Road noise and how to reduce it

[Bighouse]

It all adds up

 

[AR67GTX]

I agree on tire noise. I don’t remember hearing traffic sounds as much when I was a kid when near a heavily traveled street or driving with the windows down - a lot which seems to be tire roar. My first car lacked air so everyplace I went in warmer months was with all the windows down. I don’t remember traffic noise being an issue. Now traffic noise is so loud I can’t stand to roll down a window for even a minute due to the noise from traffic and often we hear the interstate about a mile away like it’s only the next street over. To me a lot of the noise seems to be tire generated. Of course there are a lot more cars and trucks now than when I was a kid.

 

[furious70]

My tko is a noisy vibrating sumbitch, you're lucky!

 

[Cheapsunglasses]

The louder the radio, the lesser the road noise

 

[Mackman]

In this area, “All Season” tires contribute to a lot of road noise.

 

[AR67GTX]

I suspect also the large number of heavy trucks and SUVs that are popular now are a cause of tire/traffic noise. I also wonder if bias ply tires didn’t run quieter with their non-aggressive thread pattern and stiff sidewalls.

 

[ynst]

If you want a quiet car to drive, step up and buy something less than ten years old.

If you want to relive the sixties, just do it, LIVE WITH IT, don't butcher it up with sound deadener and ruin the authenticity of the car. In the 56 years I've owned my GTX, the road noise never bothered me. The New Process gear whine, the mild wind whistle, the tire noise, especially the snow tires, they're all part of the experience of owning a sixties.seventies muscle car.

Now, my Magnum(s) on the other hand are so quiet inside that you can't hear the wheel bearing that's going south.

 

[Kern Dog]

I was out in the Jigsaw Charger and the red one yesterday.

The red car has newer weatherstrips, better sound deadening and carpet and newer tires and was still louder going down the road.
Jigsaw was relatively composed. It has a 383 with a 280/474 cam, nothing too wild. At 65-70, It was just fine with the windows down.
Ginger isn't obnoxious but the engine and exhaust noise are a lot higher. The engine is almost 500 cubes, the cam is a solid flat tappet, the exhaust is 3" with an X pipe. At 70, I shifted to neutral and noted the difference in sound versus being under throttle. It was noticeable but not night and day.
There still is wind noise as well as wheel bearings, tires and other sounds blending together.
For me alone, I don't mind it all so much.
Part of this is to try to make the car more comfortable to entice the wife to join in on trips.

 

[Bighouse]

Did that base ‘70 come without the taillight trim? Never knew

 

[Kern Dog]

The 500 and R/T models came with the aluminum trim panel around the taillights.

In 50+ years of ownership, any one of the previous owners could add one or weld over the mounting holes where one used to be.

 

[Mopar Hunter]

Earplugs.

 

[Randy Wilson]

My biggest problem with noise is the wind whistling from the A pillar and wing windows. I installed top quality A pillar and roof rail rubber including new wing window seals. Door alignment is near perfect.

 

[Mopar Hunter]

I installed top quality A pillar and roof rail rubber including new wing window seals.

What brand did you end up going with?

 

[Kern Dog]

Get up some speed on the freeway, **** to N and turn the engine off, how is the road noise now?

Fond a NEW paved asphalt freeway and drive on it, turn the engine off, compare this to a concrete or old pavement.

I wasn't going to shut the engine off and risk locking the ignition/steering!

Interesting post. It seems like a big contributor is how much higher the front end of the charger sits than the challenger. The front bumper of the challenger looks like it would have far less air traveling underneath the car.

The Charger hood actually sits lower. The Challenger is a "thicker" car and taller as well. I don't have any side by side pictures of the front, just this one:

Tires can really change things you may try a set for kicks..

I have 13" front brakes. I can't put a wheel smaller than 17" diameter on the front. I don't have a spare set of wheels that will fit the car.

 

[F4R/T]

I’ve had my srt challenger next to my 70 RT and kinda surprised to see the size differences.. Ever consider trying a set of modern srt wheels for testing purposes?

 

[kiwigtx]

When you shut off the engine at freeway speeds, what changes, and what stays the same?

Just don't do what a colleague of mine experienced while out on a test drive in his new company car with his new boss many years ago....1980 to be precise.

The boss was driving, and demonstrating how the power steering would make handling very difficult. The guy forgot about the steering lock, and in the frantic grab to re-engage the ignition, they nearly wound up in a ditch at speed.

 

[Dennis H]

A Pillar and wing window is insurmountable. I did everything except roof. Original headliner intact. Improved, but nowhere near a modern car.

 

[Randy Wilson]

What brand did you end up going with?

Soft seal I believe

 

[eldubb440]

Part of this is to try to make the car more comfortable to entice the wife to join in on trips.

I thought the objective was to make the car quieter

 

[Darter6]

How much of the noise that we have is from the wind itself?

Allot.Some of the old cars aren't very areo. Great post !

Interesting post.

Agree

In my encounters with noise, it’s been the dang TIRES making a difference

The older they get the louder. I just took off 10 year old tires that look like new but were hard as rocks.

A cacophony of clatter!

I'll say !. When I take the old 63 out it shakes, rattles,squeaks,bumps and moans. I can relate..

The louder the radio, the lesser the road noise

Radio ? What radio ?