Adjusting windows/tops etc. for comfortable highway travel

Fran and I just took our BJ7 out to the All British Field Meet held at the Van Dusen Botanical Gardens in Vancouver this past long weekend (some 450 British automobiles in a beautiful, low-key, environment. Delightful, and highly recommended). We've owned the car for decades but it's only been really complete for about a year and this is the first major, sustained, trip (2200 km or so (1370 miles) we've undertaken. Weather varied from leaving Calgary with the top and windows up and the heater (and fan) on to keep the windows clear. Coming back today was sunburn time, with the last several days being top down all the way.
What is the wisdom of those with a lot more miles as to how best to minimize wind buffeting/road noise/fatigue at highway speeds? It seems that there's a few combinations available:
- convertible top and both windows up
- top up and one or both windows down
- top down and both windows up
- top down and one or both windows down
- if no passenger, then the tonneau in place and one or both windows down
Thanks, Doug

Re: adjusting windows/tops etc. for comfortable highway travel???

Doug

I am sorry to say that it is the charm of an old car like the Healey.

You either like it or hate it. They are noisy, can be uncomfortable, leak like a sieve, and draughty. We have one club member who says that he has never put the top up wind/rain/or shine, but he does keep an umbrella in his car!

As far as I am concerned, the car is quieter with the hood down, the noise seems to be amplified with the hood up.

I think that wind buffeting is reduced with the windows up, I prefer to keep mine down. You will always get that back draught as the wind curls up and over the windscreen then hits you from behind whether the widows are up or down, I think that you can get a spoiler now, to fit into the sockets that retain that cross bar for the tonneau and that helps reduce that effect.

You can help reduce the fatigue with planned stops through the day, but I personally do not get that problem much, as the furthest that I have gone in a day is 300 miles and did not stop other than for fuel and a comfort break, this was of course without the navigator - she who must be obeyed. It is doubtful that she would ever attempt that sort of journey in the Healey. - An MX5 Mk3 is her kind of motoring.



Bob

Re: adjusting windows/tops etc. for comfortable highway travel???

Thanks for the thoughts Bob. We had a magic wind screen made up a few years back but found it more of a nuisance than useful - but I should fish it out again and give it another try.
I like having the driver's window down to stick my elbow out - helps make the interior feel a bit more spacious.
Our long day was 380 miles, stopping every hour to two hours as the fuel gauge didn't seem to be completely happy.
Realized that the driver's seat foam was pretty much collapsed out just before leaving, so I sat on a roughly 2 inch thick piece of foam rubber cut to approximately the right size and my butt was content the whole trip - Fran's was a bit less so, so maybe we'll try the extra foam rubber both sides next time.
And I guess the hair is thinning a bit, as the scalp is a touch pink. Anyone know where I can get SPF 50 shampoo? Later, Doug

Rather than SPF 50 shampoo (since I have nothing to shampoo) a ball cap with a hat leash clipped to my collar works best.

Re: adjusting windows/tops etc. for comfortable highway travel???

twas

Like yours, my seats had bottomed out due to the sad state of the foam, I removed the old covers and the foam was akin to saw dust, also the metal pans were in various stages of collapse. Being short of arm and long of pocket I repaired them (my excuse was I was honing my metal working skills) bought new foams and fitted them using the old covers, they do look much better now. I did not cut holes in the foam but did reduce the depth by cutting the bottom of by around 1 inch so my legs would get under the steering wheel, I left the passenger side totally alone except for the fronts where they needed a bit of trimming on the gear box side if I remember correctly to fit the pans.

Forget the shampoo get a hat or hair transplant :highly_amused:



Bob

You have windows? What's up with that??? The PO must have removed mine!

Consider a hardtop.

Bob summed it up pretty well, it is the experience with an old Healey or sports car, you either love it or hate it. The relatively gentle breeze of a moderate pace in town is replaced by a steady and intense buffeting at highway speeds.

I actually find it kind of relaxing (kind of a total immersion to the exclusion of all else I guess, strangely I hate driving on the highway with the windows down in a "normal" car), but I have soaked up too much sun in a misspent youth and running around in sportscars, yard work, etc. later in life, so now I mostly do the long tours with top up and windows down.

I understand a zippered rear window works well with top up and windows down, but I was sent the wrong top and didn't discover the mistake until it was too late to exchange (ordered the top beginning of the restoration) but if that is an option might be worth a try.

Hi All,

Although I agree with what Bob had presented, I was a little confused by Doug's request and wondered if weather protection and comfort cruising was his desire, an Alpha or other non-British sports car would have been a better selection. However, then I notices he had his Wife along and all became much clearer. Not that wives don't appreciate Healeys, I courted my wife in my Healey and for the first 3 years of our marriage, it was our only car and the one she used for everything. Finally, I drove it to bring my first born and my wife home from the Hospital and … the next day my Father-in-Law disliked the thought of his first Grand Son riding in a Healey travel bed so much that he gave her his old 4-door Chevy.

Yes, I have found that Wives do like Healeys. However, with experience and maturity, my wife now prefers to drive in a more civilized comfortable conveyance while my mind prefers driving again in my younger days, through the nearby hills and turns, while listening to the Beach Boys.

So, my suggestion, put your top down and install your tonneau in the half arrangement. Get your rear air deflector and mount it at a location near, or on, the tonneau support. Raise the Windows and open the air and heater vents (after closing the engine heater water turn-off). Get your wife a hat she likes (that I have never succeeded in doing) and, as I see it, you will enjoy the most comfort you will ever experience with you wife in the Healey. If you get a little wet, its all part of a delightful experience.

Good Luck,
Ray(64BJ8P1)

Failing all of the above get a tin top like a Tickford Healey, layful:

best of luck



Bob

Doug,
I see two choices:

1. Buy a roadster, put the side curtains in the trunk, where they belong, or leave them in the garage; store the top and frame where they belong, or leave them in the garage, and enjoy driving a British car.
2. Buy a Miata and enjoy the comforts of modern engineering and comfort.