Sound deadener and wiring harness

[JohnC]

Other than re-clear coating the car, sound deadener and wiring harness are the big projects on the horizon. But I have some questions.

If your car was stripped to the bones like mine is (ie, nothing on the firewall at all), what order should I be installing things like AC box, steering column, pedal assembly, wiring harness, etc.
My sense is sound deadener, then AC box and pedal assembly, then wiring harness. I just don't want to, for example, install the AC box and then find out I have to pull it out because some part of the harness if routed behind it, if that makes sense.

I know that you don't need complete coverage for sound deadened to do it's job, but I see a lot of guys do it. Considering all the compound curves on the firewall, trans tunnel etc, anyone have tips as far as fitment, etc?
I've never installed before so I don't know what to expect.
Put the pieces in the sun to warm up before installing?
Heat gun?
Are relief cuts necessary to get this stuff to sit on compound curves?
For complete coverage, fitment sounds tedious. Do guys just overlap pieces to get complete coverage (instead of the going through the tedious process of cutting, fitting, cutting some more, fitting some more)?

As far as the wiring harness again, does anyone have advice about where to start? The instructions are pretty scant. I assume you start in the fuse box and work your way outward from there? It seems like the wiring harness would almost be best to be done very late. I got the AAW update kit where you have to wrap the harness your self. Knowing how to wrap so that the right wires are allowed to separate from the main harness seems like something you'd want to do when everything else is in the car (speakers in, AC box in, steering column in, etc.

Thanks for any insight you may provide about these installations.

 

[Chevelle_Nut]

Sound deadener is first, pedal assy, A/C box and then attach dash, parking brake, add vents, HVAC vacuum lines, connect electrical, connect speedo cable, secure dash, add column.

At least that is how I do a 72

 

[Nashville Cat]

If your car was stripped to the bones like mine is (ie, nothing on the firewall at all), what order should I be installing things like AC box, steering column, pedal assembly, wiring harness, etc.
My sense is sound deadener, then AC box and pedal assembly, then wiring harness. I just don't want to, for example, install the AC box and then find out I have to pull it out because some part of the harness if routed behind it, if that makes sense.

Amazon has a much cheaper sound deadener than the pricey one and it's identical IMHO.
I put it on the firewall 100%. It's very flexible and molds to fit the floor.

https://www.amazon.com/Kilmat-Deadening-Automotive-Insulation-dampening/dp/B0751CBXBT/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1F9FWLTAAH4VE&keywords=automotive+sound+deadener&qid=1661472348&sprefix=automotive+sound+deadener%2Caps%2C254&sr=8-3&ufe=app_do%3Aamzn1.fos.006c50ae-5d4c-4777-9bc0-4513d670b6bc#customerReviews

Not sure about installing the ac box ahead of the wiring harness. I think the harness should go first ?

 

[JohnC]

Pretty sure that's what I bought, the 80 mil Kilmat. I got 2 boxes to get started knowing that I'd need more. Just want to see how far this gets me.

 

[Nashville Cat]

Pretty sure that's what I bought, the 80 mil Kilmat. I got 2 boxes to get started knowing that I'd need more. Just want to see how far this gets me.

I think you're good with 2 boxes. That will cover a 8' X 9' area. Should be some left over

 

[bikeron]

Wire harness last.
Harnesses produce heat and should be left in open air, never under insulation.
Sound deading first. Some AC boxes will need careful cutouts around their outlines. Pedals too.

 

[JohnC]

So people care if edges overlap at all? I guess it's pretty thin stuff and even if there is overlap you won't feel it under the carpet.

My plan with the stuff mounted to the inside of the firewall like the AC box is to temporarily install it, then use a sharpie to trace around it so that when I install the sound deadener to know where to cut.