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Under dash "while you're in there" jobs....

Posted: Sun Dec 19, 2021 4:14 pm
by Tom
While I wait for the dash to be done in leather, I am starting in on cleaning up and de-rattling under the dash.

The foam on top (red arrows) appears to be factory part, but it's NLA. So what to use?

Also, does anyone know if the lower parts (green arrows) were originally foam -- or more of a flat felt-like horsehair? Mine seems to crushed into a pretty hard substance at this point....


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I'm thinking an open cell a/c foam might be the closest thing for the factory foam -- like this, but open to ideas....?


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Re: Under dash "while you're in there" jobs....

Posted: Sun Dec 26, 2021 2:44 pm
by AudiSport
If you’re still waiting to put in the dash I’d go about the process if reinforcing the firewall at the clutch master cyl to avoid cracking abs spot weld failure later. Should be Much easier to access everything now to remove the necessary parts.

Re: Under dash "while you're in there" jobs....

Posted: Sun Dec 26, 2021 3:23 pm
by Tom
AudiSport wrote: Sun Dec 26, 2021 2:44 pm If you’re still waiting to put in the dash I’d go about the process if reinforcing the firewall at the clutch master cyl to avoid cracking abs spot weld failure later. Should be Much easier to access everything now to remove the necessary parts.
Hmmm... didn't occur to me as a WYIT project? I thought that involved welding a plate on the firewall under the hood? (Or wedging a brace in there.) Is there an inside-based approach?

Re: Under dash "while you're in there" jobs....

Posted: Sun Dec 26, 2021 4:39 pm
by AudiSport
It’s both sides. Getting the brake and clutch master cyl units out laying on your back reaching up under the dash sucks. If you have access to the area now. Pull the engine side stuff too and put a plate in or other reinforcing method.

Re: Under dash "while you're in there" jobs....

Posted: Sun Dec 26, 2021 4:51 pm
by Tom
AudiSport wrote: Sun Dec 26, 2021 4:39 pm It’s both sides. Getting the brake and clutch master cyl units out laying on your back reaching up under the dash sucks. If you have access to the area now. Pull the engine side stuff too and put a plate in or other reinforcing method.
Hmmm...hadn't thought of that, but I have mulled adding a plate in the past, in light of my KEP pp. Maybe I'll get an ETA on my leather parts and consider it. Who is making weld-in plates these days? Or is their a CAD outline floating around?

Re: Under dash "while you're in there" jobs....

Posted: Sun Dec 26, 2021 5:05 pm
by Tom
In the meantime, I found a foam that's very close to the dimensions of the original stuff. The old stuff crumbles to powder just by touching it, so hard to say exactly what size it was originally, but I figure this has got to be better than having petrified foam dust coming out the vents. :)


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Re: Under dash "while you're in there" jobs....

Posted: Sat Jan 01, 2022 8:45 pm
by Darwin
Tom wrote: Sun Dec 26, 2021 4:51 pm
AudiSport wrote: Sun Dec 26, 2021 4:39 pm It’s both sides. Getting the brake and clutch master cyl units out laying on your back reaching up under the dash sucks. If you have access to the area now. Pull the engine side stuff too and put a plate in or other reinforcing method.
Hmmm...hadn't thought of that, but I have mulled adding a plate in the past, in light of my KEP pp. Maybe I'll get an ETA on my leather parts and consider it. Who is making weld-in plates these days? Or is their a CAD outline floating around?
Only one I've seen recently is the one offered by only944. It's the engine bay side, and it's just a bolt-in plate that stiffens the area. I haven't seen anyone offer a part for the cabin side of the firewall.

https://www.only944.com/partscatalog/on ... wallbrace/

Re: Under dash "while you're in there" jobs....

Posted: Sat Jan 15, 2022 11:58 am
by j1nx3d
Tom wrote: Sun Dec 26, 2021 5:05 pm In the meantime, I found a foam that's very close to the dimensions of the original stuff. The old stuff crumbles to powder just by touching it, so hard to say exactly what size it was originally, but I figure this has got to be better than having petrified foam dust coming out the vents. :)



foam.gif
Hi Tom, what dimension foam have you chosen? TIA

Re: Under dash "while you're in there" jobs....

Posted: Sat Jan 15, 2022 12:00 pm
by j1nx3d
Darwin wrote: Sat Jan 01, 2022 8:45 pm
Tom wrote: Sun Dec 26, 2021 4:51 pm
AudiSport wrote: Sun Dec 26, 2021 4:39 pm
Only one I've seen recently is the one offered by only944. It's the engine bay side, and it's just a bolt-in plate that stiffens the area. I haven't seen anyone offer a part for the cabin side of the firewall.

https://www.only944.com/partscatalog/on ... wallbrace/
There used to be 3-4 to chose from. The only other one I can remember besides the Only944 brace is one by BBG https://www.boostbrothersgarage.com/col ... wall-brace

Re: Under dash "while you're in there" jobs....

Posted: Sat Jan 15, 2022 12:06 pm
by Tom
It's 1/2" square open cell foam. As best I can tell from the crumbling foam left behind, the original was slightly bigger -- maybe 15mm square. If you find something closer, let me know :)