I do drop my top in the very hot weather of Oklahoma. I need to drink more water on longer highway drives. I even do this with the Miata that has A/C since A/C saps the power. I can trim the windows to be just as comfortable with the top up if not more so from the lack of sun shine. I just don't do it.
Cheers Ron
When I lived in Phoenix, I'd put the top up when it was past 110. Other than that, top down.
The Jensen's interior is black, so in the interest of keeping my burn blisters to a minimum the top generally goes up over about 90-95 degrees. I do wish it had a zip out rear window in the top, I have had other cars with that and it was great! My last MGB had a biscuit interior and was good top down no matter what the temps.
When it's really hot and/or I'm hitting the highway, I'm partial to top up and side and back windows down.
Summertime in Central FL is top-up weather. The sun and the humidity conspire to turn your cockpit into a pressure cooker until sundown. And the afternoon thunderstorms can sneak up on you pretty quickly.
Winter is top-down time here. Today (Dec 17th), is a perfect topless day!
It's too hard to take the top off of my Land Rover Station wagon quickly, so it stays up in all weather. It does have a nice "tropical top" sun sheet that is s'pose to keep the interior cooler. (snicker)
Two years ago I made it about 1/2 way across Death Valley in my S2000 with top down and air off. Just wanted to get a slight feel of what it was like. By the time I got to Furnace Creek I had the top back up and the air on. It was 128 that day.
Steve
MustangSix is right, I drove in today with the top down. It was kinda foggy, too. Neat drive.
Living in the NE, if I'm driving one of our convertibles, the top is usually down, regardles of temperature... since only our '07 MCc has a/c, the shade from the top in a Spitfire doesn't make much difference.
For our trip to Watkins Glen last Fall, we made a point to leave early on Thursday morning and took a meandering, back-roads route from NJ to NY (mainly thru PA) to avoid HWY driving in the Spit and MCc with the tops down. While a little longer it was much more enjoyable.
If it's not nice enough to drive with the top down I generally leave the Spitfire in the garage and take another car. I was the same way with my Jeep Wrangler, the top never went on all summer. Up here in NY we don't get many days really hot days so I try to enjoy the sun whenever I can. mike
I kept the top off the X1/9 all summer here in San Antonio.
With my TR-6 the top only goes up if I get caught out in a rainstorm. (tonneau cover)
This isn't always a good idea though. While doing the testing for the tire test (coming in March CMS) I drove out to the test facility with the top down in 95 degree heat. (hour and a half drive) After taking a few laps with my helmet on, I nearly collapsed from the heat. The TR never seemed to notice the heat though, and ran beautifully.
Of course I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer, so I drove home with the top down and the sun beating down on my head. It took me a few hours to recover once getting home. Not my smartest move, as I nearly gave myself a heat stroke!
Unless it's raining, I'm top down.
I keep the top down from early spring through late fall in my '65 AH BJ8. For those of you unfamiliar with the extreme cabin heat a big Healey produces, the top is only up if your in heavy rain or driving with the wife. Here's my son and I during a rally in the high desert area of central Oregon. Temperatures were 100+ all day long...........................lots of water and sun screen. The car ran great, we stretch the legs a little to 110 mph on a long straight while crossing an Indian Reservation, open range though so we shut it down when we saw cattle in the distance.
If its over 90, I fold the windscreen down. I never have had the top in the car let alone erected.
Leo
To each his own. When it's stink'n hot and the sun is brutal, I don't feel the need for heatstroke. So top up, windows out, or maybe a/c travel in another car.
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