Sterner Stuff

Winter is fast approaching and it's interesting to look back at our cars pre-war when an interior heater wasn't even an optional extra let alone a standard fitment. With large exhaust pipes travelling down each side of the car there was admittedly a slight rise above exterior temperature and the flow of engine heat could also be drawn into the car through less than hermetic bulkhead and floor sealing, also aided by opening the sunroof!

A slight opening of the windscreen could help with demisting but for those less happy with frozen fingers the addition of a defroster panel was an obvious solution. Mr J.O.H. Willing's 1938 Monte Carlo car clearly shows such an addition and the shot of Prince Michael's car outside the SS works also shows one along with a dusting of snow.

Pictured with rather more snow on a skiing trip this 1936 2½ litre  again finds it useful.
(Photo courtesy of Old Classic Car)



Looking at Messrs Harrop, Currie & Mangoletsi competing in the 1939 Monte Carlo Rally in SS saloon No. 95 it's rather difficult to tell whether they are using a defroster or not. They did start from Athens rather than John O'Groats but they are wearing overcoats. Is their sunroof open to suck in engine heat? The Edwards & Moss car No. 15 also competed in the 1939 Monte with a demisting panel.

Nice to see the leaper in place.