Headliner

I finally found a half-cab for my 74 CJ-5 and re-painted it back to original white. Before i install it , I would like to put a headliner of some sort in it as I know it'll be noisy as hell without one. Anyone have ideas or suggestions as to what type of material to use?

Thanks, Jim

P.S. What's the best type of weather sripping to use on the doors?

 

Heck, they aren't any noisier than a soft top - no problem!

With a steel cab, I'd suggest you focus on insulating the floors first. Most of the noise comes from the drivetrain and tires.

Re the roof, if anyting, you don't need insulation as much as a diffusor. The hard surface will reflect sound... but again, I found the floor to be a much greater source of noise than reflections from the roof. Plus I'd be really reluctant to put anything up in the roof that increases the already high COG of a steel cab. Just a small amount of weight that high above the wheels makes a big difference.

Maybe bubble wrap covered with cloth? Or a sheet of isocyanurate insulation right in the middle of the roof?

The door weather stripping is a standard hardware item; 1/2" w x 1/4" thick foam, adhesive backed. Maybe JC Whitney or McMaster-Carr or MSC Direct?

 

I wasn't thinking of curving it down like a headliner - just a big rectangle of foam. A foam sleeping pad used by backpackers would work too. They are very light, and not too expensive. http://www.rei.com/online/store/Pro...-1&color=&img=/media/374053Lrg.jpg&view=large

 

Considering vibrations, the bumpy stiff ride, & moisture, I would probably cover a thin sheet of something durable (1/16" plastic sheet, Luan, etc)with a water-resistant carpet or material. That way you can "glue & screw" it inplace. Use at least 3-M Trim Adhesive. I used to get the industrial version of that (affectionately known as Gorilla Snot), but it's hard to find because of the volatiles. It would hold rubber to rough cast aluminum under 35 psi.

With the limited space for pockets, stereos, CB's,etc. in a CJ, I think I would fab. an aluminum or plastic headliner and mount my electronics goodies, etc. up there in a waterproof enclosure (available at marine stores).

Who made hard 1/2-tops for '74 CJ5's - aftermarket or specialty? Are there also 1/2 softies available? Al, that I've ever seen are homemade plywood or f-glass-covered plywood.

gj

 

And that was just steel construction?

I would have to mount my '74 windshield in place of my '78.

Thanks.

gj

 

In '74, the official Jeep supplier was Meyer. You could get full and half steel cabs for both the CJ-5 and CJ-6. Not sure if any of the other cab makers were still in business at that time; maybe Kelly? Last I looked, the Meyer Co. still existed but didn't make steel cabs for Jeeps anymore.

Also, the Meyer cabs were available as factory equipment, dealer installed, or aftermarket. You can easily tell a factory Meyer cab by the plates the factory used in place of the usual windshield latches.

 

Thanks for all of the info.

gj