MarkC

I like driving my car and I have A/C so I drive it all year. I plan to drive it to Carlisle. This morning I took it out for one hour as an experiment. I put the convertible top up and started out about 11:20 and the temp was about 90. When I got home at 12:30 the temp was 92. Windows were both down and I ran the a/c between medium and high. I was very comfortable for the first 45 minutes but toward the end I had to get through Town Center and it got a little warm. I never put the windows up. I like driving the car with the windows down. I have run the car in 100 degree heat with the windows up and I stayed comfortable. I do plan to set on a big towel for the trip to Carlisle and I will leave early.

So I thought I would make this post to share ideas on staying comfortable on long trips. You guys in FL, TX and AZ probably have some great ideas.

Frankie the Fink

I used to stuff towels up along the padding in the convertible top in my 61...it helped with hot air intrusion....also a surprising amount of heat permeates the cockpit from the gas tank area. There are a lot of tricks you figure out. (Non A/C car). Then there was my Bimini top brain fart.

In my midyear coupe I insulated a bit under the headliner and around the interior wiper area when I had the dash out....every little bit helps...

AZDoug

I don't HAVE AC in my '61 and unless I got stuck in traffic (usually never, as I avoided that type of situation), I found that just having the windows down and cowl vent open did all the cooling I needed, in AZ, inland SoCal-Palm Springs area, and south of Houston-Alvin, Freeport, Galveston in the summer.

Doug

wmf62

even with the top down, if the a/c vents are blowing on you it still is comfortable.

Bill

BADBIRDCAGE

Hey Mark.

With the top down you suffer the sun's wrath. You can bake the skin off your forearms and, if wearing shorts, your lower thighs. Having made the Carlisle run many times from VA Beach I recommend run the highway with the top up and windows up. When you get to Gettysburg drop the top and windows and enjoy the local roads.

Rich

MarkC

Hey Rich, I plan to leave about 5:30 to beat this traffic. I should be over half way up before the sun becomes a problem, I'll put the top up for the last part of the trip. I took the 66 two years ago and kept the top down for the whole trip. That was a mistake.

Rich, what are you driving now?

C-1 Generation 2

For me we always keep the soft top up unless after 6pm. I also have a small oscillating fan mounted on the metal heater box, it actually does help when sitting at a stop light. I also let the rear latches on the soft top have a larger gap, while still hooked allow more air flow from the rear. We usually have 12" battery operated fan inside with us.

GEM '62

I insulated my soft top with Mighty Matt, fiberglass insulation. The fiberglass has reinforced foil on both sides. I cut it to fit from the header to the rear glass and about the width of the the top. Place it under the bows and under the side flaps. Tuck it under the header in the front. It folds fine when storing the soft top and keeps out a large percentage of the solar heat. I also use a sunshade in the rear window. All in all make the car much more comfortable, with or without using the AC.

BADBIRDCAGE

Hey Mark.

Picked this up in January. 06 Z51 LT3 with 62,000 miles. Drove it to Santa Fe in April and from there drove Rt 66 East to Miami, OK and back to FL. Great time and great car. Sold the 2000 in June.

MarkC

Lemans blue, one of my favorite colors. C6's are great cars, I still have my 07 Z06 but need to drive it more.

BADBIRDCAGE

If you want to drive it more I'll let you know about next year's road trip when I finish arrangements. Right now it looks like about three weeks on the road in June or July. Lots of national parks in Utah that we plan on visiting.

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