Well, I cheat a little due to location. Houston has very few below freezing days. In fact, we didn't even have what I consider a winter, last year. This week, it was in the 40's a while back and today it reached 79*. Tomorrow could reach 85*.
Having ridden motorcycles when the weather gets cooler (I used to ride at least once every month in Iowa, you know it gets cold in Iowa) I still have the heated jacket liner and IF I ever get a roadster I will use it, makes all the difference in comfort, I am a skinny guy so I don't have any insulation to keep me warm.
I don't have pics of me driving, but I drive my '32 roadster in the cold as long as it's not raining too hard. I was out in it today for a couple hours but it wasn't really cold at all in the mid 50's. I'll probably put my roof on this week but with no side windows and no heater, I just layer up as needed. I figure more protection than a motorcycle so what's to complain about? It brisk and refreshing and I love it!
yes i meet a guy on a bmw m/c that had a heated suit and heated handgrips and heated seat., in a roadster you could get away with using a hot water bottle too. run your exhaust closer to your floor
"Anybody else drive in cold weather?" Yep, 28 degrees on the way to work. Stars shining and straight pipes singing. My dad (neighbor) can hear me going through the gears at 4:00am in the morning, says it sounds great. Residual heat from the flathead and a cockpit cover. No fenders, hood or top. Not a bad way to make a hour drive enjoyable, sunny and 46 degrees on the way home. Have to extend the Minnesota driving season you know.
I've driven my Tub T down to temperatures lower than that. And yeah, it was cold. A "lap robe" helps a lot.
Here's my wife & I thawing out under an overpass after a semi had just filled the interior of the rpu with slush when it passed us. We were returning from GG Del Mar in March of 2005. This is just outside of Cedar City where it was 16 degrees, only another 300 miles home. Mick
Wind chill with 30 temp @ 45 MPH is 11 degrees. Frost bite would occur in roughly 120 minutes. Maybe this chart will curb some of the bench racing. http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/windchill/index.shtml
we were tryn to figure that out at work the otherday , when i rode in one morning an it was 4 degrees celcius or 39 degrees to use guys, accordin to your chart at 50 mph that makes it a refreshing 26 or -3 in downunder talk, mystery solved.
My place is at an elevation above 4,000 feet and there are some pretty wild temperature swings here even in the summer so if I get an early start even in June and July it might be in the mid thirty's and warm up to the eightys during the day. Just bundle up in the mornings and shed layers during the day.
From New Zealand Note the red duct tape around the screen and top to keep out the water and draughts. Quite cosy with that on.
Been There, Done that, Enjoyed my Roadster for 8 years, Always have warm jacket, hat and gloves with you. Here in Wi. season is pretty short, had alot of cool/cold rides home after dark and I will say the "fun" factor wore off some, with time. Enjoy your new ride and be safe. John
I have video of my roadster rides in minus 18 degrees farenheit... add a bit of snow and Bobs your uncle! Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
I drive my phaeton with no side curtains or heater but it sure doesn't get as cold over here as it does over there!
Out on the lake just for fun and giving the ice fisherman something to think about.. I'm cheating with the top and side curtains!
Some hard core roadster guys on here! I love having this car, the cold certainly won't keep me out of it! This has been the most fun I've had with a car in a long time! Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Fun thread. Ive driven my Roadster in all kinds of weather the past 20 years, but I really don't need the "adventure" like I used to!
Was out yeaterday in Roadster in about 45 degrees wasnt really cold till on way home at dusk Rode Bikes for years in below freezing wheather layers of clothes is the Key
my first hot rod I had on the road was in 71, and was a full fender roadster that was built in the 50s. I built another in the late 70s, but it was too cold and breezy at 7am commuting, even in the summer. Got rid of it in 85 for a cabriolet with roll up windows. I said i'd never get another roadster, but I got one this summer only because it is an old build that is fun to look at. I have no desire to register or drive it those days are done for me
My buddy used to drive his 29 Model A roadster in the middle of winter wearing his snowmobile suit. He and his wife put their snowmobile suits and helmets on and away they went and I think they were a lot warmer than we were in our truck with the heater on following behind them. That car never had a heater when he had it. As a few of the guys said it's a lot easier to layer up for cold weather driving in a roadster than it is to deal with 100+ weather in one.
A little OT, but I have been driving my Willys CJ3A (no top or doors at all) so far this fall / winter. At 20+ degrees it wasn't so bad with a flannel and a Carhartt, but 15 degrees on the way to work the other day had me thinking about long johns, a ski mask, and boots that were not worn down to the steel. We will see how it goes as it gets colder here. My other DD gets about 7-8 mpg, so I have some motivation to drive the Willys whenever I can.
Be careful what part of Arizona you live in. I remember the first weak end of March 2006. We got 36 inches of snow over the weekend in Payson. Fast forward 2 days, I was at the main intersection in town, and a pickup truck was headed North with sno-mobiles on the trailer. A guy in a pick up was pulling his BB chevy powered water based hot rod South towards Lake Roosevelt. It happens quite often when you could have temperature swing of 100+ degrees F, between the coldest, and hottest part of the state in the Winter.
Ive experienced that first hand going to Flagstaff from Phoenix! Posted using the Full box of crayons on kitchen walls!
Rode motorcycles all the time in cold dry weather years ago, so now I dig out the same gear if I find a nice cold day and want to go for a ride in the cars without heaters! Can't let the weather stop us from enjoying our cars!
Take my 29 roadster out all year round and i live in nyc suburbs.....wont go out when there is ice/rocksalt heavy......wish i could send pics but downloads say failed?
Had a Healey with nothing but a tonneau cover that was my daily driver - rain, sleet, or snow. Just drive faster to keep the wind or water flow over the top. Most McDonalds have hand warmers in the bathroom instead of paper towels.
drove mine 100 miles to London in the snow....my wife and son were in coats hats, gloves and both sat in sleeping bags....i just got cold!!!LOL
When I was in high school I would drive my Model A roadster all winter. Now at 66 I can't take the cold! So the 32 pretty much stays in the garage. Unless of course we get a nice day here and there.