1. One of those “can’t see” upgrades that’s worth every penny is Flatline Barriers’ acoustic and thermal insulation. Dean Livermore of Hot Rods by Dean shows us how easy it is to install, making driving your machine a whole lot more fun.

Comfortable Climate

BY BRIAN BRENNAN PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEOGRAPHY by the AUTHOR

ll of us want to be comfortable in our hot rod—it doesn’t matter the time of year or how much horsepower we have (or don’t). When cruising, comfort is king. That brings us to Flatline Barriers, an ultra-lightweight, easy-to-install material that blocks unwanted heat and noise. The two main sources of discomfort when driving are excessive noise and excessive heat inside where we are trying to keep our “cool.”

To help us achieve this level of comfort, there are a few things we can do. However, the one that is unseen and possibly the most important is the use of acoustic and thermal insulation. We thought we would give this product a try, so we stopped by Classic Industries and picked up a precut kit with some additional material for extra coverage for our 1969 Chevelle. This is a big-block–powered Chevy with a thundering exhaust, so heat and sound can be an issue. (Experience has taught us that!)

We stopped by Hot Rods by Dean and installed the Flatline Barriers product on a 1969 Chevelle we have and will continue to showcase stories here in Modern Rodding. We were able to nail down Dean Livermore and get a couple of hours of his time to try out the installation for ourselves. Everything went as advertised. Keep in mind that you will want your flooring, door panels, and headliner area to be well cleaned and ready to accept the adhesive-backed acoustic and thermal insulation. It is adhesive backed. The material, once laid down and pressed into position, is there. Make sure you are ready before installing.

Flatline Barriers was designed to deliver high-quality, direct-fit material that minimizes noise and heat transfer. It is based on synthetic rubber that forms a foam with a peel-and-stick backing to silence unwanted noise, vibration, and resonance. It is then combined with an aluminum thermal barrier that eliminates radiant heat. Our kit, as mentioned, was precut and, because of this and its lightweight, very-compliant construction, is ideally suited for at-home use by everyday hot rodders.

Two immediate benefits are its weight and cost. We’ve mentioned the lightweight characteristic. Flatline Barriers weigh about one-fifth as much as other products in our hobby. The immediate benefit is the absence of unnecessary added weight; it is easy to handle, making it easy to install. We should also mention that the cost of the Flatline acoustic and thermal material is lower, an added and always-appreciated benefit. Another benefit that we probably never even gave a second thought to but it’s good to have, is that it’s a no-odor characteristic, thereby producing no odor from “off-gassing.” And, just in case, it meets the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 302 for flammability. Like we said, good to know, good to have.

Well, there you have it. Follow along with the photos and see for yourself just how easy it is to install Flatline Barriers’ acoustic and thermal insulation.

3. Our first step was to lay out the precut kit for three reasons: one, to make sure you have all the pieces; two, to make sure the pieces fit the floor (or doors or roof); and three, to make sure the factory precut holes you will need are there. Our kit was as “advertised.”

5. After we positioned all the pieces, we then went over how each piece fit. Right off, you will note that the Flatline Barriers material is easy and lightweight, making it “no effort” to use.

7. It will peel off easily but be patient and avoid trying to rip off the entire sheet too quickly.

9. Wherever you choose to start (top, bottom, left, or right), first make sure the surface is prepared, meaning it’s clean, any holes are unobstructed, and there is nothing in your way.

11. Once positioned, the “compressing” of the Flatline material begins. Because of its lightweight construction, it is easily “molded” into shape over the flooring.

13. You will see that this panel has precut reliefs that account for such access holes as the seatbelt and seat bracket anchor points.

15. Note that this panel has a precut circular hole. This one was for a front seatbelt anchor point.

17. Here is a view of the passenger/rear floor area, which is covered with Flatline Barriers acoustic and thermal insulation. Note the reliefs for seatbelt anchors.

18-19. The driver-side rear passenger panel is a great example of what a precut piece should look like. The reliefs are for the window crank and for access to the boltholes for the window regulator. This is a power-window car, so there is no crank, but the hole is there just in case.

21. The driver side door panel is one piece with all the appropriate holes for the window crank, armrest, and other necessities.