DVD3500 Posted September 12, 2021 Report Share Posted September 12, 2021 Having to do a lot of manual labor (shoveled nearly 3 tons of dirt by hand) my mind got to wandering. My hard top is a fiberglass "Körbler" that can turn into a targa. It is very thick. The roof is about 3 inches thick and the sides are at least 2 inches. I want my Spitfire to be used year round (as I did my previous Spitfire). In my old one with just the softtop the side windows fogged up a lot. As I was young and flexible and without dependents I didn't mind having a towel in the car to wipe them down occasionally. When I saw a video of someone reviewing a MKIII GT6 I saw the eyeball vents read in the "Guide to Originality" that extra venting had been added to help things like fogging. I got to wondering if a GT6 heater might help even if the passenger eyeball is pretty far away from the side window. As GT6 heater casings are hard to get I was thinking of modifying a Spitfire heater case, cutting the holes and getting vents that look as close to the GT6 as possible. I am overthinking this, aren't I? Or am I? If I were to go through with it are there any other differences I need to know? The controls look the same as a Spitfire... Or would a Smart/Micro fan motor do just as much? Or a stick with a sponge on the end? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougbgt6 Posted September 12, 2021 Report Share Posted September 12, 2021 25 minutes ago, DVD3500 said: extra venting had been added to help things like fogging If that were true the vents would be connected to the heater, they aren't! They are cold air vents, a lame attempt to dissipate the HEAT in the GT6 cabin. Doug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted September 12, 2021 Report Share Posted September 12, 2021 fogging is due to moisture in the cabin you warm it a bit and it condenses on the cool glass/plastic window put a fan heater in the car for a good while before you set off dont sit it on the seats or the heat will deform the covers how many cars have a lead lamp imprint on a seat ?? GT6 has opening nondraft vents they are a help not fitted to spits Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DVD3500 Posted September 12, 2021 Author Report Share Posted September 12, 2021 13 minutes ago, dougbgt6 said: If that were true the vents would be connected to the heater, they aren't! DOH! I should have figured that... When I google GT6 heater it looked like the case had 2 extra pipes coming out the bottom as opposed to the holes a Spitfire has so i presumed those hooked up to the vents... the lack of tubing should have been a clue! 2 minutes ago, Pete Lewis said: put a fan heater in the car for a good while before you set off dont sit it on the seats or the heat will deform the covers The car will always be in the garage and I do plan on keeping it above freezing in there so that is likely the best course of action... 3 minutes ago, Pete Lewis said: GT6 has opening nondraft vents they are a help not fitted to spits Not sure what you mean... do you have picture? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougbgt6 Posted September 12, 2021 Report Share Posted September 12, 2021 I think he means this? I wonder why they're not fitted to Spitfires? Doug 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NonMember Posted September 12, 2021 Report Share Posted September 12, 2021 I thought he meant the glass "rear quarter-lights" just in front of them (RH edge of your photo) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougbgt6 Posted September 12, 2021 Report Share Posted September 12, 2021 Oh, right, yes. Again not fitted to Spitfires, for some reason. Doug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted September 12, 2021 Report Share Posted September 12, 2021 1 hour ago, DVD3500 said: Not sure what you mean... do you have picture? GTS has opening front 1/4 lights , nondraft vents , call em what you like Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul H Posted September 12, 2021 Report Share Posted September 12, 2021 There’s nothing to stop you adding heated seats, an easy fix Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DVD3500 Posted September 13, 2021 Author Report Share Posted September 13, 2021 Yep. Those are on the list. Might not help fogging though. Methinks a stick with a rag/sponge is a great low tech option. 🙂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul H Posted September 13, 2021 Report Share Posted September 13, 2021 Replacing the blower with a Nissan Micra blower will increase the volume of air by at least 50% Paul 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Twitchen Posted September 13, 2021 Report Share Posted September 13, 2021 I use RAIN-X Anti Fog and just like RAIN-X on the windscreen it works. Dick 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DVD3500 Posted September 13, 2021 Author Report Share Posted September 13, 2021 I will have to see if such an equivalent exists here in Germany. My Mom could bring over some from the States for sure. I used it on my Porsche 924 because my heater fan motor broke so while you were moving air came through but not at a standstill and I remember RainX (other brands are available) working well... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted September 13, 2021 Report Share Posted September 13, 2021 21 hours ago, Paul H said: There’s nothing to stop you adding heated seats, an easy fix Paul Not in a GT6. I don't think any GT6 driver ever has needed more heat. Might be an easy fix, better in a convertible, but all it does in a small cabin is make your legs sweaty, so the windows mist up even more... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DVD3500 Posted September 13, 2021 Author Report Share Posted September 13, 2021 Actually in the summer I tended to leave my heater pointing at the screen and if I was in in slow moving traffic I would even turn the blower on to help dissipate heat. All with the top off of course... I never really had a problem... I was plenty warm in my Spitfire with the top on (winters in Michigan are real winters with meter high snow and subzero temps Fahrenheit OR Celsius...) , probably thanks to a loose gearbox tunnel and a bit of cardboard in front of the radiator but the windows steamed up from time to time and I reckon a fiberglass hard top with now read quarter windows might be steamier ... There are actually electrically heated jackets that look OK as well so I really doubt we will freeze... I just want to be able to see!!!! Here in Germany that law is you are not to let a car run idle for more than 3 minutes and all standard press says you should scrape ice off the car FIRST then start it and drive away. The say letting the engine idle only warms the engine and if you take off like a bat out of h€ck the cold transmission and brakes (?) will suffer... Oh yeah, and you are squeezing dead dino juice fumes into the air.... As you all know, I am a bit of a greeny (not GreenPeace for sure but I do try my best: I cycle/walk pretty much everywhere, reduce, re-use, re-purpose, re-cycle etc...) But I draw the line at the whole scraping then starting the engine... I proved it to my wife. We did it the "official" way. So after huffing around the car and working ourselves up a bit we get in, start the car and happens? Everything fogs up or even freezes again and I can't see a dam/n thing! We have tons of children around, there are bollards to squeeze traffic and slow it down AND the road next to our house is the main thoroughfare for people walking their dogs. I simply cannot drive until the windows and windshield are free and I know they will stay that way. I kind of compromise now. I scrape the main parts that I absolutely need to see: Windshield, front windows, rear (backend) window. I start the engine but I do try to do the rest as fast as I can. It's diesel so it take forever to warm up anyway... A friend showed me how his electric Enyaq (Skoda) has an app to start warming it up before he takes of. Can be used to cool it down too. I kinda think that is neat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NonMember Posted September 13, 2021 Report Share Posted September 13, 2021 20 minutes ago, DVD3500 said: I simply cannot drive until the windows and windshield are free and I know they will stay that way. One of the things I like about my "modern" (a 2006 Ford Mondeo) is that it has an electrically heated windscreen. On a properly frosty morning I start the engine, turn on both screen heaters, scrape the side windows and back, by which time the front screen has pretty much cleared itself and will remain fog-free as I drive off. And that despite all the symptoms of a missing thermostat (the engine doesn't get warm before I get to work, or even on a drive to Cambridge in winter). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougbgt6 Posted September 13, 2021 Report Share Posted September 13, 2021 My mum and dad lived in USA for 20 years, they had a VW fastback with a petrol fuelled heater. The cabin, frozen to roasting in 20 seconds. Nice, but the mileage wasn't too good. Doug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteH Posted September 13, 2021 Report Share Posted September 13, 2021 Eberspacher, Diesel Night heaters. Set the Timer, Nice Warm Lorry by 7am👍, Screen cleared. Gaffer used to moan about the Diesel Use ocasionally. But he was rarely in the yard before 9 or 10 anyway!. Webasto, do Petrol and LPG versions. E-Bay has loads of Chinese "knock offs" cheap as chips?. Pete. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul H Posted September 13, 2021 Report Share Posted September 13, 2021 How about a bit of thread drift ? The summer is for enjoying your Triumph . The Autumn and Winter for fixing / improving . In my case getting down to bodywork and spraying . BUT temp had to be 17c to spray . I have a dedicated single garage which will need heating . The garage has little insulation . I see my options as either a Propane Spacer Blower or perhaps a Wood Burner . Any ideas ? Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badwolf Posted September 13, 2021 Report Share Posted September 13, 2021 You need something to warm the place up, then turn it off just before you start spraying. A propane/butane heater is a good choice as it a controlable. A wood burner maybe not so. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badwolf Posted September 13, 2021 Report Share Posted September 13, 2021 Paul - Also consider your garage door. Mine is steel and very cold in the winter. I keep meaning to get some 2" insulation sheet to cover the inside. I insulated the roof void some time ago. Much cooler in the summer and warmer in winter but that door needs attention!!! Don't just measure the air temp. You need one of those laser thermometer thingies to measure the temperature of the actual metal that you are going to spray. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul H Posted September 13, 2021 Report Share Posted September 13, 2021 2 minutes ago, Badwolf said: Paul - Also consider your garage door. Mine is steel and very cold in the winter. I keep meaning to get some 2" insulation sheet to cover the inside. I insulated the roof void some time ago. Much cooler in the summer and warmer in winter but that door needs attention!!! Don't just measure the air temp. You need one of those laser thermometer thingies to measure the temperature of the actual metal that you are going to spray. I have removed the garage door and filled in with a single door and window . The walls are concrete panels which has been battened and covered with plywood , same with the roof Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougbgt6 Posted September 13, 2021 Report Share Posted September 13, 2021 BW, Don't do it! Next door did it and everything went rotten with damp. His entire Star Wars collection ruined. Garage door should have a gap at bottom and top allowing air circulation, the same in the loft, air has to circulate else wood rots. Doug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badwolf Posted September 13, 2021 Report Share Posted September 13, 2021 Forgot to mention the dehumidifier!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougbgt6 Posted September 13, 2021 Report Share Posted September 13, 2021 Good move! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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