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Technical Curious... those running louvered or no hoods, how do you keep your electronics “dry”

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by dragginwagon2, Jul 5, 2018.

  1. dragginwagon2
    Joined: May 31, 2017
    Posts: 36

    dragginwagon2
    Member
    from Ohio

    For those that are running louvered hoods or not running a hood at all, how do you keep your distributor, and alternator dry? I know it’s impossible to keep them 100% dry but if you drive it, how are you prepared for a good rain, etc ?
     
  2. ROADSTER1927
    Joined: Feb 14, 2009
    Posts: 3,127

    ROADSTER1927
    Member

    No and no problem at all!
     
    dragginwagon2 likes this.
  3. Blues4U
    Joined: Oct 1, 2015
    Posts: 7,589

    Blues4U
    Member
    from So Cal

    Simple, if the weather is bad I don't drive it. It's So Cal we get like a few days of rain each year. I got no windows either, or windshield wipers; if I got caught out in the rain the electronics would be the last thing I worried about.

    Our weather is unique. If it's going to rain, you know it's going to, and it will usually settle in and rain all day, maybe a couple of days in a row. We don't get storms that pass over in a half hour, they blow in off the ocean, they get stuck against the mountains, and they hang their and drop water until they make it up and over the mountains. That's why it's desert on the other side, cause the moisture all gets dropped on our side. So when it does rain, it rains for a long time. You just stay home or take another car.
     
  4. dragginwagon2
    Joined: May 31, 2017
    Posts: 36

    dragginwagon2
    Member
    from Ohio

    I don’t stay home if it’s going to rain. I built it to drive. Sometimes you’re out and it happens.


    Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
     
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  5. dana barlow
    Joined: May 30, 2006
    Posts: 5,115

    dana barlow
    Member
    from Miami Fla.
    1. Y-blocks

    No hood,just turn the 4 froogmouths to rear an put the folding top up,don't go out if it's already raining. If its coming down hard,hide.
     
    Bam.inc, AndersF, Stogy and 1 other person like this.
  6. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 55,934

    squirrel
    Member

    run points and a generator, then you won't have to worry about "electronics" getting wet?
     
    rjones35, deathrowdave, 18n57 and 6 others like this.
  7. dragginwagon2
    Joined: May 31, 2017
    Posts: 36

    dragginwagon2
    Member
    from Ohio

    Just upgraded my ‘54 Belair with a small block and HEI distributor. Not going to go backwards. Lol.


    Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
     
    firstinsteele likes this.
  8. continentaljohn
    Joined: Jul 24, 2002
    Posts: 5,504

    continentaljohn
    Member

    I run a pertronix in my distributor on the roadster and coupe . I have no issues driving in the rain
     
  9. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 55,934

    squirrel
    Member

    heh...you already did go backwards. Now fix it right, and don't worry about the weather.

    but seriously, if you have problems, then worry about what to do. Lots of guys expose normal car "electronics" to rain and it continues to work.

    The only issue I recall was my wife's slant 6 stalling after going through deep puddles (decades ago, when we first met). She got good at drying off the plug wires. They put the distributor near the bottom of the engine on those things....
     
  10. 55Green
    Joined: Jun 21, 2018
    Posts: 6

    55Green

    Liberal use of dielectric grease on all connections and both ends of plug wires would definitely limit alot of issues. Use on all light bulbs/sockets as well. Keeps them from sticking and breaking in your hand trying to change bulbs. Not sure how susceptible alternators are to shorting out when wet. Never considered that before.
     
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  11. dragginwagon2
    Joined: May 31, 2017
    Posts: 36

    dragginwagon2
    Member
    from Ohio

    I’m just curious because this is my first custom I’ve done with a louvered hood. Just seeing if it’s really going to be an issue or not, or what people are doing to eliminate an issue before it happens.
     
  12. ......................Must not be too much of a problem or you would see hundreds of late-model daily drivers stalled on the roadside when it rains.:)
     
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  13. Blues4U
    Joined: Oct 1, 2015
    Posts: 7,589

    Blues4U
    Member
    from So Cal

    Sounds sensible Dana.
     
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  14. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 55,934

    squirrel
    Member

    If you use normal production parts, it's not a problem. I have a big hole in the hood on my car (for the blower), and have driven it through lots of rain...and also towed it on a trailer through lots of rain. The only problem I've had was the towing thing, it got pretty soggy after three days of solid rain. Driving, it seems to do fine.
     
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  15. 78 louvers, I've been caught in torrential downpours before and my fuse block is on the firewall! The faster you drive, the less rain gets under the hood.:D 2013-10-22 13.06.45.jpg 2013-10-22 13.06.14 (1).jpg IMG_0287-vi.jpg
     
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  16. flatheadpete
    Joined: Oct 29, 2003
    Posts: 10,478

    flatheadpete
    Member
    from Burton, MI

    ^^^Damn I like that car.
     
    lothiandon1940 likes this.
  17. .............................Thanks, man. It's just an old hot-rod, been one since at least the late 60's. The pictures make it look better than it is.:(
     
  18. i have no wipers on my coupe. i just put a good coat of rain-X on the wind screen. if it is raining so hard that i can't see then i probably should be off the road anyway. if you get caught in a downpour and are worried, just pull off under a bridge or under a gas station canopy until it blows over.
    i don't normally drive in the rain if i can help it, but you do get caught out from time to time.
    i put the voltage regulator and the fuse box inside the car, battery in the trunk,
    i am running air filters, a generator and pertronix module. been caught a couple times and no issues, other than cleaning up the mess when i get it home :mad:. at least i have fenders which helps keep most of the wet road crap off the side of the car.
     
  19. Blues4U
    Joined: Oct 1, 2015
    Posts: 7,589

    Blues4U
    Member
    from So Cal

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  20. Engine man
    Joined: Jan 30, 2011
    Posts: 3,480

    Engine man
    Member
    from Wisconsin

    Yes, they made a slant six and put the distributor on the low side of the engine. They claimed they slanted it to get lower hood profiles but nobody knows why they didn't put the distributor on the other side where it could be seen. They were terrible to work on. What should have been a 10 minute job to replace points and condenser often became much longer as you couldn't get your hands in position and still be able to see what you're doing.
     
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  21. LAROKE
    Joined: Sep 5, 2007
    Posts: 2,079

    LAROKE
    Member

    You improvise. The following was from a cruise six years back (my truck has a GMC 302 inline six with standard distributor low on the side of the block).

    In mid-afternoon, Deerslayer and I saddled up for the "Jerry's Drive-in Reunion Cruise" in Fort Lauderdale. This was Fort Lauderdale's hot rod hangout in the fifties and sixties. A lot of oldtimers were scheduled to be there and rides were restricted to '64 and earlier due to limited space. I met a couple of other cars and we headed south on Federal Highway. We hit a monsoon rainstorm and the Deerslayer floundered when I hit some deep water. I'm getting pretty good at coasting off the road with a dead engine. I wasn't gonna make it to the first curb cut so I went up the handicapped ramp onto the sidewalk to reach the nearest parking lot. I had to get out and push the truck the last twenty feet into a parking space. My friends made it to the cruise-in and called me. Told them I was havin' a beer from the cooler and a ceegar and, when I was finished with that, I would try to relight Deerslayer's fire. The rain slacked off and when I had finished with refreshments, the engine heat had dried out the truck's wet ignition. Deerslayer and I were under way again. Made it to the cruise-in but, due to the bad weather, only six rods and customs showed. We are going to reschedule the event.
     
  22. town sedan
    Joined: Aug 18, 2011
    Posts: 1,290

    town sedan
    Member

    My 1st car was a '63 Dart with a slant. Got real good at pulling the distributor replacing the points on a bench then dropping it back in. No way would I do that job with the distributor in the car.
    -Dave
     
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  23. 55styleliner
    Joined: May 11, 2015
    Posts: 563

    55styleliner
    Member

    Electronics don't get wet at 80mph ;-)
     
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  24. Corn Fed
    Joined: May 16, 2002
    Posts: 3,278

    Corn Fed
    Member

    No hood on my Model A. I run points and a generator and have the voltage regulator on the firewall. The only rain consideration I did was to use some RTV on the regulator cover to try and seal out any water. I've been caught in a few frog stranglers and have yet to drowned it out...knock on wood.
     
  25. Atwater Mike
    Joined: May 31, 2002
    Posts: 11,625

    Atwater Mike
    Member

    My old channeled '30 'A' coupe had an 'A-V8' chassis, typical 'A' frame with '38 Ford X-member, '46 Merc, '39 box, 'A' rear end. Drove it all the time, San Jose to L.A. and back 7, 8 times. Always checked water & oil, then left. Never a problem. Until the thing I ran over on 101, down near Lompoc...
    'Pong!' A real metallic noise, my 5.00 X 16" front tire flung something that hit the car 'somewhere', there was water flooding the engine and windshield, and half a mile later my water temp was climbing...the water coming up on the windshield ceased, but now there was steam...
    I pulled into the station there, engine had died with the station in sight...I rolled all the way in, to the pumps. (Whew!)
    It was a wrench, a 1/2-9/16" open end, somehow it 'bounced off' my frame rail/ firewall/ front engine mount...but it was stuck in the back of the radiator core, (my almost NEW ACE Radiator, almost $100 for 3 cores!) My crab distributor was soaked...the whole red & aluminum flattie was drenched.
    The 9/16" end was dug in firmly, I wondered what I was gonna patch it with!
    I pulled it out, there was like a 1/4" hole, the wrench was an old Thorsen...couldn't be at least a Snap-On, or a Mac...
    The old man at the station said he thought we could plug it up temporarily, he had some weird rubber plug he said they 'plugged' holes in tires with! He cut and 'whittled' the rubber stud, blew air around the hole, then used tire repair cement to seal it!
    I filled the gas tank, (stock 'A' tank in cowl) and we waited awhile for the cement to harden...
    All my doubts were put aside when we filled the radiator, started the engine...He said "Bottle o' Bar's Leak couldn't hurt..." I heartily agreed. Topped it off, and back on 101 to Guill's house in Montebello.
    Stayed in Whittier the next night, then 398 miles to San Jose...stopped once for gas, Paso Robles...checked the radiator patch...no problem.
    Ace Radiator was 'Aces', as usual. They removed the 'patch', and soldered up the damage...the repair was invisible, they straightened fins and repainted the core, with that 'special' gasoline-thinned radiator paint.
    Never any more trouble with that radiator, and I still have that Thorsen wrench in one of the other tool boxes...

    Some guy asked me about 'running over stuff' with a de-fendered car, he'd run over lots of things.
    "Ever run over a snake?" I had to ask.
     
  26. flatheadpete
    Joined: Oct 29, 2003
    Posts: 10,478

    flatheadpete
    Member
    from Burton, MI

    My T Bucket from years ago had a flatty w/Pertronix, Ford generator and no hood whatsoever. Never had a problem and I drove it a lot in the rain, snow, inclement weather of all types.
     
  27. dirty old man
    Joined: Feb 2, 2008
    Posts: 8,910

    dirty old man
    Member Emeritus

    No hood on my "A" roadster, running MSD with box inside under cowl and a bulkhead electrical connector thru firewall for coil wire and alternator not having anything special done to it. Just run good quality plug wires and use dielectric where appropriate.
    Car has set outside at events while I was camping or back at hotel with the car left at the event under safekeeping of club members who did camp. Rained on overnight and still fired right off next AM.
     
  28. ....................Yep. Once again, the faster you go the clearer the windshield is.:D
     
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  29. Blues4U
    Joined: Oct 1, 2015
    Posts: 7,589

    Blues4U
    Member
    from So Cal

    I've recently picked up a 47 coupe (well not so recent, about 6 mo's ago), with no wipers. I don't think it even has a wiper motor (hard to get up there with the A/C unit in the way). My intent was to go with RainX on the windshield in case we get caught out in the rain in it, cause my plans with this car is for it to be my travelling car, and it is likely that we'll get caught out in the rain somewhere while on the road. I'll tell the wife you said we just need to go faster, LOL!
     
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  30. Stogy
    Joined: Feb 10, 2007
    Posts: 26,345

    Stogy
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Then theres a red light...;)
     
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