Parade Cooling Help

[apbos]

Next weekend is our annual American Graffiti Parade. I have entered my 59 Sprite with a Monza bonnet. I have not had any cooling problems, but I have never spent 2 hrs cruising downtown in 100 degree weather. What should I do to prepare for the event? If you remember the movie, a bugeye was one of the few British cars. One other Q, hardtop or no hardtop?

Thanks
Paul

 

[Gerard]

Personally, I would add a manually switchable electric fan. Also, is your heater installed? Being able to run with the heater valve open and run the blower can aid in lowering engine temperatures, though it will raise yours...

As I recall, you are running a 948, which I have typically found will run hotter. I assume you could be traveling at low speed, so having the option to blow air over the radiator (heater included) would be desirable. Things like "water wetter" or waterless coolant products will help also.

Top? ... depends on how tolerant you are to the sun beating down on you. Top down might look cool, but sitting in a hot car for a couple hours with the sun beating down on my head is not my idea of fun. There's always sun screen and a big hat as an option too (for you, not the car).

I like the look of your car with the hardtop, so that's my vote.

 

[HealeyRick]

That Monza bonnet opening looks like a recipe for overheating. If you're running an anti-freeze mix, drain it out and replace with straight distilled water for the parade. It transfers heat better than the mix. Add some Water Wetter or similar for water pump lube and drop the temperature a few degrees (don't expect miracles though, but every little bit counts.) I agree with Gerard, you want an auxiliary electric fan to help suck some air through that grille opening and leave the heater valve open to get more cooling capacity. Probably not much more you can do for the car at this point, but carry a couple of extra gallons of distilled water with you in case the worst happens. Be prepared to pull over to the side and let the parade pass you buy and cool off if needed. Better than cooking the engine.

Next thing to worry about overheating is YOU! Make sure you have plenty of cold water in a cooler to keep yourself cool. They have hand held mister fans at Wally World that you can spray yourself and cool off. I might try one of those cooling neck wraps they have as well (I should send you the ice machine I had for rotator cuff surgery that pumps cold water through a shoulder pad ... that will cool you off! Kinda like a driver's cool suit.) I'd probably keep the hardtop on, it will keep the sun from beating down on you. Oh yeah, drive naked

Enjoy, looks like a great event.

 

[59diamond]

Besides the cooling problem there is the clutch problem. As you inch along the parade route you will be constantly shifting in and out of first gear.

 

[leecreek]

We saw this type of add-on at the Lake of the Ozarks. Looked like a good idea there so this spring I added one. Works really well at idle. Then added a flex a lite controller with a 10 deg dead band and manual/auto switch. Works surprisingly well at idle time in the garage and those pesky stop lights. Fan is a 12" scored on sale from Auto Zone.

 

[SD Bugeye]

Adjust the timing for the parade.

 

[apbos]

All good ideas guys. Thank-you. I have ordered an electric fan and will follow your advice. I have been on call this weekend and it has been hot (104 F). Good news though, by Friday temps will be in the 80's. I have an idea about mounting it based on leecreek's post. I hope it arrives in time. I keep you all appraised of my progress.
Paul

 

[apbos]

Here is an update. We had a great time. The fan did not arrive until Thursday afternoon (Friday parade) so no time to get the new fan intalled. My date ( my 16 yr old daughter) were parked in front of the historic State Theater. I have had the car stand at idle for 40 min in the garage and my Temp never went over 170. I thought we would be good. We got lots of complements, pics and questions during the cruise. We also saw lots of cars being pushed off the route. Then it was our turn ��. Temp gauge was at ~185 and sudden death. Vapor lock, rolled of on a side street and after about 2 minutes she fired backup. We have never had this problem before but have never been in a parade. Realizing, that it would happen again we went home a little disappointed. At the show on Saturday, I was told that this has been a problem. Seems may of the dignitaries at the front of the parade are sitting on the trunks of convertables, which keeps the pace to slow for these cars. Lesson learned. In a crowd of 1500 cars we counted about 10 LBC (even a mg midget with a bugeye bonnet). Will do it again, with a little more prep.
Paul

 

[rayj]

Sounds like a great time. Too bad about the cooling. I have the same problem and I'm seeing suggestions to swap the stock radiator for an aluminum one with 3 rows of tubes and a higher fin per inch. Just can't confirm the claims of 30-40% cooler. I have also seen a "Bikini" top. They look a little goofy but I want to take a road trip in the SouthWest and even with a big hat anything exposed gets cooked. Even with sun screen after a sort time the inside of the car and my body really heat up. Anyone try the radiator or Bikini top?

 

[BillW103]

Mine would warm up in traffic and the electric fan took care of it. We don't get in the 90s very often.

 

[Billm]

Paul
To minimize the vapor lock issue you need to verify that your fuel line (from the tank to the pump) IS routed correctly! I have seen far too many fuel lines improperly routed which leads to the problem
Gerard probably has a link to show the proper link (I don't know) but if not I can try to explain it
BillM

 

[apbos]

BillW
I was wondering how you wired your fan?

BillM
Temp for the day was only 84F, but my fuel line follows the stock bugeye route under the frame rail, under the header to the front for the motor, where it would normally attach to the mechanical fuel pump. Without the fuel pump and using a Weber 40 dcoe, I have a long rubber fuel hose and I think that might have been the problem. I willl use leecreek's idea to mount my fan in the shroud that came with my Speedwell Monza Bonnet.

RayJ
I am not sure that an Al rad would be required with a clean rad and driving long runs. It think, the benefit would be most noticed in town. If you are going to the Southwest I would remove the heater core and route around it to prevent the leak of heat into the cockpit. Have you tried just running with the soft top up. I have seen an MGA with a zipper rear window in the soft top. Might get rid of the goofy look of the bikini top.
P

 

[BillW103]

Paul, I think the problem with these cars is not the radiator. Its the air flow and your car look even more restricted.

The wiring in my car is not even close to stock. I have everything on relays and all the switches ground relays. I don't know if that is the proper way but it seems to work fine. I did my car before I was aware of Forums and deviated from stock quite a bit.