Question on Lizard Skin Insulation

[TXJosh]

Hello all

I am building a MKiv with a BPE347/tkx, hydraulic clutch, carbon fiber dash…

I have decided to go with the lizard skin sound and heat insulation. Lots of good posts out there (thank you Edward B for so thoughtful a discussion about applying this product).

I was hoping to get some thoughts as to when in the build folks applied the lizard skin. With regard to the panels, my approach has been to leave clecos in long as possible and only go to silicon and rivets when I need to. Obviosuly if I take this approach then by the time I get to the lizard skin I am masking a great deal of components (I am also going to put in a forte mechanical throttle linkage and as that occurs later in the build when the engine is in, would I then need to drill through the skin)?

Appreciate your advice. Thank you.

[edwardb]

Thanks for the shoutout. The instruction videos I've posted for Lizard Skin application have been around for awhile, but keep on giving. Lizard Skin remains my product of choice for multiple builds. For your specific question, I understand what you're doing. But at some point, you need to cut bait and rivet the panels in place. Basically, if you have the brake lines, fuel lines, and electrical harness placed, there's no huge advantage to leaving the panels loose. Agreed it's easier to place and tie those down without the cockpit panels in place. Especially for a first time builder. But once those three things are done, rivet you panels and spray the Lizard Skin before adding anything else. As you've probably read in other build threads, leave the drivers side (left) outside panel loose until the last time you put on the body. The one obstacle you'll need to work around is the pedal box and pedals. I wrap those with tin foil. Everything else should be open and accessible. Good luck.

[TTimmy]

As Paul mentions in his instructions, mask everything. Do it outside if the weather permits, otherwise a big tarp to protect the floor and anything else around. I tell people it’s like spraying pancake batter out of a paint gun!

I now keep tinfoil in my shop for masking off all sorts of stuff. What a great idea.

[Bob Cowan]

I used foam paint brushes, the disposable kind. It's not a very big car, so it only takes a few minutes to do the whole interior. To get a thick enough coating, I went out every night after work and applied a coat. The only thing to clean up every night was the paint mixer.

[JimStone]

I used foam paint brushes, the disposable kind. It's not a very big car, so it only takes a few minutes to do the whole interior. To get a thick enough coating, I went out every night after work and applied a coat. The only thing to clean up every night was the paint mixer.

I like this idea very much. Thanks for posting it!

My car building time comes in 1-2 hr snippets after the kids go to bed, so this sounds more doable than a full day or two of masking and spraying

[Namrups]

Just a thought, but a 4" foam roller may "lay" the material down thicker instead of dragging it with the brush. Less applications maybe.

[J R Jones]

Just a thought, but a 4" foam roller may "lay" the material down thicker instead of dragging it with the brush. Less applications maybe.

That is my experience, having done my Ridgeline box. I had to "dab on" a full brush to equal the roller film thickness. OTOH getting the roller to roll in the pan was a challenge.
jim

[PMD24]

I used foam paint brushes, the disposable kind. It's not a very big car, so it only takes a few minutes to do the whole interior. To get a thick enough coating, I went out every night after work and applied a coat. The only thing to clean up every night was the paint mixer.

Bob, do you recall how many coats you applied using the foam brush method?

Thanks,

Pat

[Bob Cowan]

5 coats. You can put a fairly thick coat on the horizontal surfaces, and give it a few days to dry out. But if you put too heavy a coat on the vertical surface, it will drip and run. That makes the foam brush almost ideal.

[JimStone]

5 coats. You can put a fairly thick coat on the horizontal surfaces, and give it a few days to dry out. But if you put too heavy a coat on the vertical surface, it will drip and run. That makes the foam brush almost ideal.

Is that 5 coats of ceramic and 5 coats of sound control? Or 5 total?

Thanks

[TommyK215]

Are you guys coating the underside of the body as well?
Tom

[edwardb]

Are you guys coating the underside of the body as well?
Tom

Pretty normal to also coat the underside of the body. But Lizard Skin isn't the best choice. It's a latex based heat and sound product. Reasonably tough but not so much for the underside of the body. Most use a bed liner product. There are several. The product of choice for me (and others) these days is UPOL Raptor. 2-part polyurethane and by far the best I've used. One or two coats everywhere. Several more coats in the wheel wells. Also I recommend putting it on the splash guards, aka elephant ears.

[Bob Cowan]

Lizard Skin is for sound and heat control. It works really well. Even after very hot and long track runs to floor and trans tunnel was still cool.

Was the cockpit quiet? Ha, ha, ha! It's a roadster. :)

[danmas]

I did my floors with upol raptor. I am going to finish the inside with kill-mat for noise. I pretty much decided to pass on the lizard skin, however, I finished up my foot box today and noticed that it sounds really…thin when I tap on it. Probably over kill but I am now doing two coats of raptor on the outside, two or three or five coats of lizard skin on the inside capped with some kill mat. Why not. It’s just time, money and a learning opportunity. I figured I would rather do too much than not enough.

Dan

Edit: I did the passenger side foot box with lizard skin today. I am going to let it dry but I think I won’t do the other side or anything else. The lizard skin is super thick, more like paste than anything and I don’t think it’s better than the kill mat. I also worry that it might make the kill mat not adhere all that well. Anyway, more as I know more…..