Rain & open top/engine cars..

Since my bucket has now proved itself reliable, I am starting to venture out further and further from home. Its a gl*** bucket/wood floors and has no top or engine cover.

What concerns do I have if I hit a freak rainstorm? My intake faces forward not up so I'm not concerned about water pouring in, is the HEI fine in the rain? How about damage to floor/carpet?

I keep a tarp and goggles in the car just in case but that's about it

What do you guys do in the event of rain, do you pull over & wait it out? Do you cover up at a show?

Pics of car attached;

 

drive right through it. man ive been in some nasty rain storms with no top keep driving to sunny clear weather & itll dry ya right up.

 

A little rain shouldn't hurt it. My T went through a down pour and was fine. I would normally like to keep it out of the rain though seeing how the slicks and water don't make a good combo. My head also sticks out above the windshield so I think under a good rain it's not the safest idea.

I have given my car a pretty good soaking while washing it starts right up and drys immediately. I wouldn't worry about it too much but keep it safe dude.

 

In a freak storm you will prolly get wet. But if you keep moving until you can find cover, the movement of the car will keep you and the engine drier. At least that the way it worked with me. But if it is really raining hard, your soggy toast. Not to mention the water that will get kicked up from your tires. And again as long as your moving at a fair rate of speed the spray will not get you as bad...ghost

 

If rain is in the forecast and you're on the road have a couple of big plastic garbage bags with you to cover the seat cushion with. I mean stop, remove the cushion, cover it and replace. Also have a couple 3/4" drain holes in the floor under the seat cushion at the lowest points especially if you have a seat riser that makes the area under the cushion a box.
The plastic bags will keep the cushion from becoming a sponge so when the storm is over you have a dry place to put your ****.
Water running down the seat back rest tends to pool under the seat rather than soaking into the back rest foam thus the drain holes.
Make sure your instrumentation/electrics under the cowl is protected by having a seal at the top of the dash, if using a bolt in wooden or other dash. A nice stiff sheet of plastic installed as d**** over the electrics won't hurt either, just be mindful of heat producing components. (This not so much for short-out protection as for corrosion evasion.)

Carpet in buckets should be installed with velcro or snaps so it can pulled quickly and hung to dry. Doesn't take long as you might think.

Engines don't really need any protection other than an air cleaner, which you have.

I've driven many many miles in rain in a bucket without incident.
The other thing that comes in handy is good hat and a water resistant jacket or full tilt top and pants foul weather suit.
You'd be how cold you'll get in a rain driving a bucket even during the heat of summer.

OH yeah, keep your wallet and cash wrapped in a plastic baggy so you won't lose all your wallet stuff like the time you left it in your jeans and washed them in the washing machine. I know, I know, it was the wife who did it, sure.

 

Anybody ever upholster the interior with Marine grade white vinyl? How does that hold up?

 

A yellow rubber ducky rain suit with overalls and jacket with hood can be had for $20. Throw it under your seat and you'll never need it.

Beatnik did his roadster with it and it didn't really wear at all. It really is the way to go if you don't have a top or never plan on putting one on.

 

Vinyl is definitely the way to go. The old t-bucket (RIP 8.6.06) sat out thru many a rainstorm. One time at the Nats in Louisville a guy caming running up to me and said he saw carping jumping over the side! I remember the rest of that day everywhere I drove people thought it was leaking something but it was just draining

As for rain while driving, only do it as much as you feel comfortable. I'm a fan of riding it out rather than pulling over to get poured on (Million Dollar Highway at night exception ). The faster you go the less wet you get!

 

Ask any motorcycle rider what he does in a rain storm. I know what i did. got wet.

 

I have rode in the rain a few times on a bike, never been a concern as it was pretty much set up for it and most things were quite covered.

 

I've been stuck in some pretty gnarly downpours in my open top with no hood, nothing but frog mouth scoops with small foam filters and have never had a problem. Nothing like seeing the generator sparking while driving head long into the rain with water coming up through any and all open places in the floor when hitting big puddles. I wouldn't so much worry about the HEI not working, but **** happens. Just cowboy up and hammer down!

 

I'm in the Uk so i'm used to rain 8-(

I have small drain holes in the floor, trim has been soaked without any problems. My coil is behind dash but never had any wet electrical probs.

 

Diamond patterned plastic seat covers (1950's style) protects your seats but not your bare body parts. If you are worried about your carpets, switch out to indoor/outdoor carpet or better yet take it out and use Rhino Liner to protect your floor. One of the best things you've already done is those tires you have on the rear. They look good.

I was once in a downpour in a T Bucket with wide *** pro street tires on it. We did two 360's and a 180 on an interstate ramp and nearly flipped over the edge. That adventure took 10 years off my life in less than 2 minutes.

I have known people who have covered their distr and coil with plastic and rubber bands, turned around their air cleaners, used trash bags as rain wear, and put on m/c goggles and driven for hours in the rain with not much negative impact other than a wet crotch.

Enjoy the rain while you can.

 

Turn your breather around I have one just like it if you don't you'll get water in the carb going down the road. Other than that drive it like you stold it and have a blast Thats what I do.

 

If you're worried about the longevity of wood floors, just brush em with fibergl*** resin and they'll last forever. Probably a good idea anyway. HEIs are pretty reliable in the rain due to the internal coil design.

 

just dry it down when you can. might want to spray a fabric sealer on the seats, depending what they are.(test it somewhere first) it's meant to be driven.........roll on.

 

I try to avoid rain whenever possible, it just ain't safe enough for me. If the inevitable does happen and I'm caught out, what several have said is true. Keep going. As long as you're moving the seat and floor won't get that wet. With both my wife and I in the car the seat is completely covered anyway. The biggest problem I've had is not the rain itself but the spray. From both my tires and other cars. You just can't see through it well enough. I've had to sit under an overp*** a few times to wait it out.

For those brief showers that can come up while you're at a show or cruise, I keep a small blue tarp behind the seat and a few bungee cords in the door pocket.

 

I've found that it helps to Rain-x both sides of the windshield.

 

Go to your auto parts store and buy a can of 'WireDryer'. It is a spray can with a red spray tube like WD 40. Spray it on every exposed electrical connection, plug wires, dizzy cap, coil wires ect. It leaves a light transparent wax like coating and makes everything waterproof.

 

I have 47,000 miles on my T & have been caught alot in the rain.Worse part is the water that comes up off the tires & gets the inside of the windsheild & the and ME wet!!
Theres no way to come out of a rain storm smelling like a rose.
I have a 5x7 tarp under my seat with bungees, if the car is parked & it rains i cover it, the tarp also keeps the dist dry.Sometimes i'll cover the engine with a plastic bag.
If i have to dry it home in the rain i put a small plastic bag over the dist.
as a matter of fact its the only driver i have now so i use it when it rains, BUT i put the top & side curtains on it & drive it till the wheels fall off.
I have never had any problems no matter how bad it rained( besides hydroplaning)
JimV

 

You can also get a "Bucket Lid" made for use while parked. It should cover the cowl to the firewall at least, go up over the windshield and down to the rear rim of the body as well as covering both sides down to a few inches below the sidewall rim.
Grommets placed appropriately make tiedown with bungee cors or even rope tires simple and quick. Even done in vinyl it folds to fit a bag under the seat or in the turtle deck or Mullins trailer.
Mine sat in the driveway less engine with the prototype lid a friend had made for me for years filled with cardboard boxes full of parts and other stuff, never got wet inside!

 

I just had my roadster seat uphostered with this. The guy said it should hold up nice in the weather.

 

Drive naked with ski goggles... zip tie your clothes under the dash for when it clears up- dont worry about water- wiredryer is good if stuff if water under the cap- but when we used to 4x4- we would sink the trucks and they were always fine as long as we didn't go past the intake and stayed on the throttle!!!

 

If you know it's gonna rain and you have no fenders, be sure to take a p***enger with you and plan your route so you only have to make righthand turns.

 

One thing that affects cars that SIT in the rain is water getting into the engine through the carb stud.

Place a rubber washer with a 3/16" hole over your 1/4" carb stud before tightening the wingnut, that will keep it out.

 

Rain always stung me when I drove in it with my T-bucket. Other than that it was fine.

 

Good wet weather gear, a tarp if you like to cover the drivers compartment, but who are you kidding, its got wet getting there! nothing for the motor. I find Yellow shooting gl***es are the best, as they brighten everything and are wraparound so you don't get hit by drips in the eyes.

At the end of the day I don't complain when I stand under the shower, so whats the difference. If its really bad I would pull over, or just go home depending on where I was headed. One day I guess I will build a roof and that will solve the problem

 

wind wings change the trajectory of water

 

I've gotten caught quite a few times, garbage bags behind the seats for either me or the carbs/dizzy if sitting still, the yellow gl***es do help and yes it stings. The four rooster tails will lay it on ya too, park in the sun for a couple days and you'll be good as new. You'll be surprised at how short your neck will get when trying to hide behind a short windsheild with all the air coming in from behind.

 

Some good info & insight here, I will stash a couple garbage bags and I already keep my motorcycle goggles in there just in case.

I hadn't thought about the open wheel spray, that's probably the most interesting one.