Radiator Blinds
I think this is the right board to post in as radiator blinds are relevant to engine cooling but it could have quite easily have fit in elsewhere too.
We replaced the front grill and bumper on my car a few weeks ago to smarten it up a bit. While doing this we noticed that there is radiator blind fitted. It is rolled up at the bottom of the radiator and looks like it could be deployed using a cable presumably to the drivers footwell. It looks like it has not been used in probably decades and any electrical or mechanical linkage to it are no longer present or well hidden.
I didn't spot any markings on it. Were these commonly fitted? Does anyone have any history on this kind of addition?
Thanks,
Oliver
We replaced the front grill and bumper on my car a few weeks ago to smarten it up a bit. While doing this we noticed that there is radiator blind fitted. It is rolled up at the bottom of the radiator and looks like it could be deployed using a cable presumably to the drivers footwell. It looks like it has not been used in probably decades and any electrical or mechanical linkage to it are no longer present or well hidden.
I didn't spot any markings on it. Were these commonly fitted? Does anyone have any history on this kind of addition?
Thanks,
Oliver
Register Member No. 7822-01/17
Triumph 2000 Mk2 Sapphire Blue (1972) - Currently being upgraded to 2.5 EFI
Triumph TR7 Convertible Persian Aqua Blue (1980) - Press car, nearly on the road!
Mini Clubvan Cooper D Ice Blue (2012)
Triumph 2000 Mk2 Sapphire Blue (1972) - Currently being upgraded to 2.5 EFI
Triumph TR7 Convertible Persian Aqua Blue (1980) - Press car, nearly on the road!
Mini Clubvan Cooper D Ice Blue (2012)
- TedTaylor
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Re: Radiator Blinds
My father had one of these fitted to one of his cars - think it was his Austin A35.
The idea of them is that you pull the end of the linkage under the dash (on my dad's it was a cable with bobbly end to hook into a slot on a bracket also screwed under the dash) to make it come up and blank off the radiator. Release the cable and it returns like a house roller blind to make the radiator clear again.
This enabled the engine to run warmer so the heater was hotter ( ). Useful in VERY cold weather like the winter of 1962/63 when he fitted it.
Hope this makes sense
MUT
The idea of them is that you pull the end of the linkage under the dash (on my dad's it was a cable with bobbly end to hook into a slot on a bracket also screwed under the dash) to make it come up and blank off the radiator. Release the cable and it returns like a house roller blind to make the radiator clear again.
This enabled the engine to run warmer so the heater was hotter ( ). Useful in VERY cold weather like the winter of 1962/63 when he fitted it.
Hope this makes sense
MUT
Member 4473 1990
1964 2000 period rally look alike AFH 849B
Morris 1800 London-Sydney/Monte/WCR NAM 616G
Mk1 PI Estate SCG 115G
2500 Estate WDE 76K RBRR 2014
1964 2000 period rally look alike AFH 849B
Morris 1800 London-Sydney/Monte/WCR NAM 616G
Mk1 PI Estate SCG 115G
2500 Estate WDE 76K RBRR 2014
Re: Radiator Blinds
My father had a Wolseley 1500 in the early 60's on which he fitted a radiator blind. I don't remember much about his use of it, but in those days you also put a parrafin heater under the sump to warm the oil whilst the car was in the garage during the winter months!
Even if you regularly use your Triumph in the winter, I wouldn't suggest there is any particular need for it with our English weather. Our Triumphs do tend to run cool anyway (when the cooling system is in good order) and any restriction on the airflow at the front will obviously increase the coolant and running temperature, and, from experience, increasing the coolant temperature isn't always conducive to smooth running, ie.increasing the possibility of fuel evaporation in the carbs especially on tick over or when you come to a temporary stop.
Maybe try it whilst the weather is cooler and seeing what difference you see on the temperature gauge. My cars run best when the gauge sits just to the cool side of 'N', and they all have standard 82* thermostats in them.
It maybe should be classed as a 'period' accessory and left as just that.
Even if you regularly use your Triumph in the winter, I wouldn't suggest there is any particular need for it with our English weather. Our Triumphs do tend to run cool anyway (when the cooling system is in good order) and any restriction on the airflow at the front will obviously increase the coolant and running temperature, and, from experience, increasing the coolant temperature isn't always conducive to smooth running, ie.increasing the possibility of fuel evaporation in the carbs especially on tick over or when you come to a temporary stop.
Maybe try it whilst the weather is cooler and seeing what difference you see on the temperature gauge. My cars run best when the gauge sits just to the cool side of 'N', and they all have standard 82* thermostats in them.
It maybe should be classed as a 'period' accessory and left as just that.
Register Member no. 1596
1967 Mk1 2000 in Gunmetal Grey
1969 Mk1 2000 in Royal Blue
1970 Mk2 2000 in Valencia Blue
1972 Mk2 2.5 PI in Triumph White
1973 Mk2 2.5 PI in Sienna Brown
1976 Mk2 2500S in Carmine Red
1967 Mk1 2000 in Gunmetal Grey
1969 Mk1 2000 in Royal Blue
1970 Mk2 2000 in Valencia Blue
1972 Mk2 2.5 PI in Triumph White
1973 Mk2 2.5 PI in Sienna Brown
1976 Mk2 2500S in Carmine Red
Re: Radiator Blinds
Thanks for the replies.
I don't intend on using it as I think it is beyond salvageable. It's more of a historic curiosity. I won't be removing it unless the radiator desperately needs to come off which I think is unlikely.
I am more interested in who the manufacturer would have been, the popularity of them during the 70s etc. Were they common place? I'm guessing not based on your replies.
I haven't been able to find any specific information on period manufacturers. I presume this wasn't a Triumph / BL accessory which could be ordered?
I need to take the prop shaft off and inspect (and most likely replace) the UJs soon so I might try and get some photos or find some remnants of old cabling or holes cut for the blind.
Oliver
I don't intend on using it as I think it is beyond salvageable. It's more of a historic curiosity. I won't be removing it unless the radiator desperately needs to come off which I think is unlikely.
I am more interested in who the manufacturer would have been, the popularity of them during the 70s etc. Were they common place? I'm guessing not based on your replies.
I haven't been able to find any specific information on period manufacturers. I presume this wasn't a Triumph / BL accessory which could be ordered?
I need to take the prop shaft off and inspect (and most likely replace) the UJs soon so I might try and get some photos or find some remnants of old cabling or holes cut for the blind.
Oliver
Register Member No. 7822-01/17
Triumph 2000 Mk2 Sapphire Blue (1972) - Currently being upgraded to 2.5 EFI
Triumph TR7 Convertible Persian Aqua Blue (1980) - Press car, nearly on the road!
Mini Clubvan Cooper D Ice Blue (2012)
Triumph 2000 Mk2 Sapphire Blue (1972) - Currently being upgraded to 2.5 EFI
Triumph TR7 Convertible Persian Aqua Blue (1980) - Press car, nearly on the road!
Mini Clubvan Cooper D Ice Blue (2012)
- david_lall
- Senior Member
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Re: Radiator Blinds
I remember seeing the blinds advertised in places like Autocar, Motor and Motorsport back in the day. I run with an exterior radiator grill muff on my MG 1300, fully closed during the winter
Re: Radiator Blinds
Hello all,
the Jensen 541 had a flap as part of the radiator intake which could be varied depending on ambient temperature, a very neat idea. Personally I think it was a more attractive car than the later Interceptor. If you use Google image syou can see pictures with it open and closed.
Alec
the Jensen 541 had a flap as part of the radiator intake which could be varied depending on ambient temperature, a very neat idea. Personally I think it was a more attractive car than the later Interceptor. If you use Google image syou can see pictures with it open and closed.
Alec
0465
MK1.5 2.5 P.I.
Jaguar MK 2 (Long term restoration.)
Hymer 564 Motorhome.
MK1.5 2.5 P.I.
Jaguar MK 2 (Long term restoration.)
Hymer 564 Motorhome.
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Re: Radiator Blinds
They were really a hangover from the days when cars didn't have very good thermostats, or none at all, and relied on mostly thermosyphon for coolant circulation. So regulating the radiator temperature was often the only effective way of management in cold weather.
But in a decent cooling system with a working thermostat, the radiator temperature is irrelevant. It is the thermostat that controls the temperature - all the radiator does is dump any excess heat passed to it by the thermostat.
A certain amount of cooling is nonetheless done by direct airflow over the engine block, and in arctic conditions that can be important.
More critically, excessive cooling of the carburettors can be a problem, hence the various devices to manage that - air shields, heated manifold, heated air intake with manual Summer/Winter control, or thermostatic.
Going one stage further than the paraffin heater under the sump was the reminiscences I heard of life in back-woods America during a big freeze. It was important when getting home to drain the sump immediately before it cooled and became too sluggish. Then you left the can on the hot stove over night and poured it back into the engine before setting out.
But in a decent cooling system with a working thermostat, the radiator temperature is irrelevant. It is the thermostat that controls the temperature - all the radiator does is dump any excess heat passed to it by the thermostat.
A certain amount of cooling is nonetheless done by direct airflow over the engine block, and in arctic conditions that can be important.
More critically, excessive cooling of the carburettors can be a problem, hence the various devices to manage that - air shields, heated manifold, heated air intake with manual Summer/Winter control, or thermostatic.
Going one stage further than the paraffin heater under the sump was the reminiscences I heard of life in back-woods America during a big freeze. It was important when getting home to drain the sump immediately before it cooled and became too sluggish. Then you left the can on the hot stove over night and poured it back into the engine before setting out.
Re: Radiator Blinds
Bit of a faff if you just needed to pop out for a loaf of bread.......!Clifford Pope wrote:Going one stage further than the paraffin heater under the sump was the reminiscences I heard of life in back-woods America during a big freeze. It was important when getting home to drain the sump immediately before it cooled and became too sluggish. Then you left the can on the hot stove over night and poured it back into the engine before setting out.
Register Member no. 1596
1967 Mk1 2000 in Gunmetal Grey
1969 Mk1 2000 in Royal Blue
1970 Mk2 2000 in Valencia Blue
1972 Mk2 2.5 PI in Triumph White
1973 Mk2 2.5 PI in Sienna Brown
1976 Mk2 2500S in Carmine Red
1967 Mk1 2000 in Gunmetal Grey
1969 Mk1 2000 in Royal Blue
1970 Mk2 2000 in Valencia Blue
1972 Mk2 2.5 PI in Triumph White
1973 Mk2 2.5 PI in Sienna Brown
1976 Mk2 2500S in Carmine Red
Re: Radiator Blinds
My A35 circa 1962. Spent a lot of time in the snow then. Wish I still had her
Tony.
Tony.
1976 2500 TC. converted to S specs.
Lots of bits
1999 BMW Z3.
2006 BMW 325ti.
Hopefully not needing too many bits.
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Lots of bits
1999 BMW Z3.
2006 BMW 325ti.
Hopefully not needing too many bits.
.
- Dave B
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Re: Radiator Blinds
My aunt had an A35 around that time, and my job as a young lad was to operate the indicator switch, which as you know, was in the centre of the dashboard. It was a little more difficult on her next car, an Austin 1100 ! Happy daystony wrote:My A35 circa 1962. Spent a lot of time in the snow then. Wish I still had her
Tony.
Club Member 2035
1970 2500 Mk2 in pimento red[/col
Toyota Avensis T4 Tourer
1970 2500 Mk2 in pimento red[/col
Toyota Avensis T4 Tourer
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