Re: [T3] Keeping the windows clear?

[Jim Adney <jadney@vwtype3.org>]

On 7 Nov 2005 at 13:56, Nico Tewinkel wrote:

> I live in the NorthWest where the winters are wet and
> cold and the car windows are always fogged up.
> Actually, here in Canada we call it the SouthWest :D
>  
> My Fastback doesn't seem to have any way of
> circulating the hot air from the vents up to the
> windshield. The only airflow on the front window 
> is that cold air from outside.

> How do you keep your windows clear?

There are two things you can do. The first is to keep the interior as 
dry as possible, so try to minimize the amount of water or snow that 
you carry into the car on your clothes and shoes. When getting in the 
car, I sit down first, then lift my feet and bang my shoes together 
while they're still outside, just to remove as much snow or water as 
possible.

To help remove moisture which accumulates inside the car, I leave the 
side windows rolled down about 1/4" on each side. This allows a small 
amount of airflow which is useful in carrying out humidity. This 
works especially well on sunny days, even when it's extremely cold.

Once you're in the car, you need to know how to run the defroster. On 
later cars, from about '66-on, there are 2 levers on each side of the 
parking brake lever. Pull the right one fully up; this turns on the 
heat. Push the left one forward, closing the back seat heat exits and 
forcing all the hot air forward. Finally close the front seat 
footwell vents, forcing all the heat up to the windshield. These 
latter vents are controlled by knobs at the kick panel in front of 
the doors, except on '73s where they are controlled by the left 
lever, and on very early cars where there is a sliding plate that 
closes them off.

One more thing that will help at highway speeds is to open the vent 
windows a bit. This pulls air from the interior and out of the 
heater, and helps clear the humid air from the cabin.


-- 
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Jim Adney, jadney@vwtype3.org
Madison, Wisconsin, USA
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