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The magic speed is about 50mph.

Heavier downpours need a little more speed to get the water to blow over the cockpit, and that presents the problem that the wipers are almost as effective as the convertible top and the faster you go the less they clear.   The wipers also push the water off to the side enough that a tiny little river comes around the corner posts and falls down onto your thigh.  At speed, the top of your head will get soaked while the rest of you remains dryer - not completely dry, of course......   That would be silly.

Not that any of this has ever happened to ME!

My last ride through heavy rain was quite a while ago, but it was bad enough that I carry a bottle of Rain-X even today.  The stuff works great!

Last edited by Gordon Nichols

The magic speed is about 50mph.

Heavier downpours need a little more speed to get the water to blow over the cockpit, and that presents the problem that the wipers are almost as effective as the convertible top and the faster you go the less they clear.   The wipers also push the water off to the side enough that a tiny little river comes around the corner posts and falls down onto your thigh.  At speed, the top of your head will get soaked while the rest of you remains dryer - not completely dry, of course......   That would be silly.

Not that any of this has ever happened to ME!

My last ride through heavy rain was quite a while ago, but it was bad enough that I carry a bottle of Rain-X even today.  The stuff works great!

BAAHAAHAHAHAAHAAA.....

this was great.

Thanks.

It took a while of snooping around the car and finding where the water comes in, but both Jack Crosby and I (and a few others, I believe, not including IM owners) have managed to make our cars reasonably water-tight with the top up and side windows in.  We both documented the fixes on here, too.  These are usually VS or CMC cars, but it applies to JPS, too, which have their own set of water abatement issues.  It involves weather strip in some places, expanding foam in others, sometimes a combination of both, but it can be done.  I don't believe water intrusion has been an issue with IM or Beck cars (but since I drive a CMC I can't really speak to those).

I've driven in some heavy downpours over the years and now have it sealed up such that inside fogging began to be an issue but then I added a gas heater that flows the air through, rather than recirculate it and that cured the fogging issue, but that's an expensive fix, for sure.   I don't have defroster vents, just the flow-through heater but it works.

I now install splash guards  in  every speedster...they mount in the forward portion of the rear wheel wells, does wonders to keep water from entering what you think is a sealed area between the body and chassis . After seeing Cory's photos, I made templates for the  CMC or FF speedsters , each car is slightly different but easy to remedy when I cut out the splash guard from sheet metal. I use a few self tap hex screws  to secure the guards to the vertical 2 x 2 post then seam sealer bead around the edges  and finish that off with a rattle can bed liner. Total labor time is under 3 hours.   (Photos by Cory Drake)

Splash guardsplash guard

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Last edited by Alan Merklin

@Jethro - I remember that.  It was just after Kathy and I had driven from Washington DC to the bottom of South Carolina in an F150, at night, in a torrential downpour for 7-1/2 hours - Thankfully, I wasn't trailering Pearl on that trip.  

Rain-X all the way with no wipers if we were over 30mph.  I had to stop at a TA truckstop halfway through for gas and re-applied the Rain-X, but it worked great.  It was actually clearer vision above 30mph without the wipers sweeping than it was with them going, but I figured the trolls who jumped on you would never believe that so I just kept quiet.

If you apply it properly and have enough speed to allow the water to stream off, Rain-X works great.   If you think you'll have perfectly clear vision below 30mph without enough airflow to push the water drops to a film you'll be disappointed.

I apply it every Spring to the Speedster...and then never go out in the rain - But'cha nevah know........   

 

I now install splash guards  in  every speedster...they mount in the forward portion of the rear wheel wells, does wonders to keep water from entering what you think is a sealed area between the body and chassis . After seeing Cory's photos, I made templates for the  CMC or FF speedsters , each car is slightly different but easy to remedy when I cut out the splash guard from sheet metal. I use a few self tap hex screws  to secure the guards to the vertical 2 x 2 post then seam sealer bead around the edges  and finish that off with a rattle can bed liner. Total labor time is under 3 hours.   (Photos by Cory Drake)

Splash guardsplash guard

I like this idea.

 

Thanks

Negativo on the Duct tape.  It sticks too firmly and always leaves a sticky residue when you remove it.

Shouldn't be brought anywhere need a Speedstah.

Blue Painter's Tape is our Savior!  Sticks just enough to be water-proof, then releases with zero residue.  And, as an added bonus, you can write on it!

(Note:  Cannot be used to re-connect a passenger wiper that fell off....)   

dsc05203

It has also been proven to keep water (in fact, everything, including passengers) out of Porsche 996 coupes, too (especially if no one's watching Mr. Drake to keep him out of mischief).

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Last edited by Gordon Nichols

Todd:  Years ago, one of the members on here bought the first JPS 356 coupe.  It leaked like a sieve.  So much so, in fact, that after about 30 minutes of driving in the rain there would be a 2" deep pond on the floor on both side of the tunnel.  When you stopped, all that water rushed to the front to splash up against the bulkhead and pedals and put your feet under water up above your ankles.  No kidding.

A bunch or SOC guys helped with an on-site intervention at the guy's house and installed and sealed rain shields similar to those Alan posted (there were big holes just ahead of the rear wheels into the cockpit area) along with finding and sealing as many leaks as possible by shining bright lights along the seams and so forth (there were lots).  

Eventually, it was made pretty water-tight, as it should be for a coupe, but it was a big job getting it there, quite a while after delivery to New Jersey from the JPS shop in California.   And people wonder why we're not big John Steele supporters?

@Boothy posted:

Never been out in the rain and I hope I never do. Don't get me wrong, I love the rain. My first outing with the car was one spring night. Dew on the windshield made it cold so it would clear no matter what. Plus I've ween the duct tape trick. No thanks. Take out a bottle and a folding chair and ride it out.

 

Two years ago, I entered my Spyder in one of the local big VW shows. The show was scheduled to run from 5:00-9:00, but about 7:00 the sky started getting greyer and uglier. And I'd left my tonneau home. 

Luckily, I'd arrived early and picked a spot right on the edge of the show close to an easy access. 

Just as the first drops started to fall, I bee-lined out of there but only made it a short ways until the sky opened up. There's an ancient burger stand on my way home, so I pulled under their canopy to wait it out, just a little wet. 

After about 40 minutes, I gave up. The rain had tapered off a bit, but it didn't look like it was stopping anytime soon. I made the rest of the dash home with little drama. On the whole, I was a lot drier than getting caught on the MC. 

With a little patience, and the modifications mentioned above one can make the car pretty comfortable for driving in mild rain, year round.   I drive mine year round, as long as ambient temperature is +40F, and not too wet.  It’s my way of relaxing, and spending time with my 9 year old copilot who enjoys tinkering with the car and joyriding as much as I do  ;-)

My hard top went on today, as the northwest is getting a bit wet. Was able to get a 100mile loop with a few other car enthusiast today ;-)

1FC3B225-7033-43CC-B6A7-1460A007121D

 

 

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@Lfepardo posted:

With a little patience, and the modifications mentioned above one can make the car pretty comfortable for driving in mild rain, year round.   I drive mine year round, as long as ambient temperature is +40F, and not too wet.  It’s my way of relaxing, and spending time with my 9 year old copilot who enjoys tinkering with the car and joyriding as much as I do  ;-)

My hard top went on today, as the northwest is getting a bit wet. Was able to get a 100mile loop with a few other car enthusiast today ;-)

1FC3B225-7033-43CC-B6A7-1460A007121D

 

 

 VERY AWESOME and BEAUTIFUL car

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