Replacing floor tar?

[hrush0327]

I just want to say thanks to everyone with all the help on my new 240. I have removed the old tar from my floor and did not know what type of tar to get to replace it or if i should just prime and paint the metal.

Thanks in Advance!

Pt

[viparz]

I have just gone through the hellish process of removing that tar and swore that I would never do it again so I just stripped the metal on both sides (inside and outside the car) and I am painting it with zinc rust preventing paint. I don't know if you had much rust but you may have noticed that the edges and cracks in the tar collect moisture and therefore are a great place for rust to develop. As my new moulded carpet has sound deadening underlay I am happy with the insulation I have. Also, If I ever have to work on the floor again I don't have to deal with that tar

Yours ViparZ

[26th-Z]

Ah yes, good 'ol floor tar. Use a heat gun - hot air - to get it warm and it scrapes right off.

The tar mat is used for sound deadening and the car will be pretty noisy without it. It also acts as thermal insulation. Of course, the problem with the floor tar is that any moisture will get trapped and rot the floors out. (Which is probably why you took it off in the first place.)

Ask Chloe at MidwestZ if she has any more left. She had authentic Datsun stuff some time ago. Or, try automotivecarpet.com

[Ed]

What about using some spray on stuff? Like Rhino-lining or Line-X? It would fill all those little nook's and cranny's that moisture likes so much.

[peterc]

I think Ed's right on the money. Using truck bed liner will waterproof as well as sound proof the floors, and far easier (I think) to apply.

If I remember correctly HLS30.com has done this in his Z. Maybe we can get him to comment.

Cheers,

Peter

[EScanlon]

Guys:

Don't assign blame to the tar mats as the culprit for the floor rusting. They aren't to blame. The blame was Datsun in NOT applying a protectant to the metal. The tar they applied was applied directly over plain old galvanized metal.

Over time, the sticky back of the tar, combined with heat, dust and other stuff caused the edges to not be adhered as well. Then combine that with 30 years or so of temperature changes, condensation, people spilling drinks, etc, and you have perfect conditions for rust to develop.

Since the primary purpose of the tar mats is to provide acoustic insulation, with a small secondary of heat control, they aren't a bad idea.

The key to not having problems is to properly protect the metal. When I redid my floors after removing the old tar mats, I sand blasted to remove all the rust I could, then applied POR to protect the metal. Only after that cured did I apply a replacement tar mat. That in turn was heated with a heat gun and pressed in with rollers (ink rollers from an old print shop) and a rag. This allowed the tar mat to conform to the contours of the floor.

The tar mats I used were Q-Pads by Evercoat. They aren't cheap at $20 US for 6 pieces about 12" x 12", but they do provide a great sound deadener below the carpet.

2¢

Enrique

[MikeW]

Originally posted by EScanlon

The tar mats I used were Q-Pads by Evercoat. They aren't cheap at $20 US for 6 pieces about 12" x 12", but they do provide a great sound deadener below the carpet.

I've been wondering what to use for insulation. Do you recall how many pieces you needed to do both pans? Did you try to cover the floor completely? As I recall there are plenty of places not covered with the tarmat.

[EScanlon]

Mike:

I went all out. That is, I covered the COMPLETE floor pan from the bottom of the Cowl Bucket, the kick panels, the floor, the sides of the rocker panels, the transmission hump, the rear vertical riser (tool box front), the vertical panels below the quarter windows, inside the doors, the hatch floor and even applied some to the inside of the Hatch and the rear fenders.

I used full sheets as much as possible and then cut extra pieces to fill in any open spots. Yes, it was spendy and very time consuming. However, the result is that my Z is almost bone quiet when running. You can hear the throaty exhaust, and (unfortunately) some of the rear end clunk and stuff (they'll be fixed soon). But the end result is that I can hear the original radio at very low volume and still carry on a conversation with anyone in the car. The noise level before was such that my wife had commented on how noisy it was, so something had to be done.

On all that, if I recall, I used like 20 or so packets, or about 120 ft². Then again, I wasn't counting as I was buying them 3-4 at a time (due to not doing it all at once and that being what my supplier kept on hand, I wiped his stock out 3- 4 times.)

There are other products out there that advertise as doing the same as Q-Pads, Dynamat, Brown Bread are but two that I know of. Price differs so check on those before you buy. I didn't want the aluminum backing of the Brown Bread and Dynamat seemed to me to be more expensive than the Q-Pad. Additionally, I couldn't find information that positively told me that the Dynamat would NOT absorb water, whereas the Q-Pad is plain old tar with a sticky back.

Hope this helps.

Enrique

[EScanlon]

One additional note:

I had saved both the horse hair insulation from the transmission hump as well as the fibreglass from the firewall. After applying the Q-Pad and heat forming it to fit, I then sprayed 3M Contact Adhesive and replaced them both.

Since I had removed the vinyl from the insulation and the back, I layed out the vinyl on the floor and using some plain old dish soap and water, I scrubbed the vinyl clean with a tire brush. This removed years of gunk and other crud.

I then examined the vinyl pieces and re-sewed any seams that looked poor or had come apart. Any tears or divots in the vinyl were repaired with VLP a liquid vinyl repair product. Then a good wipe down with Boss Gloss and they were re-glued to the car.

The end result was that the vinyl looks almost new. Only if you look very closely do you note any imperfections that would denote that they are the original pieces the car came with.

So, hope this helps someone.

Enrique Scanlon

[MikeW]

Originally posted by EScanlon

So, hope this helps someone.

Thanks for your always valuable advice ...

[beandip]

I contacted B-Quiet and got a sample set sent to me . I am going with the '' brown bread'' it comes in a roll and you cut it to fit with a razor knife or sissors. It is self sticking with a peal off backing .To do the whole car like escanlon did doors and all it is about $100. If I remember right . Mike G used this on his yellow jedda also. send him a question. The thickness is about the same as the Q pads but it is covered with aluminum skin so the exposed surface is not stickey or will rub off. :classic:

[hrush0327]

Thanks for all the replies. I think I will try and use the bedliner stuff and then if there is still a large amount of sound in the cabin I will use sound insulation on top of it. I was wanting to know if there was a good primer that I could get at a hardware store or some place similar. (Right now I am a college kid on a budget.)

This site is the best!

Thanks

PT