Road trip this week-end

[buze]

So, I did about ~450 miles with the Z this week-end... I had removed the hard top since I knew I'd have dry weather!

Drove to wales (night drive) on thursday from Maidenhead; I was a little anxious as it's the first night drive I do with it, however it did go very well in the end. I averaged 32mpg too, pretty amazing.

One thing I used that I now swear by is yellow glasses. part of my anxiety with night driving in the Z is the low position -- *very* car you meet will try to blind you. I use these glasses for shooting, but I know they are recommended for night driving as well -- I tried them, and wow, amazing -- didn't get blinded at all; it takes a little while to get used to, but what a discovery...

Here's the ones I used: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B076Z7NQN8/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 £18 ;-)

Anyway, following day was top DOWN all the way. Started at -3C, glorious weather, and a nice Z to drive around, so I had an amazing time.
So, things I've discovered driving top down in cold weather:
+ There is a bit of a turbulence just over your left shoulder. So you need a hat, and a scarf of some sort. I wonder if the plex screen is better than the mesh one?
+ You also need gloves. not big ones, but you need them as there is sometime turbulences as well sometimes.
+ Other than that I was driving in a small jumper, and I was very comfy.
+ Heater works very well, BUT it's not linear, it's proportional to the driving style (!). If you pooter about, the engine doesn't have a lot of heat to spare, and you get a bit chilly... However if you slam it for a little while, you can get very toasty instead!

Lucky that I rarely pooter about I did mostly A roads, only did the bare minimum motorway. On A road, it's delicious. On the mway, it's a bit loud, but again, quite comfy. Way back I also did 32.1mpg, which is excellent since I was definitely enjoying the drive.

I do have a 'new' noise tho, I suspect one of the bushes on the back axle has reached it's EOL -- I'll have to see the Zedsheds experts to know which ones it might be. I know it's not the diff mount, as it's been welded (and the weld are intact). It doesn't sound 'critical' tho...

Gratuitous pic:

 

[andyglym]

Nice one and a great test in this weather, crisp sunny roof down days are the best for me

 

[the Nefyn cat]

Speed shouldn't make any difference to engine temperature, might be worth checking the thermostat. Quick way of testing is to find the heater hoses where they go from under the bonnet through to inside the car. Being very careful around moving bits, start the engine from cold, rest a brick/whatever on the throttle pedal to lift the revs a bit, and wait for it to warm up. The heater inlet hose should be almost too hot to touch before the top hose from engine to radiator starts to warm up if the thermostat's working properly. If the two hoses warm up together then the 'stat is bu55ered.

 

[Dino D]

I use both mesh and Perspex wind deflectors an in freezing conditions you need a hat and scarf with bit. I use a trappers hat which keeps ears warm as if you wear wearing a helmet.
Gloves are good too.
I get many strange looks!

Re the heater- do you mean when you speed up it blows harder? My central vents speed vary with car speed which is handy to increase flow at speed but when just pootling I put the speed to 2/3.
Once the engine is warm the heat is very hot and can be turned down/ towards floor to noise burn my arm lol!
The drivers little vent by the door side is useless so the right arm get cool!
I’m always studying the speed/temp but never short of hit air even at standstill.

Yesterday my son said it felt like summer in the car with all the sunshine and heaters on.

The night glasses a good idea, being low is pain these days, think I’ll order some.

Do you have heated seats too?

 

[t-tony]

I use those yellow night driving glasses, I got mine when I had my Eunos. Shirl has recently started wearing them and also finds them beneficial.

Tony.

 

[jaguartvr]

Yellow glasses

As an Optician I would recommend that you avoid them.
Yellow lenses are a contrast filter, great for shooting against a grey sky and the same for golf.
For driving, if you are under the yellow sodium lights, dark green/blue cars tend to disappear, not a good idea.

If you are struggling at night, get an eye test, you may be slightly short sighted.
If you don't wear glasses you get 100% of available light hitting your eye, if you wear glasses you can lose up to 8% of light due to reflection,
you can have an anti reflection coating that lets around 99% of light through.
If you are wearing yellow lenses you will lose around 30% of available light, so driving at night with no glasses=100% of light, yellow filter a loss of around 30%.
If you play golf or go shooting the yellow lenses are great.

 

[buze]

Well the whole point is that I don't want 100% of the light of peoples beams in my eyes -- that and that new trend of everyone driving with their fog lights on. These glasses are very lightly yellow, and polarized -- they filter out the brightest lights but in fact my impression is that the /enhances/ everything else. Try them on a dull day (or at night) and everything appears /brighter/, including background, non lit stuff -- while still filtering most of the high intensity light...
In some light conditions, they are actually 'magic' -- in fog you can see several meters further with the glasses.

 

[Lee]

Yellow glasses

As an Optician I would recommend that you avoid them.
Yellow lenses are a contrast filter, great for shooting against a grey sky and the same for golf.
For driving, if you are under the yellow sodium lights, dark green/blue cars tend to disappear, not a good idea.

If you are struggling at night, get an eye test, you may be slightly short sighted.
If you don't wear glasses you get 100% of available light hitting your eye, if you wear glasses you can lose up to 8% of light due to reflection,
you can have an anti reflection coating that lets around 99% of light through.
If you are wearing yellow lenses you will lose around 30% of available light, so driving at night with no glasses=100% of light, yellow filter a loss of around 30%.
If you play golf or go shooting the yellow lenses are great.

Interesting, never knew this.