I took apart my interior to clean things up and dry out and rust delete my floor. I cut the sound deadener mat out and I plan to find something similar thickness that won't be a sponge for water. I want to get all the leaks figured out and fixed but I won't put that mat back in and I'm looking for suggestions for a hydrophobic sound deadening materials. I assume foam and maybe another layer since the factory mat has foam and something resembling rubber, (more like black oreo cookie crust and probably that crust's purpose isn't to trap or mask all the water soaked into the foam.)

Also, under the rear ashtray, there's a hollow metal riser below the riser support for the airbag module. I questioned why it didn't have a door to it like under the front seats that can be used for storage or accessories and I wonder if anyone has figured a way to utilize that wasted space. I thought it might be good for a small subwoofer since I'm missing all parts of mine and I'm not sure if Its worth the time and money to duplicate the original, especially since its prone to get beat and bashed on the rear door. It's a very small space but at a glance, there are small subs available and maybe its not difficult to make an enclosure to fit. I don't know much about car stereo systems but It seems like a option for the space and it leaves the under the seat area open for handy storage. Does anyone have any thoughts on the subwoofer idea or other ways to use it, or does it have a purpose aby design I'm missing?

Thanks

 

I am in the process of doing the same. I have been casually looking around for a bit and came across Dynapad (pictured) - ebay search: https://www.ebay.com/itm/166376887560 - You can probably find this, or something like it outside of eBay.
The third phot is Dynamat which I think does the same thing, just different. The one is a pad for putting your feet on and the mat is more of a true sound deadener - I think: https://www.ebay.com/itm/166015965340

I will likely use a combo of both of these throughout my Disco once I get to that phase. This seems like it would be a solid replacement. I plan on also using sound deadening pain throughout. I found one that is a two-step with a ceramic shell. I know someone who's used it and it is amazing. Just can't remember the company name.

As for the woofer, they like to breathe because they can get very hot. They are typically installed underneath the passenger's seat. They are also typically large and that may be why they go there. Considering size and the heat fact, and proximity to plastic, I plan on putting mine underneath the seat.

 

I put the console shell back and my impression of the space was to forget about it! Ill probably use under the seat woofer when I get around to a stereo project. I did wrap the metal with some tinfoil lined butyl someone gave me years back and I think I will continue to do that to exposed body metal. I am tempted to use Ice and water shield since I have some but I'll probably buy the stuff designed for cars in the future.

I am intrigued with your suggestion of paint and I have not gone down that internet hole but I think paint is a good sound deadener. I disassembled a door on my van to delete rust, et cetera. I painted black zero rust thick with a brush; two coats, (ratlecanned quickly back to white,) and when I finally got it all back together the door sounded much better when it shut. I assumed it was the new latch and hinge pins, but the thick sagged paint job probably had a lot to do with the satisfying "dthunk" when it latched. I plan to to a little of that to the bottom of the doors on my disco and the floor pan where I have to delete rust. I have some "as seen on TV" black spray seal stuff but it stinks so bad I am not sure if its even any good for anything. I experimented with it on the bottom of a rear floor mat for my disco and it was alright, but it seemed to react with the existing rubber more than some 3m rubberized undercoating. I also tried Plastidip, and I think the 3m was the better of the three but non were as effective as the factory rubber. All of them seemed to work at filling the frey in to make the mat more better.

What kind of radios are you looking at replacing with? When I went through my van I got a cheap boss and it was far better than the non functioning factory system but I realized its far from a premium sound system. When I do the disco I want to find a radio that looks decent with a touchscreen for bluetooth and map features. I think dimming features are important, possibly wireless carplay, easy volume access (although my radio controls by the wheel don't function so I don't know if that's good to maintain or if I'd even use them.) I think I need to restore some bass but maintain all other factory speakers and locations.

I am working it out in my head but I think it should go:
Choose the right radio, plugs into factory harness, sending audio to factory amp and 6 speakers, ignoring the lost signal to the missing door woofer.
Choose powered sub, likely under passenger seat, plugs into back of radio as a sub or splice the factory bass signal behind glove box, splice sub into a convenient power source.
Listen and enjoy new radio while driving disco.
Unknowns:
Which radio? Which sub, and location of sub? Does sub get signal from factory amp or from radio and how will the connection be done? what wire is a the easiest and most sensible to power the sub? Are any of my assumptions flawed or ignorant of potential issues or extra Gremlins/problems, headaches, and time not driving and navigating disco, while listening to good music?

Thanks for any contributions to these topics!

 

Also, I had some confusion with 10 mil headed bolts around my dash/ console area. I took lots apart but I gave up on completely revamping my dash and cut my carpet in half instead to deal with the soggy mat but also looked into some gremlins and got to know some of them up close. Meanwhile I think I put my stick bolt into the one center bolt location of the hvac near the dif. I have an odd number of shorter ten mil hex maybe the odd one goes in hvac but also four cutting thread longer ten mil hex, I think the short ones go up onto the dash (+ 1 to hvac center) and the other four 10 mil with cutting threads go to the dash brackets on the vertical holes one the left and right sides of the body? then I have one 13 mil hex, (with a washer?) that locks in the gear shifter shaft and ****?

 

I ordered second skin audio “spectrum” paint on deadening, also hytech ceramic microspheres. I can mix them with the spectrum for insulating properties but the seconskin audio people say no, buy their separate firewall product (microspheres and viscoelastic polymer) and apply both. So I’m on the fence if I should try my concoction or do two coats without spheres and two coats with spheres or save the spheres and mix them with paint on top of the spectrum. I wonder if anyone else has any experience with these type of producs. Im undecided what to replace my under carpet sponge with. I don’t know which foam or how thick to achieve decent results, as well as save some money. I think I should have a layer of 1/8 vinyl on top of the foam in the floor. Lastly, I have a good bunch of reflectix insulation I could use, it seems like putting it in roof makes sense, between the metal with spectrum paint and the headliner. has anyone used this stuff and would it be good to line the floor with it too? I don’t need to use it if it’s better not to incorporate just because I have it.