Someone asked about
soundproofing.
It’s very simple to do and makes a big difference. I know the Barchetta was designed to be noisy and you are meant to feel the car through all the vibrations - or maybe it was just cheap! - but I feel the car is much more fun and feels more solid. All I can hear now is the exhaust and the induction. It sounds great and driving, even for hours, is a pleasure.
You have to strip out the interior - the seats, centre console, seat belts and the rubber matting. I used Silent Coat tiles that I bought from amazon.co.uk then overlaid it with Silent Coat foam. I made sure to cover every part - all the floor, the tunnel and side panels. I did behind the speakers too (made a big difference to the audio - shows FIAT were being really cheap to not put any there..). I also did inside the doors.
Cost
I used 2 boxes of the silver tiles, so 60 tiles. I bought a 3rd box as I was little short in the doors but used just a few tiles. You could be a bit more sparing and use just 60 for sure.
Silent Coat 30 x Tiles (187x265mm) Car Sound Deadening / Proofing Pack: Amazon.co.uk: Car & Motorbike
These were €35 a box.
The foam I bought directly from Silent Coat (the silver panels were cheaper on Amazon..). I bought 3 rolls for £35. They are Silent Coat Isolator 6 Large Sheet.
I also bought a roller from Amazon as you can see in the photo. Application is easy. Make sure the surface is clean. Just be careful of your seat mounting holes - don’t go near them with the tiles. The sticky black backing blocks up the holes and makes it a nightmare to put the seats back in. You can see in my photos that I didn't stay away from them which is how I know it creates a nightmare..
So, total spend was about
£200.
It will take you about 4-5 hours. It’s a nice winter job!
I also used a couple of rolls of Anti Squeak self adhesive tape and covered all the edges of plastic trim to stop squeaking. It’s a couple of £s a roll.
Anti Squeak Anti Rattle Self Adhesive Felt Tape 25mm X 3M: Amazon.co.uk: Car & Motorbike
You don't need to take the dashboard out!! I had it out anyway as I was replacing the heater matrix. And it's pretty well insulated under the dash.