Firstly to answer the question. I don’t believe any Vendor was able to do a ‘correct material’ reproduction.
I am one of the group together with several other un-named parties that worked on the production of the Pagoda Group firewall pad. I also purchased several RHD and put away for a rainy day. Note for Peter Perry, the two halves should be put together ASAP if you have not done so as the glue had a shelf life that will probably have expired by now if not joined.
As an aside on the Group Firewall pad. I noticed at PUB last year that several peoples firewall pads were separating/lifting between the outer and inner layer of the pad. Some believed it was the heat that was causing the problem. I had some left over small pieces of the material here in Australia and when I got back home tried several different adhesives and also some solvents to see if they had effect on the pads inbuilt glues. Whilst I had not had any problem with my own car, I was concerned about the extra pads I had bought for myself. There is definitely a problem with certain solvents, particularly if they were white spirit based and some of the contact adhesives used have had a solvent ingredient that has had an adverse reaction with the pads own two layer adhesive.
I do not have a perfect solution if you are one of those unfortunate members that have had this occur. I can only suggest that your contact cement has had a solvent in it that has had an adverse reaction with the pad glues. Discussion at PUB suggested that the pad needed stripping completely off the car and be reconstructed with the two layers and the felt with a single adhesive that would also be used to fix the backing felt to the firewall.
Any other Member care to add comment on the problem and the solution anyone has tried?
Garry
I am reluctant to use my SL Pagoda tar paper firewall pads because there is no other exact alternative at this time. So I used up the remaining piece of firewall pad material I had left over stashed under my living room throw down carpet. The material was sourced from Babak at Vintage 3 or 4 years ago for my 63 220seb coupe. I was able to make templates from the tar paper one and made a nice useable pad set for one of my SL's that would compare to what you can buy today.
see attached pictures.
I have a theory regarding the replacement firewall pads lifting. I go back to the glue used. Contact cement if use properly is the only way to go but it will require 3 to 4 light coats on the meeting surfaces. It has to "dry" in between coats and when making final contact upon installation. Many including myself make the mistake of making contact when the glue is still somewhat "wet". It won't hold the test of time.
Also you have to factor that the firewall pad material whether its Vintage Euros or Authentic Classics or the "real" tar paper is that the material was made flat. The material is stiff and its used to being flat at the time you are installing. That's how the stuff was made and it has "muscle memory" in that its going to want to go back to being flat until you have worked it so thoroughly upon installation. Try dry fitting it first (no glue contact) to make the initial bends and take your time. Have calculated patience. You have to massage it intensely into the lines and bends of the firewall and at Temperatures above 70 degrees or more. Work it until your convinced that the material has given in to bends of the metal it will now adhere to. Spray adhesive just doesn't have the strength as 4 thin brushed liquid canned contact cement. Just my thoughts based on trial and error throughout the many years that I have been swinging the club.
One of the hard things about installing is lining it up correctly because once you make surface contact there's almost no going back. You start at the top edge and work your way down.
So tell me about where you guys found this tar paper to make these special run pads. Where did it come from and can we put our heads together to come up with the same stuff again.
