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Interior Improvements

Paul Slice

Jedi Hopeful
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I seem to slow down in the winter, but when the weather gets back to shorts wearing time then its time to go to work.

I finally decided to put the interior back together in the Spit as I had missed driving it the last 6 months. I had torn the interior out because the car was so hot, loud and rattled so much and the seat foam was disentagrating. I had fixed the same problem in my MGB and knew that the Triumph deserved the same care and attention done to it.


I stripped the interior down to the floorboards and wire brushed and coated the floors with Rust Bullet https://www.rustbullet.com/index.htm. Installed a new ABS tranny tunnel, which fit excellent.


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After the floors were sealed and had dried, then a Dynamat type material was fit to all the interior sheetmetal as well as the back of the door panels and rear cockpit panel. Three layers were installed or layered over the drivers side floor and transmission tunnel, where the engine heat is the greatest when driving.


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The insulation is 1/8 inch thick with a heat reflective layer and a black rubber like substance on the bottom side. The glue is preapplied and is very strong when pressed into place. I used the carpet set as a template to cut the insulation into pieces, and pressed and molded into place using a wallpaper roller bought at Home Depot and my hands.


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I redid the seats with VB seat foams and Beige Seat cover kit, and new head rest. Purchaced and installed a new Walnut dash and cleaned and detailed the gauges.


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I ordered the carpet kit from Prestige https://www.prestigeautotrim.com/usa/usa/tr_home.htm in the UK, very good price and high quality and only took less than 2 weeks to be made and delivered.


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Finished Sunday around noon and have burned a tank of petrol since. The Spitfire is now a pleasure to drive with its tight new seats, fresh carpet and shiney new wood dash.
It was 90 degrees today and no unnatural heat was radiating around the floor or transmission tunnel when driving. The best improvement was in the reduction of road noise, rear end noise and exhaust sound. The insulation really seams to tighten up the interior structure so that it does not resonate like a drum when flexed or struck. I would suggest this improvement to anyone that is restoring their interior it is well worth the time and expence.


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Paul
 
Nice job Paul. I was graduated USC in '80 and lived many years there as well as Blythewood and finally Spartanburg. Hot place Cola, but fun!
 
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