I did this awhile ago (right before paint), but I get so many questions about it, I thought I would create a journal entry.

I had heard about Hot Rod guys using bed liner and seen a few guys on the board use it too. So after some reading and investigation I decided to do the same. I had three criteria:

1. I wanted it tinted body color
2. I wanted to be able to apply it in my garage
3. I wanted to buy it locally to save shipping

Hippo Liner met all three criteria.



Some of the other choices are Rhino Liner (only comes in 4 colors) or LineX (must be done at a LineX shop)

I mostly brushed it on; However, it can be sprayed with a shutz gun. I applied it over an epoxy primer at the recommendation of the auto paint suppy house where I bought it. I had considered putting it on over POR-15, but thought that would be overkill and I was concerned about adhesion. It took two kits to complete the job @ $70 per kit. I also had enough left over to do the top sides of my floor pans as well as the t-tunnel. It has an orange peel like texture.

Over the last two nights I got the carpet and most of the panels in. It pretty straight forward, nothing tricky. Tho' I did build up the transmission hump a bit with duct insulation from the Homey to make the carpet there lay better.

The doors are still bare since the zinc plater has my latch hardware, the striker plate and latch itself. I'm not sure how much of the door I can put together with out those two itmes. Also the zinc plater also has my seat rails. If I don't get that stuff soon he's gonna stall my project. Bummer!

Barring that, I really hope to be done in the next few weeks! Just in time for convertible weather!

I didn't get much garage time this weekend, but I did manage to install sound deadener/heat shield on my floors and cockpit. After reading...

http://www.sounddeadenershowdown.com/

I chose Second Skin Damplifier. It has similar characteristics as Dynamat at a slightly better cost. $110 shipped for 40 sq ft. It's also a buytle/aluminum product versus asphalt with much higher heat tolerances. I found it very easy to install. The worse part was cutting the aluminum. It did a number slicing and dicing my hands! (it hurts to type!) The sheets are 12x24". I put it over the truck bed liner which is on the bottom and top of my floor boards. I'm hoping the combination will cut down on the heat and rattles. I've already noticed that my B has a nice luxury car "thud" when you close the doors or knock on the floor.

Next step will be to install the interior. I'm still waiting on the zinc plater for a bunch of bits and pieces.. It been almost two months now! Arrrg!

PS - I also need to extend thanks to Frank (MGBjockey) for his help and feedback on this project.

Tonight with much apprehension, I put my fully charged battery in the well and hooked it up. (fire extinguisher by my side) I looked for a tell tell spark and there was none. This is the first time I've replaced a compete harness and I was VERY worried I would let out the smoke! I checked a few things, wipers wiped, horn honked, dash lights.... ummm... glowed (ah! normal) and most importantly I heart the tic tic tic of the good 'ol SU fuel pump! yay!

Next I tried turning her over. All went well. It's been over a year since I fired the greenie up, this is a long time coming. Next I checked for oil pressure. It seemed like forever of cranking and cranking but finally I showed 50#'s on the guage. (with coil lead disabled) I static timed her, filled up the radiator, and put some fresh gas in the tank. I turned on the ignition again and after another short while I finally saw gas hit the filter and I could hear it fill the SU float bowls and the ticking slowed and stopped. So the moment of truth. I pulled the choke and gave her a whirl. She started on the first lick! YAY! She belched smoke as all the marvel mystery oil burned off the cylinders. She idled smoothly and showed 70#'s of pressure! I was dancing a jig!

I was hovering over her like a nervous mother while she came up to operating temp. But while I was looking over the bay, I noticed drops of liquid hitting my face. Closer inspection revealed she was pissing a good stream of coolant from under the thermostat cap. I immediately shut her down and ran for the towels! lol! I tried torquing it down, but I think the rear stud will need a heli coil. Oh well!

Man that was exciting to finally hear it again after all this time!

Saul came over and helped me get the windshield in yesterday. Thanks man! Come to think of it,the first time I met Saul, I asked him to help me with my windshield. LOL! Gotta stop doing that!

I also got many other little things done. I got all new VIN and Commission plates. I had them engraved at a local trophy shop. I welded in a O2 Sensor Bung and got a sensor for my exhaust. I also got the exhaust 90% installed (gonna go look for some brass nuts today)

So it's humming right along. Now that the windshield is in, I'll start to work on hooking up the dash to the harness. That will be exciting 'cause once that's done I'll be able to crank it again. It's been about a year and 1/2 since she last ran.

I've ordered Second Skin Damplifer, a sound deadener similar to Dynamat. That is supposed to be here Monday. So soon I'll start on the interior. The zinc plater has had my parts (seat rails, door latches, etc.) now for almost three weeks, he is really taking his time, bummer. I still have some work to do on the doors to get good gaps.

But it feels like I'm making good progress.

This was a serious "Might As Well", but I re-skinned my console and much maligned Abingdon Pillow Dash. I know this dash doesn't get alot of love, so I thought I would give it an opportunity to shine. My old dash was just "good" not great. I had put a topper on it, but it was showing it's age. My console definitely needed replacing.

I did the console a few weeks ago, a pretty easy job. I stripped the old cover and foam, painted the backer with POR-15 and quickly assembled it. The dash it self was a bit more of a project. I stripped the old cover and did my best to get rid of the old adhesive. I painted the back side white. I don't know who suggested that, but I thought that was a great idea to give more reflection in the future when I have to do behind the dash repairs. I took two days gluing on the new cover, but putting in the new guages just took a few hours. I left old harness "pigtails" on each of the connections to hopefully assist in hooking up the harness. I won't hook it up to the harness until I get the new windshield in.

But so far, a fairly easy project with VERY good results.