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Spitfire Hot Spitfire

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tomkatb

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I have owned my 77 spitfire since 1980.

For as long as I can remember the interior of the car has always been hot.

My car is missing the insulation from the transmission tunnel and does not have the valence panels in the engine compartment.

Can this cause the car to be very warm?

With two cooling fans the engine runs in the normal range at all times.

Opinions/?

Solutions?

Larry
 
My 77 leaks a lot of engine heat around the legs. My transmission tunnel is deteriorated, though.
I am looking to get a fiberglass tunnel.

I'm interested in your twin cooling fan setup, as I just switched over to twin electric fans.
 
I don't think the lack of engine valences would have much affect on interior temperatures, but the lack of insulation around the gearbox tunnel would. Dealing with that, and making sure that the tunnel seal to the floor is reasonable (along with the gearshift boot), will help a lot. Some folks go so far as to put "Dynamat"(?) or similar thin insulation sheets over the tunnel, firewall and footwell areas and then replace the carpeting on top of that.
 
That was the conclusion I came to as well. Just thought you all may have even more ideas.

It is nice in the winter. My B is simply cold in the winter.

Larry
 
My 8 is not hot from the engine but the total lack of ventilation is a killer in stop and of traffic removing the little cooling breeze I catch. Even at highway speed there is very little breeze sneaking into the car with the windows fully down. That is why when I travel distances I travel in the evenings.
 
I can tell you, a big difference between a TR8 and a bugeye is the breeze thing in the cockpit at speed. This winter I got wings to attach to the windscreen post and they seem to cut just a little of the "breeze". Before, it has been difficult to wear a hat driving at speed.
 
Larry,

my 80 Spit was very hot when driving it in the humid South Carolina summers. When I restored the interior I added 2 layers of insolation to the entire interior floor as well as a ABS trans tunnel. It is still hot in the summer in SC, but my feet are not roasted by the engine heat anymore. It is a mod that I have done to all my British cars and it has made them much cooler and quieter to drive.

Paul




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