Source for Expanding Foam Insulation

[mirose]

Body comes off in a few months for paint and the continuous warm blast of air that comes into the cockpit along the door hinge area alerted me to the fact that I forgot to put the expanding foam seal tape along the outboard edge of the footbox before I put the body on. (I am in gel coat until winter when I can stomach parting with my car for paint).

I have heard of people using pool noodles to plug the gap, and that is what I will do for now but I was wondering if anyone knows a good source for more of that tape. I've googled it a bit and get some similar items but nothing quite like it.

Thanks

Michael

[dv/dt]

Mcmaster seems to sell it. Can't say if it is the exact same stuff though. Not real cheap either.

McMaster-Carr

[MK4]

The same foam has suplied by FFR is for sale at the hardware store (20$ or so) but i found that the Foam sold for the installation of window mounted À/C is even better! Cheap very easy to work with and does the job especially tha thé foam suplied by FFR as à tendancy to stay "sticky"


Mk4

[bmcglone]

I used window AC unit foam insulation. Works well.

[Cone Basher]

Not sure this is what you are after but you might take a look at the foam insulation that is availabe at Lowes. It is used to insulate water pipes to keep them from freezing. I recently retro fitted an AC unit into my house (cut a hole in the wall since I live in a log home) and could not match the height and width dimensions exactly). I cut the water line insulation which comes in 2 ft strips with a box cutter and pushed it into the spaces with a plastic wedge. It compresses easily and if you watch how you cut it you can push it in so that it's wider on the end that goes inward.
You can also get expanding insulating foam in an can at Lowes but it is messy and you have to build some kind of form for it. If you use this be carefull as it expands big time, I once had to saw it out of an outside door I installed carefully and it pushed the door frame in to a point where the door would not close.
HTH
CB

[edwardb]

This is the material from McMaster: 7650A14 Gap-Filling Expandable Foam Sealant

It's not cheap, but I guarantee there is nothing like it at the big box stores, and it works perfectly in this application. I applied it on the outline of the footboxes just behind the door openings right before we installed the body while at the painter. It expanded and filled the gap in 1-2 hours. I've never had or felt any air leaks from that area. It's quite dense and heavy duty. Nothing like the light grey expanding foam material sold at the box stores for AC installation.

I don't know how similar this stuff is to what FFR supplies. I bought my kit already started from someone else, and this was one of the things missing. But I can personally vouch for this product.

[JKleiner]

From the "indy14" build thread:

Originally Posted by JKleiner

One area on my Mk3 which was very difficult to seal after the body was on was the gap between the body and chassis in front of the doors. The gooey stuff FFR provides did not spring enough to fully fill the voids (plus is just a pain to work with!). I think this solution is going to work well. I picked up some medium soft foam weatherstripping intended for sealing window air conditioner units in their openings and applied it to each side using 3M Super 77 before installing the body.



Ran from the end of the bulb seal to the bottom of the footbox on the paseenger side:



On the driver's side I ran it all the way up and across the top of the footbox to meet the bulb seal at the cowl:



It is soft enough to compress almost to nothing without deforming the body and fills the gap fully:

Jeff

[Forbye4]

Originally Posted by Cone Basher

If you use this be carefull as it expands big time, I once had to saw it out of an outside door I installed carefully and it pushed the door frame in to a point where the door would not close.
HTH
CB

Not to hijack the thread, but I just did this today, must've been about the time you were typing this! Yes, I had the expanding type, instead of the window and door stuff. Had to saw out the bottom third of the new front door! luckily I noticed the error of my ways before it got totally cured. Doh!

Back to your regularly scheduled thread!

[mirose]

Thanks guys. Lot of good ideas. I have a pool noodle in there now, but when the body comes off for paint this winter I'll have some of this stuff ready to go on the footboxes.

-Michael

[oldguy668]

You really want a closed-cell product for this. Open cell will absorb water and eventually start to stink and mildew. Most pool noodles are closed cell.

[NiceGuyEddie]

joe leone is correct.

foam has been used in zip-lock baggies, but it makes it almost impossible to get the body off if you need to in the future.

some say it can accidentally expand so much, you start blowing out the body panels and other things.

the pool noodle thing works awesome. finish it up with some silicone. it will peel out of you need to peel it out. sit in the seat and have a friend blow in the engine bay with a shop vac in reverse. feel around for where the air is blowing in.

cheers,

[mirose]

Originally Posted by NiceGuyEddie

joe leone is correct.

foam has been used in zip-lock baggies, but it makes it almost impossible to get the body off if you need to in the future.

some say it can accidentally expand so much, you start blowing out the body panels and other things.

the pool noodle thing works awesome. finish it up with some silicone. it will peel out of you need to peel it out. sit in the seat and have a friend blow in the engine bay with a shop vac in reverse. feel around for where the air is blowing in.

cheers,

Well I have a noodle in there now. If it works great, then I'll just go that route. Just curious...how does the noodle do with heat? It does get kinda hot in there I would suppose, especially where the body is near the side pipe.

Thanks

[Snakebit31]

I've not heard this mentioned in awhile, but 10-12 years ago this was a popular topic. A number of guys then pointed out, it is real bear to remove the body after the spray in foam sets, as it sticks to the body and the aluminum panels. Sure as you spray it, the need to remove the body may arise.
Several stated they created a "bladder" from large plastic bags, placed them in the crevices, then sprayed the foam into the bag. The bag would expand with the foam, filling the spaces, but not sticking to the body. FWIW.

Rob

[SIZE-O]

I thought I had sealed up my car pretty well, but nooooooo. I still had a warm blast of hot air coming straight down on top of my knees. Turns out I had a gap under the body where the top of the footbox meets the fire wall. Took a pool noodle and made a long pie shaped wedge, stuffed it in place and tadaaah, hot air gone.

Perry

[NiceGuyEddie]

a question was asked about how the pool noodles take the heat.

i was inside the wheel well the other week. the pool noodle is still like new. it is not dry, cracked, crumbling, etc.

they seem to hold up pretty well for years in the sun and in a salty pool, so i suppose even better inside a kit car body.

i think the most important thing said here is what OldGuy said, you want a foam that is impervious to water.

Cheers,

.

[kenny832]

So I guess it's pep boys AND Leslie's pool and spa for tomorrow.

[TimC]

In my car I used a pool noodle too. When it turned cold I removed it to provide a little extra warmth.
FREE HEATER!!

[kenny832]

Originally Posted by NiceGuyEddie

joe leone is correct.

foam has been used in zip-lock baggies, but it makes it almost impossible to get the body off if you need to in the future.

some say it can accidentally expand so much, you start blowing out the body panels and other things.

the pool noodle thing works awesome. finish it up with some silicone. it will peel out of you need to peel it out. sit in the seat and have a friend blow in the engine bay with a shop vac in reverse. feel around for where the air is blowing in.

cheers,

wonder if it will float if you accidentally drove into the pool?

[turbonut48]

As mentioned, use pool noodles or any closed cell foam. Some of the window Ac foam isnt closed foam.

I like the latex expanding foam. It feels like marshmellow after expansion. It trims easily and is washed off with soap and water.

The Nut