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Subject - a 78 242. This is my "fun" driver.
The chassis/road noise was so "there", that I used to drive at highway speeds wearing earplugs - the industrial hearing protection type.
Then I decided on a 1400 mile road trip just after New Year. In preparation, I decided to soundproof the ole boy.
I used "8 pound" foam carpet underlay - get the heaviest you can find - check out carpet stores or Home Depot, etc.
I removed the interior - front and rear seats, carpets, door panels, and rear inside quarter panels (rear armrests).
Then I lined the entire interior, below the glass, with the underlay. Go up the back, behind the rear seat, to the rear deck, and also remove the rear deck and put a layer of foam underlay under the rear deck. Go up the firewall, under the dash, as far as possible..The idea is to line the entire cockpit below the glass...
Leave about 1" of space around any area that the panels or interior parts have to be attached to the interior steel (like where the door pull attaches to the inside of the door, or the window crank, around the edges of the door panels, etc.) If the foam is too close to the edges, the door panel may interfere with door fit, etc.
Places where the foam does not want to stay in place - just duct tape it into place until the panels are installed. You can even tape smaller pieces together instead of throwing out small chunks as scrap. Piece custom pieces together up over the transmission hump by the shifter, etc. The more thorough the underlay installation, the better the soundproofing.
If your car has a cloth headliner, instead of a moulded headliner like my 78 242, and if there is little or no soundproofing above the headliner, carefully remove the headliner and contact glue (spray contact cement works best) a layer of foam carpet underlay to the interior of the roof panel. I did this on my 80 245 and it made a great difference on noise and also on heating/cooling.
An excellent way to attach the interior panels is to use screws designed to assemble steel interior building studs - get them from any drywall supply, or building/hardware store.
The screws are about 3/8" long, short enough not to be poking through anywhere, self tapping, and they hold just great.
RESULT:
The road trip was a pleasure - I was able to drive the entire way without wearing earplugs at all. Conversation was easy.
This was the BEST improvement I have done to the car - bar none. Not only is the road noise WAY less, the interior stays warm - even in -25 to -30 temps.
I took my wife for a 4 hour trip in "ole Red".
Even my wife admitted that "Ole Red" was a comfortable ride - 4 months ago she would not have even gotten into the car to go to town for the paper...
It is amazing how a bit of sweat input can keep these old Volvos riding like a new car...
It took me about 15 hours to soundproof the car, but it is turning into a keeper...
Happy Brikken...
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