Box of Frogs springs to mind

A. Fuji White / Jet 2012 4.4 TDV8 Westminster

Hi Salter,

Loved reading about this project, really fascinating work, and I’m looking forward to more updates, especially the upgrade on the speakers. I’ve been adding some insulation to my L322 here and there, though nowhere near the level you have gone to.

I’m especially curious about the scent you managed to replicate. You mentioned using lanolin, neatsfoot oil, and oak bark tannin. Could you give a bit more details on the specific brands or suppliers you used? I’ve been trying to recreate a similar scent myself, but so far it’s been very temporary as I have just been keeping scraps of Nappa leather around the cabin.

Salter121 wrote:

This project is not stopping at just comparing sound levels.

By fluke I have learned something I never knew - I always thought it was the leather used in how Rolls-Royce achieve that constant scent inside their cabins, even decades later? And now I know! Total bonus!

I salvaged OEM Rolls-Royce SZ generation MLV with its original wool/jute backing. In that era, Rolls didn’t treat underfelt like ordinary carpet padding. It was over-engineered — a dense wool/jute blend weighing over 1,000 g/m², treated with lanolin, neatsfoot oil, and oak bark tannin, plus anti-fungal and mothproofing agents. This preserved the fibres for decades, made them moisture resistant, and gave that unmistakable warm, natural “coachbuilt” aroma. Even hidden layers were designed to contribute to the overall luxury experience.

Before fitting, I cleaned the jute thoroughly and re-treated it using my own recipe — a light mist of lanolin, neatsfoot oil, and oak bark tannin extract in warm distilled water, brushed in gently and left to dry for two days. The result is exactly as intended: the fibres are nourished and the scent has come back to life. They might not look like much but once installed and cut correctly and used in conjunction with the rest of the mass loaded vinyl layer and tapped correct it will be amazing….

I have not even installed them yet, but the smell is already incredible. Once the L322 cabin warms up, it will release the same subtle, rich scent you get when you step into a classic Rolls — a far cry from a standard l322 cabin

Noise levels will be dropping, and now by total fluke there will be an added bonus of that authentic Rolls-Royce atmosphere every time I get in.

Project is almost worth doing just for that benefit.