Michael,
In my last year of high school and early college days, it was my standard
practice to use the heater as an auxiliary radiator. I would turn on the
heater as a precaution in stop-and-go traffic during hot SoCal weather. I
did this with all my cars. Now before you think I was some car satiated rich
kid, I had a '52 Ford clunker (totaled on my 17th birthday [distracted by a
girl kissing my stomach]), a '53 Chevy clunker, and a '54 Plymouth clunker,
and a '56 100M unofficially gifted to me by my father, the original
purchaser. I drove the Healey until my driver's license couldn't stand it
anymore. The clunkers were cheap purchases or payments for fixing friend's
or friend's parent's cars. My theory was among the two remaining clunkers, I
could have at least one running at any time.
Anyway, having a working heater during hot weather was essential overheating
insurance, for both the clunkers and the Healey. Still true today.
Best,
Hap 100M
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