removed the door panels, and looks like there's TONS of room in the NB door to dynomat and fairly easy to get to. Only issue would be fitting this crap through the inner hole to get it inside the door panel. Once its in though, like 90% of it is straight and un-obstructed.

So I think I'm going to do both the inner and outer portion of the doors, just cause I can. Results to follow

 

Pro Tip: You can wrap old clapped out washing machines and driers with FatMat and the like. It will surprise you how much of a difference it will make.

 

87db@65-70 and I cant even hear the exhaust... gawt freaking cuhmo XS tires are LOUD...

going to probaboly do FM frame rails in the fall and when I do will add deadener to the floor. but in the mean time I may as well do the doors and shelf tray... what kind of foam is everyone using for the tunnels to the trunk? i was thinking about cutting up an old memory foam mattress topper and cramming it in there, but it is not really light...

 

Deadener of your choice on metal panels, full coverage is not required. A couple square feet goes a long way, but it needs to be on all panels you want deadened. Choose one that is high quality. Raammat, edead, second skin would be my suggestions.

Mass loaded vinyl. The stuff from parts express is a good deal. Use this as a sound barrier. Door panels, parcel shelf, trans tunnel, fender wells, etc. Basically surround the cabin in it. There is also thicker heavier duty stuff, but the parts express is a nice weight compromise.

Closed cell foam. Ensolite from the Raammat guys, elemental designs has a paint on type, second skin makes sheets too. This also acts as a sound barrier. Use it everywhere you used the mass loaded vinyl. Use both to block all around the cabin.

You need to use a mix of these these to effectively block sound. Deadeners just stops resonance, MLV and foam will block the sound.

Quite tires and creating fender liners out of sound blockers will help immensely.

Also make sure you don't have loose crap in the car. Hanging wires, loose bolts, panels not clipped, etc all make noise.

Create a hardtop headliner use ensolite under it.

As long as you don't use the crazy thick products use for sound competitors none of this will add too much weight.

 

If I hear back from one of our members I should be getting carpet soon. With that, I will also be getting some new carpet mat as well as some of that thin and cheap insulation that you can buy at home improvement stores. Looks like bubble wrap with aluminum foil on both sides. Plan to drape that ---- over the tunnel to reduce temps and possibly a little more noise. The FatMat seems to be doing its job pretty well. I wouldn't call it night and day, but it is considerably more quiet. It did nothing for heat like I was hoping for.