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SALE
PART
3
With the end in sight, we detail the pros and cons
of our Cascade Audio install
B Y J A M E S M I L E S • P H O T O G R A P H Y B Y PAT R I C K H I L L A N D T H E A U T H O R
2
1
▲ In our last
report on this subject, we had just
finished spraying
Cascade Audio’s
ThermaGuard into
the interior of our
C4 project car, The
Son of Zombie. For
more on this job,
see the July issue.
▲ This month we got rolling
with a spray-in sound deadener called VB-1X. Using the
SG-1 gun (available from
Cascade Audio, see photo
above) the installation was
as easy—and as simple to
clean up—as last month’s
ThermaGuard application.
▲
We sprayed the rear hatch
area first, followed by the
floor, transmission tunnel,
and firewall.
60
VETTE MAGAZINE •
3
AUGUST 2006
www.vetteweb.com
In
the July issue, we lined
the inside of our project
’87 with Cascade
Audio’s ThermaGuard to
help keep the heat out of
the cockpit. This month, we took the install to the
next level, with Cascade’s VB-1X, a spray-on
sound deadener that’s similar to a truck-bed coating. The volume differences were instantly noticeable, and thanks to a Radio Shack-issue decibel
meter and the Neil Peart drum solo “Der
Trommler,” we know the extent of the changes.
Following the final coat of VB-1X, we went a
step further and added some of Cascade’s V-Max
material to the trouble areas inside the C4—
namely, the transmission tunnel, rear hatch, and
B-pillar. Measuring 12x32 inches, the V-Max
sheets are made from rubber-backed flexible aluminum and stick in place after being cut to size.
The sound-deadening results from these pieces
were just as dramatic, and after we lined our car
with a carpet kit from Corvette Central (an install
we will cover in the future), The Son of Zombie was
as soundproof as it’s going to get.
But while this upgrade may sound like a sure
thing, we discovered a few problems with the VB1X that remain unaddressed. For example,
according to the instructions, the liner should be
waterproof after seven days of cure time. After
nearly three times that span, however, we discovered that the material had not developed the
desired water-repelling properties. In fact, the
affected areas had actually become less effective,
the material having changed composition from
soft and rubbery to hard and flat. Was our particular batch of VB-1X defective? We’re unsure, but
the material’s inability to withstand just a few
drops of water is troubling. We’ll let you know how
things work out in the months ahead.
Our final noise-attenuation readings will
have to wait until we finish final assembly.
Keep in mind that the car is still pretty “open
air” at the moment. For now, just follow along
for more information on what Cascade Audio
can do for your Corvette.
Results
Condition
Bare Floor
VB-1X
V-Max
Carpet
Total: –11 dB*
Readings
82 dB Max
78 dB Max
74 dB Max
71 dB Max
Difference
NA
–4 db
–4 db
–3 db
(*With car partially disassembled)
SALE P
Each coat was allowed to cure fully before the next, leaving the final product to look like
this. All those red spots represent holes for screws and other hardware. We had covered
them with tape to keep the spray from clogging them.
Nearly a month later (we got a
little busy), we returned to
replace our firewall pad. A big
thanks goes to the Tampabased Corvette Shop and
Supplies for finding this littlerequested piece of OEM equipment for us. It slipped in place
as the original did and was
secured via two plastic retaining tabs, which are available at
most auto-parts stores. ▼
PART 3
With the firewall finished, we moved on to
the V-Max sheeting.
Measuring 12x30 inches, these “cut to
size” sheets are of a rubber-backed flexiblealuminum material that sticks in place.
The trans tunnel was first…
…followed by a few strategic spots in the
flooring...
…and, lastly, the hatch.
At each step we measured our progress with a little help from this Radio Shack–issued
decibel meter.
SALE
PART 3
SOURCES
Cascade Audio Engineering
19135 Kiowa Rd., Dept. VM
Bend, OR 97702
(541) 389-6821
www.cascadeaudio.com
Corvette Central
P.O. Box 16
Sawyer, MI 49125
(800) 345-4122
www.corvettecentral.com
Corvette Shop & Supplies
609 N. Dale Mabry, Dept. VM
Tampa, FL 33609
(813) 872-6907
www.corvetteshoponline.com
Alltrade Tools
1431 Via Plata, Dept. VM
Long Beach, CA 90810
(310) 522-9008
[email protected]
Rush
“Der Trommler,” from the album R30
Courtesy of Atlantic Records
www.rush.com
▲
Neil Peart of Rush bangs away on the
skins in his drum solo “Der Trommler.” We
got our results by playing the music
through a set of laptop speakers positioned underneath the floorpan. Once the
car is fully assembled, we will provide final
numbers and compare them with the readings taken before the C4 died of heart failure. For now, you can at least see there
was a difference—an 11db difference to
be precise.