it seems as though though there's a nest of crickets and mice in the car as i drive. The panels rattle, squeak, everytime i hit a bump they shudder. People do post complaints about these sounds. Anyone ever find out what the major perpetrator of these sounds are? I honestly wish i could have a decently quiet ride in this car...

 

I take it you are enjoying your 20+ year old vehicle?

Components wear out, and if you install sound deadener, it would make quite the difference.

 

I feel VERY fortunate to enjoy a car without any rattles or creaks (pretty amazing because I know how bad these cars can be).

That being said I would START with new (quality) shocks and struts like bilstein and if your car has t-tops I would then install subframe connectors. Doing both those things will help tremendously with what you are experiencing. Installing sound deadener will help with road noise but will NOT help with the creaks and rattles you are referring to.

 

Sub-Frame Connectors (SFC's) will help with most of your noise problems. My car is about as tight as when it was new and I am the original owner (have SFC's).

 

I think it's mostly the seats,on mine anyway,they don't rattle they sq eek when you enter and exit.I did have a problem with the rear stabilizers they would BANG when accelerated,it was the rubber grommets,had them repaired no biggie,also when I hit a bump I would here a
loud rattle in the rear, it turn out my rear calipers where no good they where their just for a ride,replaced rotors,calipers,pads on both sides and now it's nice and tight and quiet.

 

I just turn the radio louder if I hear them but then again my old 85 was missing alot of floor and the subframes where holding it together from folding in half LOL. It was annoying but then again its expected due to age

 

I was told to turn my radio up,I'm one of those guys who cant stand squeaks and rattles also.

 

My previous front pads came without anti-rattle clips, resultant rattle was annoying. New pads had them, problem solved.

Make sure your steering column mount bolts are tight - 2 big ones holding u-bracket to body, and 4 smallers ones from column to u-bracket, that was another big one for me.

 

Many issues are associated with the windows/doors:

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/body...servation.html

JamesC

 

I got rid of a lot of squeaks just by replacing hinge pins. Weather stripping on the doors helped too. Next to go on are SFC's

 

I had a weird noise in my 83 when I put it in gear with the brakes on. Looked but could not find it. Then one day I had the rear wheel off cleaning it up and noticed the lower spring perch was pretty rusty. Cleaned that up with wd and wet sand paper and put a little grease on it-solved that sqeeeek

 

Start with a good quality weld in subframe connector to stiffen the car and then attack the loose things in your car. Have a friend drive so you can crawl around and listen to where they come frome..

 

I did notice a big difference with my sfc welded from back to front. This stiffened the car up quite a bit.

 

Also just replaced my front sway bar bushes, old ones were shot and rubber spooging out the sides. Got rid of the low pitched soft clunks it used to make on a bumpy road.

 

I am headed out to my shop right now if I can think of some thing else to help I will post it up here later. Good luck keep looking.

 

i completely dissassembled my interior,no screw was tight,and over half were missing .man i had squeaks and rattles EVERYWHERE!!!! but after the reassemble. no more rattles!

 

i tried that too Rusty Vango, even bought new panel screws, but the damn thing still rattles lol. One guy on the board here wrapped the interior plastics in leather or vinyl i cant remember, but said it was super quiet after that

 

Believe it or not, but over tightening the interior screws will cause squeaks and rattles. Just snug them up and call it a day.

 

Learned my lesson on that one,it scares me to over tighten them,I can here the plastics cracking now.

 

SFC's, add some padding to the back of the interior plastics and visually check everything that its not loose.

Worked for me.

 

Thanks a lot you guys, so far its tighten (snug) anything up, pad w/e you can, and check out the SFC, will do! but yes I guess i do have to keep in mind, the car is 25 years old!

 

I added some dynamat which reduced most of the rattles. SFC's will provide much needed frame reinforcement. it should be the first mod you do.

Then again, the only thing I hear is the radio and the Q-jet when all 4 barrels open.

 

I just got back in after a good day of rolling around my Camaro. I looks like when she was being built they had a guy for each side on the line. Had to tighten a lot of bolts on the pass side and the drivers side was fine. K member included. Probably be quieter now.