JBugs Video Series

1971 VW Super Beetle - HushMat Installation:

Body Interior

Video Overview:

Installing sound deadening isn’t something that most people consider when doing a restoration, and it isn’t something that you can typically see once the car is assembled. Just the same, it can make a world of difference in the way your car sounds and feels when you sit inside, close the door, turn the engine on and turn up the stereo. From the solid “thud” of closing the door, to the more quiet and cool interior, HushMat’s Ultra sound deadening & thermal insulation can transform your rattle can. Follow along as our tech shows how simple it is to install the HushMat insulation.

Vehicle prep: 0:48
HushMat installation: 1:17


Video Tips:

Tools used in this video:

Brass Hammer
Alignment Punch
Metal Insulation Rollers
Scissors
Razor Knife
Plastic Trim Tool
Phillips Screwdriver

Video Transcript:

Hello! Sam here with JBugs.com
Our 1971 Super Beetle restoration is moving along well, and with most of the chassis components squared away, we're going to get to work on the interior. 
Before we start with the biggest obstacle inside, the headliner, we're going to install HushMat ultra insulation from the top of our car to the bottom.
The insulation is easy to install and reduces heat and vibration to create a cooler and quieter interior. 
An added bonus is, the black finish of the insulation doesn't stand out so it's perfect for floors or trunks where it may not be covered by upholstery or carpet.
We aren't covering every square inch of the interior although it certainly wouldn't hurt. 
We'll install the HushMat on all the accessible single layer surfaces and areas near heat or noise. 
We don't have to wipe the surface down with alcohol or acetone, as is required with other similar products.
So, we begin our installation at the roof, 
laying out the first piece, pulling off the backing, and then we use a few different widths of rollers, and a plastic trim tool in tight areas, to flatten out the insulation and ensure it has a good bond to the metal. As we work forward on the roof, we get to the front and we trim down the insulation with a pair of scissors. The HushMat is easy to cut and doesn't have or leave a sharp edge so you don't have to wear gloves while handling the material.
Once we've got the roof covered, we move to the rear of the car and install the insulation on the rear luggage tray, below the rear window, and the front edge of the luggage shelf. 
We make sure to cut the openings for the seat belt mounts and continue sticking the insulation into all the nooks and crevices', all the way to the floorplan. Then, insulation is installed on the left and right fender wells to finish up the rear of the car.
We move forward in the body, and onto the quarter panels. 
After scraping down the loose pieces of the original tarboard, as even VW knew the benefits of sound insulation, 
we cut pieces of HushMat to fit and installed them in the quarter panel openings.
We continue the installation at the front firewall 
and up the right inner fender well. Since we'll be using speaker kick panels, we covered the heater channel at the bottom side. On the left side of the firewall, we used some scraps from our installation to show that there is no need to toss all the small pieces of material. They are just as effective as a large piece, and once they're rolled out it's hard to tell the area was actually patched together.
Once the left side is complete, we move to the chassis and install HushMat on the tunnel 
making sure we cut the mat for the shifter, our clutch cable access hole, and even apply insulation on the cover plate. 
The holes for the seat belt mounts are cut out, 
and as we lay the insulation in place in front of our shift coupler access, we make sure not to cover the VIN. HushMat is installed onto the cover plate before it's installed, and then we'll move to the floor pans.
We install the insulation onto the right floor pan, all the way back to the rear luggage shelf. 
We cover the passenger side footrest, and before we set it in place, we add a piece of HushMat to the front of the chassis firewall. A very non-scientific knock test demonstrates the difference in sound between the pan that is insulated and the one that isn't. The sound from the HushMat coated pan is much more solid sounding and doesn't echo or have a hollow, tinny sound.
Once the left floor pan is fully insulated and the doors are installed, 
we scrape off all the loose insulation and install three sheets of the HushMat into each of our doors. At the rear of the doors, we cut out for the door handles, and a plastic trim tool helps to ensure a good bond, higher up in the doors, where applying pressure by hand or with a roller is impossible.
Now that we've got the HushMat installed, we'll add a little more insulation or more specifically padding, in our next video. 
That will be coming out soon. In the meantime, click the like button below, subscribe to our channel if you haven't already,
And when you need parts or accessories for your vintage VW, head over to JBugs.com