Bret
I have driven my dodge quad-cab on the hwy in high 40's to 50f weather with all the windows down and seat heaters on and have had actually gotten too warm.
All I had on over a short sleeve shirt was a thin insulated windbreaker.
They work! Your head (eg ears) and hands will still get very cold.

 

I've driven my Cobra on some C-O-L-D days, and my arse never gets cold. My face, ears, and hands are what normally bothers me. Not much you can do about the face and ears other than wrap up in a scarf or facemask. It is nice, however, to have some warm air blowing where you can warm your fingers back up!

Email Olli on the seat heaters. I know he has them in his car.

 

you can get heated gloves .........

 

There was a thread about this awhile back. Do a search for heated clothing made for motorcycles. Several companies make heated vests, gloves, chaps etc. for the motorcycle riders. I have a vest that I wore on my GoldWing and it worked great. Runs on 12 volt and is an easy hook up.

Ray

 

Ya Bret, you could do a heated jacket and gloves battery powered or off of an accessory jack right on the tunnel side. I put one in to run X-mas lights on my rollbar, but could use them for the heated clothing too

[ September 29, 2003, 09:48 PM: Message edited by: VPR-KLR ]

 

Hmm.... While an interesting idea, I just don't see myself wearing electric clothing any time I go for a ride in chilly weather.

I emailed Olli and he said that he really like them and they helped keep the chill off other than his head and hands. He didn't have any experience with a normal FFR heater so he couldn't compare. I'd think that you'd have the same problem with cold hands and head even with the normal heater. With heated seats you could just sit on your hands when you come to a stop light

Doesn't anyone have experience with heated seats and normal heaters in an FFR? Isn't there anyone with both installed that can do a comparison? Thanks!

--Bret

 

For head and hands, hooded sweatshirt and gloves, per Levy Racing.

 

Hey I can finnaly post something from experience....

I have had MGs and MGBS for quite a while.
They had heaters, but heaters don't work for cr-p in keeping your body temperature at a safe temp in an open car. yeah you can feel them but for the most part it all gets lost eventually.
I have also riden a motorcycle all my life.
An electric vest is the way to go. You need to keep yur core temp up, as well as not letting your extremities get cold enough to make your capilaries shut down. When your extremities get cold your body is programed to keep the blood near the core organs. This is why your hands get cold. So good gloves and warm socks help to keep the blood moving. The electric vest keeps the core warm enough to make your body think it is safe and therefore allows the blood to keep flowing to the extremities. This is the whole point of the electric vest. The vest is no different than putting on a shirt, except it has a small plug that you need to hookup once sitting in the car. I plan to install the system in my car along with a heater. A tonno that zippers down the middle is good too if your driving alone. Keeps the cool draft away from you.

 

CobraCory is right on the money.

Keep your core warm and everything else follows.

I have been using an electric vest on Motorcycles for 20 years. Sleet, snow, rain, I stay warm.

It looks good too, just plugs into a 12v port. When unplugged the cord slips into the pocket.

I imagine the heated seats would work similarly but probably not as efficiently.

 

That is exactly why I went with the heated seats; keep the body warm. They work great and I already got some for my next 'open car' project.

Wearing a scully and gloves I have driven in 30* weather. If you keep your head and hands warm the seat heaters keep the chill out of you.

Olli

 

I am going to build my car like Cobra Cory will: Heater/defroster and two 12v plugs for electric vests.

You guys have a source for a good vest? The only one I found over here so far is one made by BMW, therefore costs about 500 bucks..

 

Try:

http://www.gerbing.com/pages/info/heatsystem.html

http://www.widder.com/

http://www.micapeak.com/bike/ST1300/Electric.html#Heat

or

http://www.motorsports-network.com/ProdTest/electric/gerbing.htm

At least this gives you the idea that it doesn't have to be bulky to be warm....

 

Cabellas sells heated clothing now,try one of there catalogue's. chuck

 

http://www.gerbing.com/pages/clothing/vests.html

54 watts at $139.

Or Aerostich has a 45 watter for $137.

I prefer the no-collar versions. Easier to wear under you normal coats.

Don't go overboard. They all sell 'lectric everything. The Vest is plenty.

Make sure you understand how it hooks up. You may need an adapter for a cig/acc. plug.

[ September 30, 2003, 11:07 PM: Message edited by: RedMan ]

 

Hi Bret,

If my car is done by our next club meeting,and we have decent weather you can check out how my heated seats work. The weather here should be brisk by that time. I made my own seat platforms, they have switches in them to power up the seats. They do get toasty

See the seat platforms here.

 

It sounds like the seat heaters are pretty effective. Allen, a test run with the seat heaters would be awesome. Those seat platforms look amazing. I'm leaning toward putting in the seat heaters and not a normal one but I think I'll just avoid doing anything that commits me to one direction until I have a test run
Thanks

--Bret

 

I bet those heated vests would work great. I never tried one, but I think it would feel good to wear warmth.....I bet there are plenty of Southerns reading this and saying...."Glad I don't have this problem."

 

All right Bret, it looks like we will just have to put you in the hot seat and thanks for the compliment on the seat platforms.