Date:         Fri, 30 Oct 1998 01:36:20 -0800
Reply-To:     Per Lindgren <lindgre@ONLINE.NO>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Per Lindgren <lindgre@ONLINE.NO>
Subject:      Re: Repaint Different Color?
Comments: To: vanagon@vanagon.com
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Tom Cook wrote:

> Additionally,  any comments about the additional heat absoption from the
> sun?  We just got our non-ac westy a few weeks ago and have not had to
> drive it through a Philadelphia summer yet.   I was wondering how much
> difference (if any) the exterior color makes on interior temps?...

A Norwegian car magazine (Motor) wanted to check if that myth was really true
some years back, and with the aid of an importer, they were able to install
temperature guages in 5 identical cars (Opel Omega), with different colors. It
was one white, one red, one black, and one silver metallic, and one with a
aluminum foil cover, reflecting the sun. The temperature was about 25C in the
shadow, 40 in the sun, and the sun was high. The cars stood in direct sunlight
for 4 hours, reaching about 50-55C and between the red, white and black car the
temperature differed with about 3-4C, the silver was 5-6C under those. The car
with the cover was at a "cold" 28C. The window area seen from above is the
clue, as modern cars have very slanted windows. The Vanagon is better off, but
in low sun it comes through anyway.

PerL
88 Syncro