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Confused about top down driving weather [off topic]

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My son asked me once, "Dad when are you going to put the top on the sprite?"
I said never.
He said, "No really Dad when will you put it on?"
I said, "Really, never, she won't ever see the rain so why put the top on?"
The cool weather is coming. Get out and enjoy your car
jg
 
Rick,
See that's what you get for living with Rain and Fog all of the time. You never see the sun to get the top of your head tan. On the other hand, your Spridget doesn't see salt...like we do in the MidWest and East.
 
The map shows where our travels have led us in our TR6. We put the top up in 50 degree weather or colder and if there is heavy rain. Also when it is in the high 90's or warmer with the rear window open. About a year ago we were driving across southern Idaho in 100+ weather with the top down. The next day as we were continuing on to Jackson Hole we were still in that heat and had the top up with the rear window open, much better.
Our Midget is showing progress and hope to have it on the road next year.
VisitedStatesMap2.jpg
 
OK Tom you get the pass on the Rainy and Foggy comment. You
ve been just about everywhere.
 
RickB said:
I totally agree about long drives, having the top up and the back window zipped down was the only way to go on the trip to Midget 50 and back.
We tried top down for about 30 minutes, got sunburned and put the top back up!
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Unfortunatly on that trip we were running a NOS AMCO top. Wally's wet wash cloths were all that saved us. When my wife saw how cool and comfortable you and Bill M were she insisted we get one with a zipper rear window. I had one on my MGB and had forgotten how nice that is when it's really blistering hot. When we are where there is something worth seeing the top is off though!

Kurt
 
nomad said:
Unfortunatly on that trip we were running a NOS AMCO top. Wally's wet wash cloths were all that saved us. When my wife saw how cool and comfortable you and Bill M were she insisted we get one with a zipper rear window. I had one on my MGB and had forgotten how nice that is when it's really blistering hot. When we are where there is something worth seeing the top is off though!

Kurt
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I haven't installed mine yet but I'm thinking about selling it and getting the zip out window. I'm tired of cooking.
 
Billy, out on the open road it's nice to get the air blowing through while you are in the shade. Around town probably not so important.

Kurt.
 
I've waited to weight into this discussion. .. In my heart, top down, windows down all the time down to 35 degrees. Bundle up when its cold, and enjoy what nature has to throw at you, laugh in the face of adversity..

But I'm getting old. My comfort is becoming more and more important. In the summer top down always, windows down around town, short trips down the freeway, the same. But for a long drive on the freeway, it's windows up. I have a wind blocker installed so the cockpit is relatively calm, and I don't get windblown, so I don't get tired either. When daylight savings time changes, on or off goes the hard top. On a long trip, as Rick says, top up is the only way to survive. Three or four days baking in the seat is killer, and the top is worth 10% in either fuel economy or top speed.

On really hot days, when you see the luxury cars with their tops up, they have the AC running. I get that. But on the medium days, if you're going to buy a convertible, USE IT. After all, modern cars have electric tops. How hard is it to hit the button?
 
I ride top down windows up when the temp drops into the 40s-50s. The top goes up if the temp climbs above 100F (shade) or drops below 40F. Texans have thin blood.
 
I wish I could drive top down more often. In the late Spring to late Fall, it's top down windows down if it's overcast or under 85 degrees. I bake easily, and it's just too uncomfortable in the blistering Carolina summers. My wife is on medicine that's incompatible with sunlight, too, so when she's with me it's usually top up with the window zipped out, only when it's a really grey "British day" can we both enjoy a top-down trip.

On the rare winter day when the sun's bright enough to warm the vinyl windows, I'll fold the top and run with the windows up and heater on; but it's usually too cold for me to risk cracking the vinyl.
 
jgoss said:
My son asked me once, "Dad when are you going to put the top on the sprite?"
I said never.
He said, "No really Dad when will you put it on?"
I said, "Really, never, she won't ever see the rain so why put the top on?"
The cool weather is coming. Get out and enjoy your car
jg
Click to expand...

I haven't put the top on the Sprite in over 15 years. I just don't drive it unless it is nice weather. Of course there have been several miss calculations an I end up caught in the rain. It adds to the adventure and thankfully Mk II's interiors dry quickly. I don't even carry the windows or have wipers on the car.
 
Drove my wife to the MG club meeting yesterday and home with the top down in the dark.
She actually asked me to turn the heater OFF!!
 
Back in the 60s I took a trip from San Diego to Yosemite, spent the night and then drove to San francisco over the Golden Gate bridge and on to Sausalito with a return trip to Disneyland and back to San Diego. The whole trip took about 6 days. My Buddy was with me and we had luggage. We decided to either go the whole way with the top up on my 59 Bugeye or down. We went with down so we had more room for luggage and left the top at home. When we got back we had a nice tan on our arms and face and looked like two Rachoons because we wore sunglasses all day on the trip except at night. It was a memorable trip and I will never forget it. the funniest thing that happened was that we thought we would just sleep under a tree on the ground when we got to Yosemite. Well we found out that was not allowed, so we got in line to rent a tent. When we got to the front of the line we were told they only had one space left for a family of five. standing behind us was a wife, husband and their daughter We said do you want to be a family of five for the night and they said yea. The space consisted of a small tent and a large one. We took the small one and when we got up in the morning they were so grateful how every thing worked out that they insisted on cooking us a big breakfast before we left for San Francisco. We would have taken the daughter with us but you can't get three in a Sprite for a long trip.
 
Just to set the records strait... NW has seen 4 days of rain since the 4th.. period... you flatlanders in the Mid West can believe anything you want... When summer does come here, we put the top down and put it back on at the end of Sept. usually.... We don't have to look for thunder heads and black rain clouds... Come out and visit sometime!! Please don't stay though....we're getting crowded here.
 
BillW103 said:
I don't have a top or wipers. I am working on repairing a hard top but I dont know if I will ever finish it.
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They can ticket you here in Washington State for not having wipers. They don't have to to work, but they have to be there.
 
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