Standard shift lever options - remove boot?

[moretsky99]

I'm doing some rehab to my 96 extended Ranger. Its the 5speed standard shift lever.
I pulled the rug and chiseled off the old sound/heat barrier around the shift lever.
I pulled up the metal plate around the shift lever to make it fit better and replace the black seal on the back.

Now I'm wondering if there's not a better way to rehab this area.
Maybe replace the metal plate with something else? Maybe replace the boot with something else?
I don't know how to research this so I'm asking here if anyone has done anything like this or anyone has ideas.
For sure I need to replace the heat/sound barrier I chiseled off and do something there to cut down on noise and heat.

Please, any suggestions?

Allen

 

[lowspeedpursuit]

Heat barrier you had to chisel off? Was that an option, or something done by a previous owner?

I have a layer of MLV and IIRC a layer of radiant barrier down there, with small round holes for the shifter stub.

 

[moretsky99]

Heat barrier you had to chisel off? Was that an option, or something done by a previous owner?

I have a layer of MLV and IIRC a layer of radiant barrier down there, with small round holes for the shifter stub.

Thanks for the reply. I don't know what MLV or IIRC is.

I had pulled up the 30 year old rug and sprayed with bed liner. When I was doing that I saw that around the shifter was a thick layer of something, probably soundproof/heatproofing. It was cracked and holding moisture so I pulled it all up, chiseling a lot of it off.

There's a plate held on with screws over the shifter housing. Today I pulled that off and lay a foil backed type of insulation/barrier used around windows for houses. It worked quite well. Sticky on one side so I stuck it over the hump where the shifter is, from one uphill side to the other. I then screwed the plate back on over this. Came out just great! I now have a shiny foil over the hump. It's cut way down on noise and heat.

I covered the roof liner with a bright red material backed with a thin foam. I have left over that I'll lay over the hump after I make sure the foil stuff is OK and emits no smell. So this is a 96. Previously I had replace the visors. I fabricated plywood in the shape of visors and recently painted both sides red to match the roof liner.
The whole thing looks like a brothel inside, but suits me. Bright and cheery.

 

[lowspeedpursuit]

Mass-loaded vinyl, a thin flexible plasticized soundproofing material.

IIRC is an abbreviation for "if I recall correctly".