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

[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....

foam.gif (506.97 KiB) Viewed 2917 times

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

foamopencellac.jpg (120.61 KiB) Viewed 2917 times

[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.

[Tom]

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?

[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.

[Tom]

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?

[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.

foam.gif (296.67 KiB) Viewed 2813 times

[Darwin]

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/

[j1nx3d]

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

[j1nx3d]

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

[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