MGB MGB insulation and ventilation

I was working on my MG today and realized that I really don't have much in the way of insulation on the floor, transmission tunnel, and firewall. There is a thin layer of, well, wool-ish batting under the carpet that doesn't amount to much. Any suggestions on a decent insulating material to lay around there to help keep the exhaust heat out?

Along similar lines I was playing with the inside vents. I have to admit I've never payed close attention to exactly where the air is supposed to go when you open the vent behind the radio. There's a small gap in the console for air to move along the driver's legs, but not much for the passenger. Is there something missing that helps direct the air into the cockpit?

Regardless, it seems like the lower fresh-air vent works best CLOSED so 100% of the air goes through the upper vents, just curious if there was something else missing.

Scott --

As you may recall, I added "heat shield" insulation to my car this winter. (Under floor carpets, on tranny tunnel, on firewalls, even behind the side kick panels.) I highly recommend it. The car is remarkably more solid sounding, and a LOT less warm on the feet and especially on the tranny tunnel.

This is stuff that Moss sells. ("Space age" insulation. About $25 a roll.) I tried to find the same stuff in stores locally, and couldn't. It took two rolls to do the job. I've got enough left over to do behind the door panels, which I'm going to do the next available weekend.

I also, at the last minute, decided to put down a sound deadening kit. (Also from Moss, it's the British Heritage Trust kit.) But you can buy a similar adhesive asphalt-based polymeric sound damper stuff from McMaster-Carr online. Cheaper and more pliable. Only you have to cut it into strips yourself and apply it between the ridges of your floor boards.

I know the McMaster-Carr stuff would work, as a guy on another MG board sent me a sample to compare with the Moss kit. Same thickness, but more "rubbery," and not so fragile as the OEM stuff.

OK thanks for the info. I do have some sound-deadening "stuff" down there (not bare metal), but not exactly like what you're talking about either. I'll look into the other stuff. I'm not sure I want to go to all the trouble right now of taking the console apart (yeah, remember I have the later more modern and oh-so convenient version with all the plastic around it ), but I might manage to do the rest of the car soon.