hey guys. i was just wondering how race cars defog the windows. ive never seen a stock type electric blower on a stripped down car and besides, the cars i have seen dont even have a dash boards anymore.

 

Rain-X Anti Fog works just fine

 

That's it. I also use Rain-X on exterior glass, no wipers.

 

Most race cars also run with the windows open, so it's not going to steam up as much in the first place.

 

With all due respect that may work some of the time, but not all of the time. Remember the SCCA E-prod National Championship a few years ago? Grayson Upchurch's 240Z lost the race on the last lap to Bob Ebdicott's Prelude in a rain race. He couldn't see, his windshield was fogging up. He tried to keep it clean with a rag on a stick,but alas it didn't do the trick!
I recommend Rain-X anti fog inside with some type of de fogger even if it's a boat bilge blower like this
http://www.outdoor-town.com/35440/00...WER/15996.html
or a more simple in line style that people like RPW ands Pegasus sell
Hella make's a simple 12v defroster that the air cooled VW guys use.
Remember if you go cheap or easy the likelihood that you'll need it will be in direct proportion to what kind of lead you'd have in a race! LOL

good luck,
Steve Coe
C2Motorsport.net

 

We've used a "JCWhitney special" stick on wire rear defroster on the inside of the windsheild. It looks like the little lines on the back window, I don't know if they still have them, haven't looked in ten years. Was the best thing we ever tried.

 

Here's your part numbers for those defrosters, and they weigh nothing! #52ZX5359B, #52ZX5360B, #52ZX5361B You won't notice them on the windshield when you are driving hard.

 

the electric wire defoggers are the way to go, but basicly you need to cool the area behind the window to match the outside. warm car interior cool outside causes window to condensate. like a glass with ice water does. it you get air from outside into the area behind the window you will prevent the fogging. easiest is the small blower connected to a naca duct on the outside.

 

That will work if you can find some dry air to blow on the inside, like turning on your A/C in the winter to defog. The big problem is the heat that the engine/exhaust create in a stripped out car makes it a big steam bath on a rainy day. Roush used these things on their 24 hr cars at Daytona many times.

 

That will work if you can find some dry air to blow on the inside, like turning on your A/C in the winter to defog. The big problem is the heat that the engine/exhaust create in a stripped out car makes it a big steam bath on a rainy day. Enough air will do the job but these things are awesome, as well as simple and lightweight.

 

You make a good point. I've never been in a steady downpour for very long. I'll look into one of these blowers or the other device on this thread.

 

it does not have to be dry air(this will speed things up and would be better). it needs to be the same as the outside. if the air in front of the glass is the same as behind the glass it will not fog. this is hard to achieve in a closed cockpit race car, but a steady stream of air from outside the cockpit will keep the window clear. the heated window is what will work the best in all situations.

 

When we raced a street stock Monte Carlo on the local circle track, we used a very cheap fan like this one. You should be able to find one for around 10 bucks at your local cheapo parts store. We mounted the fan in the center of the dash and pointed it at the left half of the windshield. During the hotter race days, my driver would swivel it around to blow at him. $110 seems way overboard to me for something to just blow air. We raced in Seattle rain or shine... and it DID rain hard a few times. We never had fogging problems. Along with the dirt cheap fan, we also used liberal amounts of Fog-X inside the windshield and inside the helmet visor. We also used a polycarbonate windshield if it makes any difference.

 

this looks to be cheapest and easiest setup. http://www.frostfighter.com/ff_products.htm

 

I won't argue with someone from Washington state about racing in the rain!

 

kool, i didnt think this topic would yield so much interest. i think i will try those defogging strips lie the rear window uses. and ive never tried anti fog fluid so i will give that a shot as well.

thanx guys

 

Racing on the East coast we end up with soggy race boots more then I like to admit. I used a inline bilge blower with a Y fitting blowing through stock (FC) defroster ducts glued to the cowl (no dash). Fan was mounted on the passenger side floor so it would pick up warm air from the exhaust. Worked really well until a race at Pocono when it was raining really hard. So much water was collecting on the floor that the fan started turning into a water pump! Remounted it on the tunnel and all was well.

 

Oregano, people usually get real interested after they have to drive into a braking zone at about a hundred and they have just dropped their "sponge on a stick" quick fix tool on the floor out of reach! Its good to plan ahead