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Hot Day For Driving

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jhorton3

jhorton3

Jedi Warrior
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Took Midgie on a 70 mile round trip in the blazing heat yesterday for Karen's company picnic. She did well (Midgie and Karen). Idle was even, didn't overheat, and with what seemed like 100 red lights and stop signs along the way the brakes and clutch did well.

The heat was unbearable though. I need to get some insulation put down and put more plugs or grommets in the firewall. Also would help considerably to put the pedal box cover back on. I'm definitely going to put some insulation down on the transmission tunnel, and thinking of putting it down on the floorboards. What do most of you use for insulation?

I think I snapped my speedometer cable. I've had trouble getting it up to 50-55 MPH, or so I believed. Yesterday in a straight away I was running 4,000 RPM in 4th gear. I'm running 155/80R/13's for tires. Speedometer showed 45...50...55...then 0. It never recovered. Checked to see that the cable was still attached to the gauge and the transmission. Discovered the cable had landed against the exhaust pipe. It burned away all the plastic cover down to the metal sheath. I suspect it got too hot and snapped.

Also having trouble with the back carb. The jet doesn't want to return back in the bushing and this happens most when I push the choke back in. I readjusted the linkage thinking it might be binding, but it's still happening. Also having to run that back carb richer than the front carb.

Still having a mechanical noise too. It's either an exhaust leak or the valves need to be adjusted again. I only notice it when I'm driving though. Figure this week I'll set about making sure nuts and bolts are torqued and tight, and recheck valve adjustments.

So far the PCV system is working well and the oil leak is just a couple of drops. A lot better than it was. I need to take the valve cover off to strip it and paint it so it looks more presentable.
 
Jim...so in the mindset of an LBC owner does all that add up to enjoyable?
 
Actually it does. Even though the heat was hot and miserable it was fun. Around dark when the temps fell a little the ride was more comfortable. Best part is I know what needs to be worked on next.

Any ride with no breakdown in a LBC is an enjoyable day!
 
Sounds like you had an interesting time. My wife would never ride to a social function in the Midget. She does not like to arrive with wind blown hair and sweat.

I drove 325 miles yesterday (most all interstate 70-75 mph). It was HOT. Car did fine except my rear main has really started pouring oil. So it is time to pull the engine. I think I have probably ruined my clutch. In fifth gear running 60 mph, I can open the throttle and watch the rpms quickly go up to about 5500, but the car speed barely climbs. It is a very strange feeling. I may just mothball the car because I need to get to work on the sprite and working/driving the Midget is a big distraction.
 
Jim...BTW: It's sunny, 96 degrees today and 80 percent humidity in Nebraska. Nothing I'm sure like the days when the BRITS designed these babes in the UK!
 
Did a cruise yesterday myself, 4-9 PM. The heat was...HOT! Arrived wind blown and sweaty; found a shady place to park and put out a chair and thirty minutes later I was...still sweaty. BUT...we had a total of 4 (four), count 'em 4 LBCs in attendance...that's pretty good for Georgia. My ultimate goal is for once to outnumber the Camaros.

And then 9 PM and the ride home; took the long way, past the concrete and parking lots, beyond the Botanical Gardens and UGA farms. It got a bit cool before I pulled into the driveway. The old TR3 was new again...and I was once again 16.

Ray
 
If I hadn't been so heat fatigued by mowing the front and back yard before the long drive I probably could've stood it better. Either way, it's got me motivated to put down some insulation and get the interior work going. Not sure if I want to go with Moss or VB catalog kits, but they might be easier to install. I really want a biscuit (tan) color for carpets, door panels, and seats. I really think it would look great ifI could get piping in a dark red to match the Damask Red of the exterior. After she sat in the sun for a little bit I'm really considering changing out the vinyl for biscuit colored cloth.

Anyway, gotta get some insulation down on the floors and transmission tunnel. What insulation mats should I put down, and can it be sourced at local auto parts or home supply centers?
 
Trevor -

Good to see you Saturday at the Dayton show.

We took the back roads up and back from Dayton, and everything was fine in the Bugeye until about 5 miles from home. Bugeye started coughing and losing power. Pulled in to a gas station and stut it off to investigate. Tried to re-start, dead as can be. Flat bed back to the shop. Quickly measured the battery at less than 10 volts. The battery is only two years old.

I will investigate further this weekend, but it is either the battery or charging circuit.
 
My wife on Sat. wanted to take the BE on a trip that ended up being 350 miles. I've spent the last yr improving the BE for just such an event. However, I told her that she was crazy, (90 to 95 temps, straight interstate highways and a deadline to get back just didn't seem like a fun adventure. Planning on doing it going to Lake of the Ozarks in the next week or two with more time to enjoy the twisting roads at my leisure. That trip will be a little longer, but alot more fun. Isulation will be a big help, there are rolls of it that you can put between you floorboards and carpet you can get from Whitneys. All the rest of your problems are things you will sort out in the future, good luck.
 
We drove the Sprite across Iowa Saturday to a british bike shop. It was a 300 mile trip and the first I've taken with this Sprite.

The heater in the car is on full time thanks to the previous owner bypassing the ruined brass valve. In the morning, we got poured on with rain, which showed me where the leaks in the windscreen are. Later in the day it got HOT and humid. BIBBER's description of Nebraska mimics Iowa's weather. My car started to slowly overheat. We got to 212F and I found a cemetery to pull into under some shade. Luckily there was a water spigot and a hose for me to run over the radiator.

We didn't have to stop any more the next 150 miles, but the car did run at about 195-205F the whole way home, going 60mph.

The car really needs a 5th gear to be enjoyable in Iowa, where you need to be able to travel 65mph between your destinations.

I did manage to get 35+ mpg, even with my Sprite not running as well as my other one. I need to use this week to do damage assessment to look at oil, lubes, and other wear areas to see how the car fared.

Since we were overheating, I opened the heater door by my right foot. I was cooking my feet all the way home, which was miserable. Luckily we had a convertible top on the car to stop wind turbulance and block the sun. My wife was fairly miserable, but was a trooper. She even said she had a good time.

Oddly enough, the Sprite almost seems to run better now after driving at 5000 rpm for hours on end.

I don't know if I'm truly an LBC person just yet. I still like my motorcycles better and the limitations on top speed on these things just eats away at me, since I usually like to cruise at 80+ mph when I'm traversing the countryside.
 
Do this while you are young. Let me tell you old folks don't stand up well to the heat.
 
It's certainly not comfortable weather to be riding in a Midget. We're in a Code Red air quality alert here in the Atlanta area and have been all weekend. Doesn't look like it's going to get any better the rest of the week.

May have to resort to constructing a home-made air conditioning unit to put in Midgie. I saw one in a Land Rover this past British Car Day. He made it out of a mid-size cooler, fan, heater core, and a 12 volt pond pump. Plumed it all together bolting the fan and core inside a plastic box that bolted to the lid of the cooler. Inside...ice water that circulated by the pump through the core. Flip a toggle switch on the front of the box, instant air conditioning. I was impressed.
 
As far as insulation, I would recommend, (soon to be installed in my car) an insulation for marine engine-room applications. It is approx .5" thick and made of three layers, dense foam, rubber (Dynamat-type) layer, mirrored mylar quilted layer. It is a little pricey (as is all marine stuff), but is effective for both heat and sound insulation. It will also make a nice, padded carpet underlay! It cuts easily with an Exacto or utility (razor) knife. $50-$100 worth should easily do a Spridget!
 

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Thanks Mike. Looks like what you have there is foil covered on both sides? I found a similar product through Advanced. One product has foil on one side and felt on the other. The second is foil covered both sides.
 
If you install any sort of matting, you need to be sure that the adhesive is uniformly distributed and there are no air pockets under the mat and the seams are completely sealed. Otherwise you will trap moisture and have accelerated floor rot.
 
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