The 100 Forum

Hello everyone.

I have been driving my restored BN2 for a while now and I am finding that the cockpit gets quite warm.

I have fitted the original "asbestos" type panels in the engine compartment as well as a full set of HushMat in the interior.

I suspect the problem is the open space above the transmission tunnel bulkhead where the speedometer and tachometer cables enter.

Does anyone have any experience with plugging this gap?

Thanks,
Bob

Bob, yes you can try to seal and insulate all the cockpit surfaces as best as possible but at ambient temperatures above 70F it will become uncomfortable and worse at higher temperatures. Trust me I know. A louvered bonnet as on the 100M may help some heat escape from engine compartment but my car still gets hot. Don’t think air conditioning is an economical solution and I’ve only read about some on 6 cylinder Healeys. Sorry I can’t provide you with a better solution, but someone else may?
Rich

G'day Bob,
Glad to hear that you are enjoying driving your BN2. Yes the interior can get a bit warm, especially as you are probably sitting on the left hand side, above the exhaust. As Rich has suggested, attention needs to be paid to seal up any gaps around the transmission tunnel. The area where the cables are located can be sealed off with sponge rubber, but all joints need to be checked. I am unfamiliar with "Hushmat" but I have used a product called Dynamat on the floor and under the transmission tunnel in my BN1. Also I have mounted cement sheet under the floor, above the muffler.
Does your part of Italy have a warm climate? I live in sub-tropical Queensland (Australia) where we enjoy a warm climate. Driving my 100 on summer days is to be avoided, but our mild and dry winters make up for that.
Cheers,
Alwyn

I’m in Australia and we get very high temperatures here, so I set about doing what I could to reduce the cockpit temperatures as part of my restoration, maybe not so easy once the car is finished. On my tunnel bulkhead plate I made a recess for the speedo and tacho cables in the top and fitted rubber edges to the surfaces which attach to the bulkhead. Also used an Aluminium reflective heat insulation to the front of the bulkhead plate and inside the gearbox tunnel, have a rubber sheet attached to the bulkhead plate which then follows the shape of the gearbox reducing the flow of hot air. I used the same Aluminium reflecting heat insulation on the underside of the floor above the muffler. With the cement sheets on the foot well I put spacers between this and the footwell providing an air gap. I used a heat and sound deadner on all the internal floors, footwells.
Louvred the bonnet and ceramic coated the extractors. Mounted the cold air inlet directly behind the grille in the hope it gets colder air than when it’s some distance behind the grille.
Not going to win a concourse but it makes the cockpit more comfortable.

One of the other Healey guys here has a second cold air intake fitted to the other side of his Healey and he said the extra air on the muffler, passenger side helps with the comfort.

Hope they help.
Ian

Bob, glad to read you are getting some KM’s in the BN2L. As previous contributors have stated, I also fitted a close cell foam gasket material on the gear box bulkhead that seals around the speedo and tacho drive cables. No leakage at that point now. I also spent some time ensuring no hot air enters the cockpit thru any grommets on the fire wall. This is very important. I put the car in the garage, put a lamp in the engine bay then turned off garage lights and looked under the dash for any light coming from the engine bay.
I have dynomat on my passenger, your drivers, side floor under underlay and carpet. Also dynomat on the underside of this floor, above the exhaust box. This reflects the heat from the box. My passenger no longer complains of heat, which is perfect!
Peter

Bob this is the fix
Go to a muffler shop and have your muffler installed UNDER the gas tank, It is easy for a muffler guy to do. Have them
run the exhaust pipe over the rear axel with a 45% turn into the muffler and then a short pipe with a 45% turn so it tail pipe now comes out on the right rear. I was shown this trick over 30 years ago by my old pal Smitty the 5 speed tranny founder. The muffler can not be see and unless you are building a show car....who the hell knows or cares. I have never had a problem plus the muffler is higher off the ground and safe from speed bumps. My muffler is 12 inches long,9 inches wide and 4 inches thick. Press on.\.....David

David - Any chance you could post a photo of your muffler set up?

OLY. I do not have a lift to take a photo. It is really easy for a muffler shop guy to do. Don't bother the manifold just have the shop cut the pipe off about 8 inch just as it turns to run straight back. Then over the left side of the rear axel about even with the center of the gas tank and then 45% into the new muffler then a pipe out then 45% making exit under the rear bumper. Good muffler guy will see what needs to be done. Easy....let me know how it comes out David

Hi Bob,

These cars are actually "Toaster Ovens on Wheels" but I wouldn't trade mine for anything.

I used some 1/2" thick Aluminized Felt Insulation for race cars on my BT7.

I covered the whole entire underside of the floor boards and the foot wells inside the engine compartment (see photos).

I even tried covering my old muffler with exhaust wrap.

Bouna fortuna,
Peter C.

Hello Bob,

The heat comes from the engine compartment into the cabin where the torpedo plate of the windshield wiper motor is mounted, be sure to seal it with adhesive tape or similar!

regards ...Robert

G'day Robert,
Could you explain what you mean by 'torpedo plate'? The wiper motor on my 100 is mounted on a shelf behind the dash panel and is nowhere near any gaps that might admit hot air from the engine bay.
Cheers,
Alwyn

Hello Alwyn,

the air gap between the shroud and the chassis. It is not enough to just apply one lengthwise tape, but also one crosswise. Says my Body Spezi...!
I'm currently adjusting the rear shroud for the painter. This year the Healey is still in the garage, but next year ......it will roar again

Regards....Robert

Just found it on the net, that would also be an idea

Like Alwyn I drive a BN1 in Queensland, Australia. To alleviate the muffler roasting my wife, I made a spacer bracket so that the heat shield above the muffler is about 25mm or1 inch below the floor. I then have a layer of fibre cement sheeting above a layer of reflective aluminium auto insulation. If you want a more authentic appearance, simply reverse the order of those sheets. The reflective material cuts down the heat substantially. But it's the air gap doing most of the work. The left side of the car remains comfortable no matter what and the interior generally is quite comfortable even on hot days.

David-Saftyfast55healey,
I assume you did the Muffler under gas tank this on your 1955 100-4? I've been wanting to try this on a 6-cylinder Healey where heat is much more of a problem. Possibly just using the back BJ8 Mufflers would quiet things down enough. That way I can use the BJ8 brackets.