[stringebean]

Hi All,

Just brought myself a 2004 T28 T5 and planning on a full conversion. The old man had a couple of bay windows back in his surfing days, we spent a lot of holidays in as kids. Unfortunately he passed away last October after a battle with cancer, so with some inheritance decided to bring the VW bug back into the family and share the VW vibe with my kids.

Can't wait to get started, the van has had a kind of conversion done but not really to my standards. (Ex boatbuilder who used to fit out super yachts). I know I have the skills but still lacking a little knowledge so thinking you guys on this forum will be some help.

First thing I a, struggling with is sound proofing and insulation so if any one can point me in the right direction it would be much appreciated. Seems to be a lot of conflicting advice.

Any how going to stop the ramble now.

Matt T:

 

[jc1]

Good for you Matt!

You will pick up loads of stuff here, have a look at a few build threads mate its all there.

Enjoy your new bus dude.

 

[Builder Jay]

Welcome mateT:
Sorry about your dad. Same t shirt
Enjoy life buddy!

 

[stringebean]

Cheers guys.

Didn't start today, battery dead. luckily had leisure battery in back so jumped it off that. Then put voltage meter across battery red fine but dropped to about about 6v under load think my first purchase will be a new battery.

 

[JW's the new VW]

Hi Matt,

Good to have you on board, local too!

I'm roughly half way through my conversion, so if you fancy taking a look and asking some questions then feel free, my van is based in West Wellow and i work out of Nursling.

I can explain what I've done with insulation/sound proofing (i think it's as good as it can get with budget in mind) but then i'm sure so does every other member!

Hope the van gets well soon!

 

[stringebean]

I'm only in Totton so not far. Any help is always appreciated

I was thinking butyl based flashing tape, camping mats, recycled bottle insulation then cover in foil bubble wrap insulation. After pricing up though the difference between flashing tape and silent coat is only about £30 so as not much of a saving think I'll just go for silent coat. Camping mats are made from close cell foam so seems a cheaper alternative.

Not sure what to about insulating floor at the moment though?

Going to order the windows tomorrow

 

[JW's the new VW]

I'm only in Totton so not far. Any help is always appreciated

I was thinking butyl based flashing tape, camping mats, recycled bottle insulation then cover in foil bubble wrap insulation. After pricing up though the difference between flashing tape and silent coat is only about £30 so as not much of a saving think I'll just go for silent coat. Camping mats are made from close cell foam so seems a cheaper alternative.

Not sure what to about insulating floor at the moment though?

Going to order the windows tomorrow

Generally mate i think thats a pretty good idea, i used silent coat on wheel arches and ceiling and did use flashbanding elsewhere as it is only really for making the panels dense in my opinion. then coated the whole lot self adhesive 6mm (ceiling) 10mm everywhere else closed cell foam. I'm sure camping mats would be adequate if not better, not sure on the cost comparison - make sure you take into adhesive to which ever your choose - would ensure it's capable in high temperatures though.
Then this perhaps where i differed to most i used Alumaflex which is a multi foil insulation used for roof insulation in the roof and in the panels. Seems to work pretty well so far. - did use some the single stuff in the door panels where the thicker stuff was not practicle

I also used some 25mm Celotex in some of the deeper panels behind and recycled plastic in some the harder to reach cavities.

For the floor i used a thin (appx 3mm) reflective laminate insulation which i ran from from to back (including under the cab mat) (Great as the raise in floor height is insignificant for the step thresholds and it designed not to crush under weight.
Then ensured everything was foil taped together to ensure it was as vapour proof as possible.

I've got some bits and pieces left over such as half a role of recycled bottle insulation, etc, was going to put it on Ebay but if you want to take a look and see if any of it is useful and make a reasonable offer your more than welcome to it!

James

 

[stringebean]

Hi James,

I would agree with you on flashing tape. I personally think people make a bit of a song and dance about it having to be specific sound profiing material, it's just to take the vibration out of the panel by adding mass, in my opinion as well. The butyl mixes can be different though and there are a couple of added materials in silent coat which will help. I worked it out for the amount I need its £20 extra so I just think for that amount I'm cool with it. If it was a LWB and I wasn't having so many windows I'd go the same route as you mate.

With regards to floor did you put any sound proofing on that?

I was thinking with floor to glue ply strips between ribs, then use some kind of sound proofing like a mvl then a laminate type underlay between the strips then the ply floor screwed to the ply strips. This may be overkill though and maybe again just close cell would be fine rather than mvl or just the underlay on its own. I really want the flooring I use to continue into the cab so it looks all seamless, the same with the rooflinning. I'm just not sure at the moment how this will work.

I get a bit strung up on detail sometimes but if I don't get it how I want it, it will just enoy the hell out of me. I'm going to buy some bits like the recycled bottle insulation, so would rather give the money to a fellow enthusiast than B&Q T:

 

[JW's the new VW]

Re the floor insulation,

Many might disagree and you might be inclined to do something different also but, i found by the time you have put in a 12mm Ply floor, and played you covering over it (i used vinyl floor tiles) once you have put your side and rear thresholds in - it's not going any where so i didn't screw it down, plus by the time i bolt down a RnR bed, cabinets etc it really won't go any where.

Floor was made from two sheets of 8X4 but biscuit jointed them together so you don't get different levels and for better rigidity.

I didn't find that any bowing occurred between the ribs bearing in mind your carpet will/should also finish underneath your floor i would suggest at least an inch or so all the way round so that will help stop the edges bowing down. So it seemed a pointless exercise to glue down 9mm battens, i did however put 6mm closed cell foam between them, more-so because i had some left over from the ceiling rather than having a point of putting it down.

also i don't see the point of any flashbanding/silent coat on the floor as that is thick and theres a lot already bolted/welded to it underneath i can't see the any sort of tape is going to make any impact.

My main driver was i didn't want to increase the floor height so that the thresholds would't fit properly and also the ceiling is already far to low for my noggin!

With regards to taking it into the cab your a braver man than i am to replace that black matting, i took the laminate insulation under it and finished it with a nice threshold between cab and rear, but some one else may have to advise and taking the floor through - agree it would look pretty snazzy!

PM me when your free one evening and you swing by and take a look at what you might find useful.

James