Cold in a TR6 is not a problem:
I drove my TR6 for 3 winters in Quebec. I'd have had her sitting outside for
days at -40 degrees and then she would fire right up.
As for heating, I used to burn my feet, the heater is fantastically strong.
Hot air distribution is not brilliant however. I used to wish the eyeball
vents could be reset to provide hot air. I used to stick a piece of
carpeting between the top frame and the vinyl. Made huge difference at head
level. Cut down on the noise too. As mentioned, the cardboard on the
radiator is a good plus, don't cover more than the lower third to half
however.
Driving in winter in a TR6:
The biggest problem for a TR6 in winter (other than rust) is not starting,
but driveablility. The long narrow aspect of the TR6 with heavy nose and
rear-wheel drive is not good for snow. Because of the width the car is
always catching one wheel or the other in the snow ruts in the road. Go
around a corner and she just loves to turn 180 degrees and head backwards
down the road. I have experienced many corners from the unusual perspective
of travelling around the corner backwards (the snow ruts keep the car
tracking the corner unless you are going far too fast)
If you haven't driven in snow before, just be careful to know the road
surface you are on. It is not like rain driving where the whole surface
changes fiction level by the same amount. In snowy conditions often there is
a layer of ice under anything except the clear ruts when it's just below
freezing. The warmth and friction of the car tires clears the road where
they touch. Sometimes the reverse is true. That's more often at the low 20s
Farenheit. In that situation the pressure of the tires melts the snow, but
it refreezes and causes a layer of ice to build up. Below the 20s you start
to get into black ice temperatures. This occurs with a layer of water that
has frozen into a transparent skin on the road. It can also come from a
layer of salty water that has frozen do to a temperature dip at night. It's
pretty much invisible and very slippery. That's the most dangerous so test
your surface once in a while to be sure it hasn't changed under you.
As mentioned, the narrowness of the car will play tricks on you at speed in
the snow. Because one wheel is in the clear in a rut and one has a
resistance (on the inside edge of a rut) there is a turning torque exerted
on the car. It is amazing how fast she will suddenly break free and spin
180. The worst it ever got me was at 80 mph in the dark in a blizzard down a
2 lane raised country "highway" with nice deep ditches at either side. (just
north of the Hockley Valley on Airport road in Ontario. But that was in 5
inches of snow on the road with two clear ruts only).
Driving out of a sudden reverse is not too difficult if you keep your head.
If you have ever driven a forklift truck with the steering on the back you
will be fine. When she turns around, quickly pop her into neutral and stare
only forward (out the front windscreen). Watch the road and keep her in the
middle of the lane. Check the rear view mirror and brake at a level
constistent with stopping before hitting anything. Use very small movements
of the wheel. Turning left will move you left, right will move you right.
However do NOT attempt to quickly compensate for anything at all, you will
end up going sideways.
The reason not to look over your shoulder as seems natural (and emotionally
imperative) is that you will end up with only one hand on the wheel or with
a poor gripping strength. Because of the speed in reverse, the steering
castor action will try to whip the wheel out of your hand in no time and
you're going diagonally off the road. Keep that wheel straight as possible
and make small corrections while braking only as much as seems consistent
with the surface while following the ruts. Remember, locked wheels don't
steer, so don't lock your brakes and plan on steering your way out of
anything. And, don't get cute and try to spin her back again. This doesn't
work the same way you got into your present predicament. You're not half way
across a round lake here.
Be mundane, come to a stop and then slowly turn around. Don't worry, the
other traffic will stop and let you do it. Hell they would buy tickets if
you offered.
It's difficult to express how differently a car operates on pavement versus
slush or snow. Slow down and learn how she operates. Every year in Quebec we
have many many accidents the first snow fall. That's with people who have
driven 4-5 months of the year with frozen roads for all their lives; they
just forget.
Remember the key to doing anything well is to be motivated. And at 80 mph
backwards at night in a blizzard you will be very motivated. ;^)
Best of luck on your adventure.
Cheers,
Mark Hooper
1972 TR6
Sadly the resulting rust from 2 winters in Quebec on what was already a
bondo-ed car proved her undoing. She completely fell to bits. That started
my 10 year on again off again restoration project. Someday it will be
complete...
Mark
-----Original Message-----
From: Robert M. Lang [mailto:lang@isis.mit.edu]
Sent: Tuesday, November 19, 2002 12:18 PM
To: Leon
Cc: 6pack@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: winter cross country trip
On Tue, 19 Nov 2002, Leon wrote:
> I'd like to suggest a few more things to carry. Insulated wire. baling
> wire, electrical tape, duct tape, wire ties, bungy cords, various foam
> rubber chunks The foam rubber is to stuff in the places where cold air
> is coming through that you hadn't noticed before.(learned this in a
> 500 mile drive in a Spitfire in winter.) Colorado gets pretty cold.
Good suggestions...
> Also an old trucker's trick:cardboard in front of the radiator cuts
> the flow of air through it. If you are in very cold conditions the
> cooling system won't stay warm enough to give you very warm air
> through the heater. Of course, keep a good eye on the temp gauge!
> My 59 Volvo had a roller blind in front of the radiator that you could
> adjust from the drivers seat. Really nice.
I know that CO is a lot colder than MA - BUT, I've driven my TR6 in many
conditions when the temps were below 32F, and the heater always worked
fine. I've driven the car in temps as low as 10F. No prob for the heater.
Just make sure that the thermostat is working properly.
A TR6 is is most def. NOT a Spitfire.
> Leon
regards,
rml
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