Volvo RWD 120-130 Forum

INDEX FOR 10/2025(CURRENT) INDEX FOR 7/2018 120-130 INDEX

[<<]  [>>]


THREADED THREADED EXPANDED FLAT PRINT ALL
MESSAGES IN THIS THREAD




  REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE Replies to this message will be emailed.    PRINT   SAVE 

Rear Panel Insulation 120-130 1966

There is a big space behind the rear panels or rear wheel wells in a 122s 2-door sedan. Has anyone considered putting some type of insulation in there? Like insulation used for houses? I was thinking of doing something similar to what was done with the VW bus:

http://www.shagadelic.org/VW/info/gmbulley-soundproof/intrir2.html

Or should those big spaces be left alone?








  REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE    PRINT   SAVE 

Rear Panel Insulation 120-130 1966

You've obviously read the same article that I have and the other posters probably know that the article in question very specifically warns about trapping moisture and causing inside-out rust.

Volvo significantly improved their rust treatments sometime around your model year. I've been warned that earlier models tend to rust away badly. My own take would be that the later models have better interior paint and would not be as prone to the rust that you've been warned about. Still be cautious. I would not insulate anything that already gets wet, or may get wet if a rubber seal fails.

I cautiously used spray foam on the upper pillars of my 1967 220. I have some lower body floorpan rust problems in that car, but considering water and gravity, I felt it would be safe to use the good-stuff foam on upper areas as the VW article suggested.

I also used some around my windshield frame-cavity after extensive treatment with POR15. I would not necessarily recommend using it there, but I needed to fill a gap in order to build up some POR Putty.

Although I've no idea if it was original, my 1800E had some foam insulation material back up by the wheel-wells and it had no serious inside-out rust problems. ...plenty of other problem spots - but not there...

If you look at the later model volvo 740s and 940s, you might notice that the interior panels are often backed with dense foam rubber - especially in the cargo area of the wagons. I'd think you might have good success with that "solid" quiet feeling by going that route.

Let us know how you make out.








  REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE    PRINT   SAVE 

Rear Panel Insulation 120-130 1966

I can't emphasize the correctness of George Downs' reply enough. I've seen several Amazons that had insulation stuffed into the hollow spaces. They were all mechanically perfectly sound, but structurally falling apart, rusted away from the inside. You can glue sound proofing material to the inside of exposed panels, but you have to make sure that all nooks and crannies have a way of draining and that air can circulate freely.

Bob S.
--
'62 PV544 (B20, M41), '71 142E, '93 240 Classic Wagon.








  REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE Replies to this message will be emailed.    PRINT   SAVE 

Rear Panel Insulation 120-130 1966

Don't put anything in there that will absorb or retain water or it will surely
get wet and rust through from the inside!
--
George Downs, Bartlesville, Heart of the USA!







<< < > >>



©Jarrod Stenberg 1997-2022. All material except where indicated.


All participants agree to these terms.

Brickboard.com is not affiliated with nor sponsored by AB Volvo, Volvo Car Corporation, Volvo Cars of North America, Inc. or Ford Motor Company. Brickboard.com is a Volvo owner/enthusiast site, similar to a club, and does not intend to pose as an official Volvo site. The official Volvo site can be found here.