I was searching the other day for something unrelated and a topic came up about asbestos and the roof insulation material in 1st gen camaros.

Some time ago, I had completely removed most (all that I could get to) of the roof insulation. If you have never done this, it is a very messy job. While you can and should wear a mask or respirator, most of us are ill-equipped and informed on how to properly deal with asbestos, and besides, if asbestos was in the insulation we are all in big trouble as it would filter down into the car constantly from above.

Another user indicated that they had sent in a sample for testing and it came back negative. Wanting to be thorough and sure if I needed to keep my life insurance up-to-date, I sent off for my own test.

The result: The insulation material came back negative for asbestos content.

Some caveats: The car was a '68 Camaro, LOS built. This also assumes that all cars used the same roof insulating material. Keep in mind that this was tested on my car, not yours.

I'm posting this in case someone doing a search will be better informed. When I get the official report back and if it has any other information, I'll post it.

My test cost about $25 for a 24-hour turnaround. So, don't let costs deter you from testing if you are unsure if something might contain a harmful substance. My other car is going to be media (soda) blasted and primered, so thats my 'solution' for other areas like undercoatings, etc. No more scraping for me !

When I was in the process of stripping mine down, I thought about doing the exact same thing. Even though I didn't, I'm glad someone took the time to do the test. It's nice to have a conclusive answer.

Regardless of it's content, It is a nasty, nasty job. :)

I remember asking the same question before I cleaned my old insulation from the roof and learned there is no asbestos. It is certainly something to be careful of.

Great info, thanks for posting. Wonder about the factory's undercoating in the rear wheelwells? It looked kind of fibrous.

fyi, what I did was used a stiff putty scrapper about 1.5" wide in one hand, and in the other hand, held a shop vac hose. Work with a fan blowing outside, shop vac on, and as you scrape, the vac will suck in the part you scrape off, plus most dust, and the fan will blow away the rest. Use a dust mask or respirator and you will have it all covered. When I was done, I had to throw away my clothes !

About the one portions that are hard to get out are under the roof supports and sun visor area. The shop vac can sometimes get those are most of them.

I was planning on putting some DynaLiner up there (1/4"), but let me know if you found another material that is good. I was trying to keep it light weight.

I didnt' know there were other fibrous-looking areas. I was going to test the firewall insulation pad, but after looking at it, I felt that it was just a rubber-backed carpet pad, so I didn't test it.

I looked up 'asbestos' in the local Yellow pages and called the closest company to me; it was almost too easy.

fyi, what I did was used a stiff putty scrapper about 1.5" wide in one hand, and in the other hand, held a shop vac hose. Work with a fan blowing outside, shop vac on, and as you scrape, the vac will suck in the part you scrape off, plus most dust, and the fan will blow away the rest. Use a dust mask or respirator and you will have it all covered. When I was done, I had to throw away my clothes !

About the one portions that are hard to get out are under the roof supports and sun visor area. The shop vac can sometimes get those are most of them.

I was planning on putting some DynaLiner up there (1/4"), but let me know if you found another material that is good. I was trying to keep it light weight.


This is exactly how I did mine as well. It worked out great.
The only problem I found was the backing didn't like to leave with the insulation. Once the insulation was taken care of, I ended up using a razor blade to completely strip the roof devoid of any material.

I was searching the other day for something unrelated and a topic came up about asbestos and the roof insulation material in 1st gen camaros.

Some time ago, I had completely removed most (all that I could get to) of the roof insulation. If you have never done this, it is a very messy job. While you can and should wear a mask or respirator, most of us are ill-equipped and informed on how to properly deal with asbestos, and besides, if asbestos was in the insulation we are all in big trouble as it would filter down into the car constantly from above.

Another user indicated that they had sent in a sample for testing and it came back negative. Wanting to be thorough and sure if I needed to keep my life insurance up-to-date, I sent off for my own test.

The result: The insulation material came back negative for asbestos content.

Some caveats: The car was a '68 Camaro, LOS built. This also assumes that all cars used the same roof insulating material. Keep in mind that this was tested on my car, not yours.

I'm posting this in case someone doing a search will be better informed. When I get the official report back and if it has any other information, I'll post it.

My test cost about $25 for a 24-hour turnaround. So, don't let costs deter you from testing if you are unsure if something might contain a harmful substance. My other car is going to be media (soda) blasted and primered, so thats my 'solution' for other areas like undercoatings, etc. No more scraping for me !

That is certainly a sigh of relief for me. I looked at that stuff and went mmmmm....I wonder if it is asbestos. Thanks for taking the time to get it checked and post. Plenty of different poisons used back in those days and how knows where it ends up. Fibreglass and rock wool insulation will probably be found harnful one day.

Even if you suspect you are dealing with asbestos, the best thing to do if you remove it yourself is to wet it down lightly with a plant sprayer. In addition to a respirator and some good ventilation the wetting will keep the dust down and out of your lungs. Put the asbestos in double plastic bags and seal it very tightly. Don't take asbestos lightly its bad, bad stuff. My father-in-law was exposed years ago and now he is paying the price-ugly stuff. I won't even go into the HazMat issues for disposal, you guys are on your own for that.

I don't believe that any 1 generation Camaro had ANY Asbestos, except in the brake linings & clutch pads (assuming you have original). But, I do not know for sure. If they did have asbestos anywhere else, you would be at great risk doing it YOURSELF because it is difficult to do it yourself properly. Although all listed above in the thread discussion is helpful, none of it is totally correct. I am not trying to list here the proper way to do it either, so remember that I am NOT totally correct also. ASBESTOS IS BEST LEFT TO A PROFESSIONAL. Asbestos will truely reduce your life and quality of life. If anyone really thinks that they used it in 1st Gen Camaro's, they should have the materials in question tested and POST the results on this web sight. We should end that Controversy NOW. There are labs all over the country that will test your samples very inexpensively. It is the air born stuff that you DO NOT SEE that kills you. If you pretend it is Cyanide Dust, you would have a better chance of doing it correctly. It is what you won't think of that will kill you. Really, if you think that it won't hurt you, go to any hospital that deals with the aftermath or go to a lab that actually takes the biopsy from your lung. I have seen it. Again, very very nasty.
A mask will not work. It has to be an asbestos QUALITY mask.
You would not lightly spray down the area or areas; you would heavily spray it down to eliminate DUST. You would water down any area that has the dust and collect and get rid of the water. When it dries, you now have the dust again. You would bag (sealed bag) and dispose of all that you remove and your clothes to an approved asbestos dumb site. You would not do this in your garage, exposing all your family to this hazard. Asbestos is nasty stuff, if you could see how the microscopic particles imbed in your lungs and kill you. No inteligent, normal human being would want to mess with it.

Anyone from now on that thinks something is asbestos, don't post your "think" here. Send a piece of it to a lab.
If you can not find one (all over the internet) let me know and I will give you one. Then post a new Thread called, "Tested for Asbestos" that everyone can post to. I do not think you will find any FRIABLE Asbestos. Meaning what will become airborn and create a problem for you. Also, i don't believe that it is a good idea to be sniffing the matting that is on an old car, even though I believe that NONE of it has asbestos. Use a mask when creating ANY air born particles. Your families probably love you!

I think asbestos can be found in factory installed undercoating on our cars.

I don't think so. Just looked at mine, an no filler matter at all. What makes you say that?
It would not be of any danger in the undercoating, but I am still curious as to what makes you say that???

I appreciate the info here, but has anyone had any conclusive proof of ever finding asbestos in our cars? Since i just bought one as a daily driver id sure as hell like to know. My head liner has been replaced, but id pull it down in a instant if i had to. I didnt replace it the previous owner did.

NO, no one has any proof. It is all talk by people that have never seen it and want to be paranoid about everything.
That is why no one has submitted a test showing it. Drive in peace.