Healey hot weather driving observations

[steveg]

Going to and coming from last week's California Healey Week - some of us drove through temperatures in the high 90s F for extended periods. Some observations:

My engine ran at 180 in the hottest weather (level driving).
When the car's moving, my fresh air input was very little different from the ambient air.
I attribute both of these to the extensive air baffling preventing recirculation of engine hot air.

A friend had suggested use of wet towels around the neck as a method of "personal air conditioning" - this works very well - especially with dry heat.

63-65 mph can give 20mpg - which is good for my car. Got 195 miles each out of a couple of tanks.

Having the top up helps a lot.

 

[pan]

I drove to South Australia recently for the Australian Healey National Rally. It was the hottest long trip that I have done because of the unusually warm autumn that we experienced this year. I didn't record the ambient temperatures but my wife informed me that the reading in the passenger foot well (right hand steer) was in the 40s Celsius! On our first overnight stop in New South Wales I checked for air leaking into the footwell through a gap that I had not sealed but there was none. Fortunately when we reached southern regions the temperature was a more comfortable level. My 100 ran at its normal 165 degrees F most of the way but did climb to 180 at one point. The trip home was much better but it may be the last long trip we undertake.

 

[andrea]

Going to and coming from last week's California Healey Week - some of us drove through temperatures in the high 90s F for extended periods. Some observations:

My engine ran at 180 in the hottest weather (level driving).
When the car's moving, my fresh air input was very little different from the ambient air.
I attribute both of these to the extensive air baffling preventing recirculation of engine hot air.

A friend had suggested use of wet towels around the neck as a method of "personal air conditioning" - this works very well - especially with dry.

Interesting solution, Steve
My project is different, I am study the possibility to slip a little piece of plate steel or cooper over the little rectangular aperture of the Heat unit
https://picasaweb.google.com/112770...ATIONAUSTINHEALEY10061958#5250019042886311458
to increment the fresh air to the foot and separate the flush of air from the Blowers (I have a powerful new blower in tandem with the oldest)
https://picasaweb.google.com/112770819864514987162/AHWORKSAndUPGRADEProject#6186116660681590514
https://picasaweb.google.com/112770819864514987162/AHWORKSAndUPGRADEProject#6186118015340162690
This can be a solution for the effective defrost and more air non the upper part of the cockpit