Hi,
I am looking for some vents to add to the side tunnel to allow heat from the engine into the cockpit for those chilly days! However they need to be adjustable so I can close them off in the warmer weather.

I have tried B & Q and a boat yard but theirs are a bit loose and will vibrate open.

Does anyone have any ides?

Paul

Drill two holes and insert something to hold it in the open or shut position. You should only need to move it twice a year.

If your considering this why not use some sort of flap to divert the warm air into the cockpit during the winter and outside of the car during the summer to aid engine bay cooling ?

Should be fairly easy to fabricate a simple box section Y shaped duct from ally, then it's just the flap to get right........

You've got me thinking now .... perhaps I'll do it myself......

[Edited on 16/4/04 by protofj]

Dave,
Is there any sound to go with your bird in the little black number?!!

Paul

Unfortunately not - been trying to work out what she's saying for days .....

Get a small heater core or radiator, and a small fan, run radiator fluid to it, and have aluminum ducting go from the engine bay (where it is located into the dash.

or sinple swivel vents from an older style car dashboard ie mini,

a suitable sized hole can be cut in the bulkhead/footwell and glued in with PU, these should stay closed pretty securely.

This gusset chafes it need some padding.

A quick scribble to show what I was reffering to......



vent

My ex-RAF SII Land Rover had a couple of holes in the bulkhead where some (presumably detrimental to health) device was previously fitted. As the vehicle had no roof or heater, those small holes provided suprisingly ample heat as the mechanical fan blew over the exhaust manifold.

Cheers,

Neil.

The bulkhead really should be sealed up to prevent fumes and fire and smoke coming through ---- if you intend to use the car in competition this is an MSA requirement that is strictly enforced by the scrutes

quote:

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Originally posted by protofj
Unfortunately not - been trying to work out what she's saying for days .....

---

Valid point BT.......

Judging by the hand signals, Dave's young lady is suggesting Locost's are for driving by the seat of your pants

Just got some adjustable air vents off an old Trident 2 that's being scrapped. They should work well if I can come up with a simple cold air supply. Anybody know of a cheap source of small Naca Ducts?

isnt ducting air from under the bonnet also gonna duct in petrol and oil fumes? plus if you ever get an exhaust manifold leak, its not gonna be healthy.

atb

steve

Would be much safer (fume wise) to use a heater core and fan or find a small intercooler and use it in reverse to pull heat from the manifold(s) to heat the air passing through it to the passenger compartment.
Dale

You'll probably get more fumes from the lorry in front of you than from under your bonnet. Unless you have a roof and sides I wouldn't worry about it. I boxed my pedals in to keep heat out as it got really warm round the feet.

[Edited on 21/4/04 by Peteff]

for info I have a heater in my car
and I have never used it,
bob and Myself went to the exeter show last november in my locost and did not use it then
my hands were a bit cold but a heater would never have been able to divert the heat near due no roof etc and the coldwind/air moving around inside trhe cockpit

my main reason for fitting the heater was to help with engine cooling more than cockpit heating, as my previous engine ran much hotter

Whats wrong with a woolly hat and thermal socks??

Cheers
David

[Edited on 21/4/04 by flak monkey]

we had woolley hats on anyway??

My personal choice was to make every effort to block every hole in the firewall, even down to boxing in the pedals in the engine compartment.

This isn't for fumes as such, as there's plenty of fresh air around! My main concern was an engine fire when travelling at speed - I don't want flames round my feet while trying to stop in a hurry (Hicost's incident confirmed this view).

David

Another alternative are those electric heaters, the defroster ones (great for SVA) and I think you can get bigger ones for the cockpit.

Tried an electric heater in a car in the 90s - it was pants. it could defrost a square inch of windscren in favourable conditions.....
How about strapping the duct inlet to the back of the radiator - you get real heat & are forward of the fumes???
Bob C

take a look at the fot well vents on an odl xk jag. might work a treat to keep your feet cool.