Anyway to make the cabin of a convertible more quiet on road trips?

[chrisntam]

Looking forward to the drive to Louisville, but not looking forward to the road noise from other vehicles while on the interstate.

I've dyna matted and dyna liner'd the floor pan and some on the sides too that's not the problem.

I think the thin factory canvas top is the problem.  It does have the factory sound deadener over the front seat area.

Short of ear plugs or a really loud stereo, any ideas? 

Zip tie up some foam sound deadener to the top for the trip? 

Or have I come to find out the convertible isn't the road car I thought it was?

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

Not really any way to make a convertible quiet.

BUT, I am looking into constructing a removeable hard top for my own '72, as I too find the "noise" annoying as I can't properly hear the radio whilst driving.

Plus, the wind created by passing semis and the like really "whip" at the soft top as they flash by.

Bruce.

[chrisntam]

Are the convertibles sold today as noisy as the ones from yesteryear?  I bet not.  I bet the current tops are made of several layers of sound absorbing material, but I don't know.

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

Don't forget that the current convertibles have a top that is a whole lot smaller than the average Cadillac of old.

Bruce.

[Dan LeBlanc]

The only way I fixed my noise was by selling the car.  Did all I could and couldn't stand the noise.

If my 70, all things equal, were a closed car, I'd still have it.

[Barry M Wheeler #2189]

Oh, you poor guys. With the premium wanted for open cars, their added panache, and generally flashy looks, I really don't feel all that sorry for you. I have an '81 Seville with a sun roof I'll swap you even up for the '70 ragtop just so you will have a quieter car. No, no, don't thank me. It's all I can do to help a fellow Club member out of his prediciment. When do you want to meet me for the swap? I drove it all last week while the '91 was in the shop and it's very quiet.

Years ago, I took my freshly painted '57 6267 down I-65 past Nashville to my in-laws and don't remember having that much annoying road noise. Nor in the '73 Eldo conv. either. Maybe it was because of the general feeling of euphoria that I had while driving an open Cadillac, top up or down.

[Scot Minesinger]

Why in the world are you driving with the top up?!!!!!

I told my girlfriend that the 700 mile trip from Washington DC to KY GN 2019 will be driven with the top down unless it rains, and she was fine with it. 

The top up is to be used when it rains only in the summer.  I drive with top up in the winter only to make sure and drive the car regularly, maybe once a week.  And, the radio is loud enough that I can hear it fine on the highway at 70mph.

Why even bother to own a convertible if the top is going to be up when you drive?  Of course it is your car and you may enjoy it as you like.  Every 5 or 6 years I have to replace the top from its up and down wear and tear, which was normal 40 and 50 years ago.  Really spilling my guts here, but when I see a convertible of any make or year driving down the road with top up on a nice day, derogatory thoughts enter my head.

I'm with Dan, if I did not like driving a convertible, a closed car would be for me.  I'm with Barry, be thankful for what you have and enjoy it!

BTW to answer your question, there is no good way to make a 1970 Cadillac convertible quieter other than having it in correct repair.  The top is the problem, the material is too thin and if you thicken it up, then the top will not fold right.  Plus the top mechanism is not that rigid.  One of the only things to do is make sure that the top mechanism is in top adjustment.  Also make sure your windows are in good adjustment and the rubber is in good shape.  Mine does not leak during a driving rain even on the highway. 

My top up driving is not that bad at all on the highway, but it is rare that the top is up.  A read that a 4 door 1960's Lincoln convertible enjoyed a relatively quiet ride at speed.

And again, put the top down!

[TJ Hopland]

I think the reason much newer converts are much quieter is they put a lot more thought and effort into the aerodynamics than they were able to in the 70's.   A newer convert doesn't look much different than a hardtop as far as how the air flows.  All the edges are rounded or nicely sloped on the front and around the doors.   Look at a 70, looks almost like someone did it in their garage with hand tools by comparison.    I bet you put a 70 in one of those colored smoke wind tunnels you would barely be able to see the car through the violent swirling smoke.   A 2000 would probably look like some sort of artists rendering with pretty colored streams neatly following the body lines. 

I think my 73 is louder inside with the top and windows up then down.  Part of that is that my door / window alignment isn't the greatest.  When I had the top done I didn't have the budget to have the shop deal with that.   

[59-in-pieces]

Chris,
No sympathy or answer here.
Did you impulse buy (having never owned or ridden in a convertible) because to have a convertible is cool - and they are.
Like Barry and Scot suck it up and enjoy what you have, as it is way more rare than a coupe or sedan and the higher priced body style of any classic car - says it all.
Or, if it's really that much of a pain - do as Dan did - sell it.
Offered up from the convertible fanatic corner.

Have fun - if you can,
Steve B.

[35-709]

   Agreed.

[Scot Minesinger]

My Dad owned a 1970 Olds 442 convertible that he bought used in 1972 and owned for a decade.  He rarely lowered the top.  I was born in 1960 and it bothered the heck out of me that the top was almost never down when I was a passenger, and he almost never let me drive it (once a year tops).

For this harsh lesson suffered during my teenage years that I always drive top down unless it is raining or colder than 55'F.  Today I drove my 1970 DVC for a fun 15 mile top down trip, and the world appreciated it.  Count your blessings and drive Cadillac convertibles top down!

[76eldo]

It’s a convertible and it’s going to be somewhat noisy.
If you have the air on and the windows up and the radio on you should not have so much noise that you can’t stand to drive it.

Is your weatherstripping in good repair?  Are your windows adjusted properly?
Are we talking about wind noise or just the air blowing over the top of the car ?

I drove mine from the Phila area to the Boston GN and had the top up and the air on most of the time. Didn’t really have an issue. Took it to VA and same thing. Took my 60 convert to Lake George. Enjoyed every minute of each drive.

[Bentley]

I think the thin factory canvas top is the problem.

Chris, If your top is original, that might be the problem. After I had my top and interior redone, plus all new rubber, I was shocked at how much quieter the car was with the top up. I would say there is very little road noise now, except for some wind noise coming from a power vent window that needs to be adjusted. But it wouldn't bother me on a road trip.

If you'd like, I can do a sound recording while driving with the top up, so you can have a reference.

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

Living down here in Tasmania, when it is hot, which is a number of times during the Summer, I drive with the top up, and the AC on as with the depletion of the Ozone layer, there is nothing worse than Sun Burn (except Wind Burn, which is a lot worse) one has to take care of ones' body.

Was at the Rally in 2016 at Wangaratta where it was over 43C (106F), and the 50 mile cruise went through a town.   Put the top down as we entered the town, then as we departed, put it back up, as the short distance through that town affected the passengers, especially, those in the back seat.

Bruce.

PS.   I still want my Convertible, and am putting up with the noise, but would still love to hear my radio.

[chrisntam]

All right gentlemen, if time allows, we'll pile in the vert at the next GN and we'll ride along a couple of 18 wheelers on the interstate all while "attempting" to carry on a conversation - assuming the a/c is working....



The car on the road by itself, noise is not an issue, just when other cars are around. If anyone is a Seinfeld fan, while on the highway, all I can think of is all that is between me and all that noise is "a thin layer of gabardine".

Prior to changing the top, I'll try the weather stripping.  That too is original. Is it weatherstripping or weather stripping?  Spell check suggests the latter...

I have minor to moderate hearing loss (you'd think that would help) and tinnitus and maybe those are compounding the problem.

Some pavements are (relatively) quiet, others not so much.

Prior to owning the '70, I had a '75 Olds 88 convertible for 20+ years, same issue, relatively speaking.  I guess I thought that with a Cadillac, the engineers would have engineered the noise to stay out. 

In the end, it sounds like I'm a P and I need to grow a pair...   

Maybe this will be my next tool purchase, cost is under $20 from Jeff's company.

[Barry M Wheeler #2189]

Chris, thanks for being so good natured about our ragging. If you have medical issues, that puts a completely different slant on the whole thing. Drop the top when you can, AND enjoy each day as much as possible. It would "hurt" to have to give up a convertible when you have problems like you state.

[chrisntam]

Yes, I'm chuckling, the top is 50 years old, can't hurt to replace it except for the cost.  The rubber 'round the doors/windows is a lot less to start with...

Just so you guys know I'm a tough guy, I'll get a pair of those look alike bull ba**s and attach them to the rear bumper for the GN.



yes, I removed the pic I posted (of them) because they looked too realistic.

[Dan LeBlanc]

Art's 63 is one of the quietest convertibles I've ever driven in with the top up. Its quite impressive, really. It puts my former 70 that had a new top, headliner, and every inch of weather stripping replaced to shame.

[hornetball]

I have lots of convertibles (6 at the moment) and drive them top down every chance I get.  The Eldo is the quietest one due to size.  I do protect myself though.  Always wear foam ear plugs, hat and sunglasses.  The worse noise is tire noise from trucks on the interstate.  I love the outdoors and have scenery without too much traffic out here in the Comancheria.

One benefit of a convertible with the top down is you can hear the traffic around you and you have no blind spots.  In some ways, it's safer.

[cadman56]

When I had my 56 Series 62 convertible my top was up when the wife was with me, she didn't like her hair messed up.  When alone the top was down except for inclement weather.  The vent windows could be adjusted to minimize road and wind nose to almost none.  If a vehicle or semi would pass me I would slow down to let them on around quicker.  If I was going faster than them I would speed up to get on around them quicker.
I agree with Barry and Scot, top down is why I had the convertible.