Heat coming into cockpit
 

When driving I can feel a stream of heat coming in from the door hinge area. My assumption is that it is coming from the engine bay through the space between the body and foot box. Secondly, I can feel some heat coming in around the emergency brake handle - obvious where that's coming from.

I haven't put the car up to get under it and examine either of these issues yet but it is on my to-do list and thought I'd lob a post out here to see if anyone else dealt with this and if so, specifically what did you do to stop the heat.

Kevin

Do you have the heat shields for the primary pipes and the extra wire screen vents behind the wheels?

Yes, and yes. But, although that might lessen it a bit, since it is a forced air stream, there would still be some heat coming in with our without the shields or screen vents, assuming I'm correct as to the source. Again, I need to get under the car to see better and was looking for ideas if someone already dealt with this.

OK, you're gonna have to get under there and look. I have no heat coming in the cockpit. But, if I'm sitting at a stoplight, and my fans come on, I can feel a real blast of heat coming from outside the car (from the engine bay through the louvers), which comes down alongside the fenderwell/door area. But nothing inside the car.

This is definitely inside. Can put my hand down by the hinge and feel the heat stream. I'll check it out - has felt good up to this point, but that will change soon.

I don't seem to have this problem. I have the heat shields, and I insulated the footboxes and floors pretty well with CoolIt. My car has side pipes, btw.

That's pretty common, and easy to fix.

Some people like to shove a pool noodle in there. I don't like that idea too much, because the pool noodle is not fire resistant. I use pipe insulation from Home Depot.

I also used duct tape (the real metallic duct tape) to further block that area.

You can also use expanding foam insulation. Just be careful not to get too much in there or it will expand and distort body panels.

Kevin - ERA installs a couple of foam seals between the body and the two windshield/cowl frame uprights to try and seal that area. Since I was all over and inside my car during the body/paint/assembly stage I supplemented that with even more foam strips and seals. I basically crammed as much foam padding in there as I could. Most of it gets a final seal off by a sheet metal closure that fits under the hinge to frame bolts. It's pretty hard to access the area leading to the door jamb from the engine side once the foot boxes are in place. Your best bet is to remove your door and door hinges, carefully peel back the carpet and examine the area for any gaps and start pushing foam padding in there until it's completely sealed off. I think I used a big sheet of 2 inch thick foam I bought at a fabric store. That appears to be what ERA used for their closures.

I still don't have many miles on mine but I don't seem to be getting any heat into the cockpit from that area. I was worried about the parking brake area but I haven't really felt over there to check it out. I've been thinking about trying to put a piece of foil backed inslulation over it from underneath but I haven't yet. Currently I have the brake master cover off underneath to make sure my rebuilt master cylinder is holding OK - and I can feel some heat coming up through the hole in the floor for the pedals. I have foil backed foam insulation on the inside of the cover to seal it up better and keep heat from the undercar exhaust from getting to the master cylinders. If you think any heat may be coming up in that area that might be something to do.

Good luck.

Thanks for the input guys. Dan, my car came with the footboxes and windshield already installed so I'll inspect those areas as best I can. I'll take the door off and figure it out from there. As for the emergency brake handle, I insulated the tunnel well but, of course, there is a cut-out for the brake handle and cable assembly. That should be accessible from underneath the car and additional insulation can likely be added without interfering with the cable action. It's not a lot of heat, but if I put my hand down around the leather boot, I can feel some heat coming in. Again, not a big deal for either of these, but would like to seal out the heat for summer driving.

Kevin - a 63 year-old memory is a dangerous thing but if I remember correctly, in looking at the insulation strips that ERA installs, the area towards the upper part of the cowl or fender behind the firewall and just above the level of the hinges appeared to be the least well sealed. So that is probably where the heat is coming from. But I think you can block most of it off from behind the door hinge area.

I bet that heat felt a lot better in the winter than it does now.:)

Dan

Dan, just above the upper hinge is where it is coming from. I'll check lower next time I drive it but don't recall feeling any heat down lower, so I think you're right. Again, I haven't paid much attention to this as of yet but wanted to collect ideas from the gang for when I do. I haven't been able to check the passenger side yet but my wife doesn't feel any heat over there.

Thanks for the help.

Kevin

Kevin,

Does you car have a heater installed and are the vents open? Even with the fan turned off the heater puts out heat unless the valve is turned off at the intake manifold. If there is a difference between the passenger and drivers side, with the drivers side being warmer, it may be that the heat is entering next to the pedals.

Jim

Hi Jim,

My heater is still active - haven't shut off the valve yet and I'm aware that some heat flows out the vents even when the heater isnt running. The heat I'm talking about is coming out of the gap between the body and the footbox just above the upper door hinge. With the door open, I can shine a flashlight in the area just above the upper door hinge and see that there is foam in there sealing the space between the body and footbox roughly adjacent to the firewall. It appears to be well sealed off so you may be right about the pedal entry point. It looks like I can get some foam in that opening and block it from coming into the cockpit. I'll give that a try.

Kevin - If you don't think it coming through up in the top, outside of the cowl there is another path. At the rocker panel there is a small gap between the outer rectangular frame member and the round tube that the body is riveted to. Even with the foam closures in place in the vicinity of the firewall, heat from the exhaust can rise up through that gap behind the closure like a chimey and out around the hinges. That's why sealing it up good around the hinge/door jamb area is a good idea.

"what did you do to stop the heat."

Wear shorts. and put a tighter fitting boot around the shifter. Or a quick fix is to stuff a rag between foot box and body.:eek: :p

Nude Driving?

Well, a nude male driver has not interest for me. But a female, the car draws too much attention as it is.

ERA addresses this issue in their assembly manual. http://erareplicas.com/427man/body/heatseals.pdf

As the manual indicates, both of these insulation steps (fender and cowling) are performed by ERA with the bonded body option and I did order my car with that option.

Dan is absolutely correct about the problem and the solution. I also used an expanding spray foam insulation in those areas before installing my footboxes. No problems in 1100 miles.

I also insulated both sides of the "transmission tunnel" after riveting the three panels together.