jdana24

I know this topic has been discussed before, but I continue to have problems with my hood insulation pad and clips for my 1968 Olds Cutlass S. I purchased the molded hood pad from Fusicks. My problem is that when I put the 3M adhesive which was recommended on both the pad and the hood, it just soaked into the pad and never really adhered to the hood. Will I have better luck with the Dap Weldwood Contact Cement? Also, I used the 2" square replacement hood pad insulation clips which I ordered from Fusicks, however, the stem which is .600" is so short that they barely push into the holes in the pad/hood, and every time I drive the car, 2 or 3 of them pop out. Any suggestions on how I can successfully glue the pad to the hood? And how do you get the clips to stay in? I want to keep it correct looking, so I don't want to use the round retainer clips with have a longer stem and do stay in place in the pad/hood holes.

mrolds69

You use 3M HEAVY DUTY spray adhesive on both the hood and the pad. You will have to mask a bit so it doesn't mess things up. 3M makes like 5 different grades of spray adhesives, they make 1 that says for hood pads on the can. It's thicker and stickier and will hold more weight. You will need to go to an auto body supply place or online to get it. You can't buy it at HD, Lowes or WallyWorld. The clips I don't know........look for good originals I guess.

jdana24

I used the 3M Heavy Duty Spray first, and that didn't hold at all. The original 2"x2" clips are the ones that don't work with the mold pad.

mrolds69

I see...honestly, I've never used the molded pads before. And there are at least 2 types of the regular pads and one I don't like. I have seen many, many hood pads put on upside down. I've even seen professionals do it, and seen it on high end restos. One side of the pad is fluffy like house insulation, the other side is rough + flat kind of like styrofoam texture. Fluffy side goes down towards the engine. There should also be a U-shaped cutout for the hoodlight at the rear on the driver side for the underhood light. I know you probably got it right...but if you were spraying the fluffy side it would never hold...only the clips would be holding it, and you need both to hold it. The only person I know who used a molded pad installed it with the hood on saw horses and said it was very difficult.

FMB42

What I'm going to post doesn't exactly correlate with your problem. But here goes: You must, of course, follow the adhesive directions to the T. Cleanliness, proper temperature and humidity, and following the directions exactly are key to success when using these adhesives imo. The hood insulation mat should be carefully vacuumed in order to remove any loose particles. Next, try spraying the insulation and then immediately turn it over so that the sprayed side is facing down (you'll need to hang it from wires or strings). Most, but not all, of these adhesives say that you must then allow the adhesive to become SLIGHTLY tacky to the touch before you apply the insulation. The key word here is slightly. Not tacky enough or too tacky will result in problems (but again, follow the adhesive directions). It might, of course, also help if you remove the hood and apply the insulation with the underside of the hood facing up. Next allow the adhesive to cure for at least 10 hours at the recommended temperature and humidity before running the engine (allow more time if the temp is low and/or the humidity is high). Also consider using the incorrect, but tight fitting, round clips until you can find better square units. Note: These comments are what I've learned the hard way from working with the notorious GM sagging headliner fabric issue.

jdana24

Thanks for the input. I've found that there is a 1 1/2" square clip that has a stem length of 13/16" which is the same length as round clips which I tried and they didn't pop out. I think that is the route I will go so at least it looks correct.

Has anyone used the Dap Weldwood Contact Cement?

Lady72nRob71

DAP Weldwood is NOT suitable for automotive use. The heat (from sun, engine, or buildup inside on sunny days) causes it to fail soon. Been there done that.
3M 8090 would be better as it is made for vinyl tops. Spray it on generously, wait 20 minutes, then install.
I had to toss the square clips as yes they are too short. Another poorly made repro item. I bought some round ones at the auto parts store from the HELP! section and they worked fine. My car had round ones anyway and I reused the ones in good shape (not many).

jdana24

Thanks Rob. I'll try the 3M 8090. I had used the 3M Super Weatherstrip Adhesive and it did not hold. And I'll get the 1 1/2" square retainers since they have a longer stem similar to the round ones.