With the temps warming up over the past few weeks, I decided to buy some more of the easy to install insulation that Smith & Jones sells. It is only easy because it can be cut with a pair of household scissors. Otherwise, you practically have to stand on your head to install it in a Model A! I had installed the insulation soon after purchasing the car and thought it worked well on the drive down to Florida last year. But, for some reason, I felt it wasn't working as well, lately.
I started by taking the kick panels out. Then I discovered the reason for the increased heat in the car - the insulation was GONE! I guess the mechanic took it out when working on the car's brakes and forgot to replace it. The insulation isn't something that Old Henry would have had in his day while designing the Model A Ford. So, I guess it wasn't on the mechanics mind to add the "accessory" in his reassembly.
After about 3 hours of struggling with the insulation, I had successfully installed it under the carpet, behind the gas tank - all the way up the firewall, behind the kick panels, under the bench seat, and behind the trim piece on both doors. I was very careful to make sure that there weren't any places that the heat from the engine and muffler could escape into the passenger compartment. I double checked to make sure that the rest of the insulation I had previously installed in the rear sides of the rumble seat was still intact. Fortunately, it was all there.
I decided a test drive was in order, so off to the grocery store I went. I'm starting to enjoy these test drives - no problems. I can still feel some heat coming off the top of the hood - the front window was open and the breeze was pushing the dissipating engine heat into the car. This is to be expected. Then it began to rain, so I closed the windshield and the heat disappeared as well. SUCCESS!!! I believe that I have fixed the heat in the passenger compartment issue.
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