Although the Triumph Toledo has quite effective heating, demisting / defrosting, heating & ventilation, there is scope for improvement; particularly with regard to general heating effectiveness, plus hot-air & cold-air distribution. Maintaining a frost-free windscreen during the engine warm-up period, following manual defrosting using an ice scraper and alcohol-based de-icer fluid, also leaves much to be desired!
In the early-1980s, whilst upgrading the engine cooling system, with a thermostatically-controlled Kenlowe electric radiator-cooling fan, I discovered that the 82 ºC “summer” wax thermostat actually started opening at just 72 ºC. This was replaced with an 88 ºC “winter” wax thermostat.
The higher opening-temperature of the wax thermostat, in combination with disabling the V-belt driven radiator cooling-fan, resulted in quicker warm-up of the engine, higher operational cooling-system water temperature and consequent increase in the outlet air-temperatures to the foot wells and windscreen demister / defroster vents.
In common with the Triumph Dolomite 1300 & 1500, the Triumph Toledo 1300 & 1500 has only two heater-box outlets; one at the top, to the windscreen demister / defroster vents, and the other at the bottom, to the foot-well vents. However, the Triumph 1500 & 1500TC and Triumph Dolomite 1500HL, 1850, 1850HL & Sprint, have an additional heater-box outlet, to moulded plastic vents (with provision for the carburettor-choke control and cigar lighter) beneath the associated dashboard, directed horizontally towards the rear.
Improving Air-Flow Distribution
Amongst various items I salvaged from a defunct Triumph Dolomite 1500HL, was the heater box with three air-flow outlets (upward, downward & horizontal) and the moulded plastic vents with carburettor-choke control and cigar lighter, which are compatible with the sculptured “four-headlamp” Dolomite dashboard that was substituted into my Triumph Toledo in 1984, so this is something I intend to implement in the future.
Although the heating system also serves as a cold-air ventilation system, when the hot water from the engine’s cooling system to the heater unit is shut off, in addition to the dedicated cold-air ventilation vents at either end of the dashboard, it would be desirable to supplement the cold-air ventilation provision, especially at leg and lower-torso levels, to improve evaporation of sweat during periods of hot, humid weather; something for which I felt the need during past summers.
This is something I am still considering; especially in the absence of a comprehensive air-conditioning option. That said, I did once stumble upon an E-bay listing, for what was described as part of an air-conditioning system for a Triumph Toledo (not SEAT Toledo!), so whether a bespoke air-conditioning system was ever available for these cars is something I would be interested to learn.
One option I am considering, is the use of Y-junctions inserted into the hoses that connect to the dashboard’s two circular vents and/or fitting supplementary cold/hot air-supply outlet spigots to the front & sides of the sheet-steel heater box. These would be connected via ducts and/or hoses to vents beneath the dashboard. I have past experience of fabricating GRP – glass reinforced plastic, bespoke Y-junction hot-air ducts for a classic air-cooled 1973 VW 1600 Type 2, but suitable readymade components might also be available from retailers such as Car Builder Solutions. I have yet to consider whether it would be practical to incorporate additional vents into the upper horizontal surface of the dashboard!?!
Heater-booster fan, GRP T-junction adapters for 1972~79 model-year VW 1600 Type 2
https://www.carbuilder.com/uk
https://www.carbuilder.com/uk/CatalogueRequest
https://www.carbuilder.com/uk/heating-a ... entilation
https://www.carbuilder.com/uk/heating-a ... and-scoops
https://www.carbuilder.com/uk/ducting
https://www.carbuilder.com/uk/dash-vents
https://www.carbuilder.com/uk/demist
https://www.carbuilder.com/uk/heatac
De-Icing Front Windscreens and Other Windows
Starting the engine from cold, on some cold winter days, after I had defrosted the external surfaces of the front windscreen and other windows, using an ice-scraper and alcohol-based de-icer fluid, it was noticeable after driving less than half a mile, that ice had started to form on the interior surface of the front windscreen, as a consequence of my moist breath condensing and freezing on the cold glass, seriously impairing visibility. This forced me to stop the car in a safe place, and defrost the interior surface of the front windscreen.
Following that experience, two possible contributory factors came to mind. Reflecting on what I had done and not done, I surmised that residual alcohol-based de-icer fluid might have evaporated, cooling the front windscreen glass. Consequently, I resolved that in the future, I would wipe off any residual de-icer fluid using an absorbent cloth or old newspaper, before starting the engine and driving off.
Some car owners start the engine and allow it to warm-up at fast-idle, with the carburettor-choke engaged, whilst they defrost the windscreen and other windows. This has the advantage prior to driving off, of pre-heating the engine-coolant supplying the cabin-heater cum windscreen demister / defroster, but is likely to result in premature engine wear. Ideally, one would pre-heat the engine-coolant by some means, prior to starting the engine, which would both minimise engine wear and provide effective windscreen defrosting from start-up! An electrically-heated front windscreen would also be beneficial, especially if the means to pre-heat the engine-coolant were not readily available.
240V or 110V (only North American and Japan?) AC-Mains, Electrical Engine-Coolant Pre-Heaters
Since circa 1982/83, I have been aware of electrical engine-coolant pre-heaters, made by companies such as Calix and Fonås (featured in some Swedish automotive mail-order catalogues, I was given by my Swedish university-friend Kjell B. Gestlöv), which were routinely retro-fitted to cars in Sweden and possibly other Scandinavian countries. These were typically part of a comprehensive system which also recharged the starter-battery, pre-heated the air in the passenger cabin and worked off a timer which was either in the car or plugged into the domestic 240V AC mains electric-supply socket. I believe that many public and work-place car parks in Sweden, provided weather-proof, 240V AC mains electric-supply sockets, to which one could connect these systems.
Several years later, in post-1990, I learned of the British made Kenlowe HOTSTART© HS4 engine/interior pre-heating system for cars, of which there were three models, rated at 240V & 3•0 kW (Kenlowe part No. HS4 3.0), 240V & 2•3 kW (Kenlowe part No. HS4 2.3) or 110V & 1•2 kW (no part number given, but predict HS4 1.2 as being likely), with the no-cost option of either 5/8 inch or 7/8 inch (i.e. 16 mm or 22 mm) hose connections; of which I still have the sales leaflet (two A4 pages) & brochure (eight A4 pages). The quoted retail price of £116•78 + VAT for the standard 3•0 kW model without any extra-cost options, seemed excessive more than two decades ago, and even now that seems expensive!
I believe the quoted price of £116•78 + VAT was just for the standard engine pre-heating option without the supplementary extra-cost interior pre-heating option, for which one needed to cite the associated part number suffix KLM 2016, for which no price was quoted. The standard Kenlowe HS4 unit is supplied with a standard 1•5 metre long electrical-supply cable with connector-plug to mount on the front bumper and a weather-proof socket to fit onto one’s domestic electrical extension cable. There are listed extra-cost options of similar 2•5 metre or 5•0 metre long electrical-supply cables with connector-plug, having part number suffices KLM 2014 and KLM 2015 respectively.
Discounting the various supplementary mounting bracket options, Kenlowe’s two-page leaflet and eight-page brochure specify their units as having the following dimensions, not including the hose-connection spigots:
6 inches (15 cm) deep x 3 inches (7•6 cm) wide x 5•5 inches (15 cm) high [Nigel’s note: 14 cm high!]
4 inches (100 mm) length x 3 inches (76 mm) wide x 5-3/8 inches (137 mm) high
The stated conversions between Imperial and metric units of measurement are at the very least confusing and inaccurate, given that 1 inch = 25•399 mm or 2•5399 cm! Hence, if the measurements in Imperial units are exact, then 3 inches = 76•2 mm = 7•62 cm, 4 inches = 101•6 mm = 10•16 cm, 5-3/8 inches = 136•5 mm = 13•65 cm, 5•5 inches = 139•7 mm = 13•97 cm, and 6 inches = 152•4 mm = 15•24 cm. If available mounting clearances are likely to be marginal, it would be wise to request accurate measurements, to a tolerance of no more than ± 1 mm.
It’s interesting to note, that two Kenlowe ‘Hotstart’ kits, described as “Engine Pre-Heater” (part No. RX1361) and “Engine & Interior Pre-Heater” (part No. RX1362), are listed in the Accessories section, on Page 43 of the September 1998 issue, of the Rimmer Brothers’ Triumph Dolomite parts catalogue, and on Page 84 of the April 1998 edition of their All Models Parts Price Guide; which are described therein as follows:
« Engine Pre-Heater (part No. RX1361 | £125•18 + VAT = £147•09) – Compact and easy to fit, engine ‘Hotstart’ overcomes much of the discomfort, high fuel costs and engine wear associated with starting from cold – especially in winter, whether the vehicle is garaged or left out in the open. »
« Engine & Interior Pre-Heater (part No. RX1362 | £163•18 + VAT = £191•74) – Working in conjunction with the engine ‘Hotstart’, this system ensures the car interior is preheated too, giving you the benefits of demisted / de-iced windscreen / windows, before you start your next journey. »
Owing to the high costs involved, I did not invest in the Kenlowe system; either direct from Kenlowe or from Rimmer Brothers.
In their sales leaflet and brochure, Kenlowe present a bar-graph of test data, said to show the excess fuel used during warm-up on a typical family saloon using a standard automatic choke, with the test carried out at an average speed of 45 mph and a relatively mild ambient air temperature of 15 ºC. At distances of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 & 9 miles from cold start, the excess fuel used during stages of the warm-up period, claimed by Kenlowe, was illustrated to be 46%, 42%, 35%, 30%, 25%, 21%, 17%, 14% & 12% respectively.
I don’t know how true or representative this data is, but my own experience of driving the same 15•7 mile commuter route each day during the mid-1980s, indicated average fuel consumption rates for my Triumph Toledo, of circa 39 mpg & 37 mpg during summer & winter respectively; driving on Cosmic 5½ x 13 inch alloy wheels with 175 SR13 tyres (not 175/70 SR13 tyres!), of about 5•5% larger rolling-circumference than the factory-standard 155 SR13 tyres. This was a significant difference in fuel economy, associated with the duration of the engine warm-up period.
In mid-2021, whilst reinvestigating electrical engine-coolant pre-heaters, I discovered that several Chinese made models (e.g. GELAND brand!?!) rated at 220V AC & 3•0 kW, 2•0 kW or 1•5 kW, were listed on E-bay at the relatively modest price range of circa £30~£40 including postage. If these are of reasonable quality, durability and reliability, they warrant further investigation; especially if one uses one’s car for short journeys.
The “approximate” external dimensions of those Chinese models I briefly examined, were described as follows:
1•5 kW model – 81 mm x 79 mm x 120 mm
2•0 kW model – 77 mm length x 75 mm width x 118 mm height
3•0 kW model – 80 mm x 126 mm x 200 mm
If one were to fit an electrical engine-coolant pre-heater, it would be preferable to use one with the highest available electrical-power output, subject to any unit-size or power-supply constraints, in order to minimise both the heating time and the total standing heat losses from the coolant & engine-block during the heating cycle, by conduction, convection & radiation. Given that United Kingdom domestic electrical power sockets have a maximum current-rating of no more than 13A, the electrical engine-coolant pre-heater, should be rated at no more than 3•0 kW at 240V AC.
Electrically-Heated, Laminated Front Windscreens
Ideally I would like to substitute an after-market, electrically-heated front windscreen into my Toledo, but they are not yet available for Triumph Toledos or Dolomites, despite being readily available for other classic vehicles of 1960s & 1970s vintage, including some of the Triumph sports cars and 1968~79 model-year VW Type 2 Transporters. At the moment, the following supplier of after-market electrically-heated front windscreens, only lists the Triumph TR4 & TR7 models.
https://www.heatedwindscreen.com/acatal ... reens.html
https://www.heatedwindscreen.com/acatal ... reens.html
Several VWs are listed, including various VW Type 1 Beetle models, the 1968~79 VW Type 2, 1980~92 VW Transporter T3 and various more modern vehicles.
https://www.heatedwindscreen.com/acatal ... reens.html
These electrically-heated, laminated windscreens typically have two separate left-hand & right-hand heated zones, which in principle, could be switched on/off independently of one another, to minimise the load on a vehicle’s electrical system, which would be quite considerable as a proportion of most classic-cars’ dynamo or alternator maximum current output.
The electrically-heated windscreen for the 1968~79 VW Type 2 Transporters, on which my 1973 model-year VW “1600” Type 2 Westfalia Continental motor-caravan is based [substituted a 1911 cm² VW Type 4 style engine in place of the original 1584 cm² VW Type 1 style engine], is rated as having a current-load of 2 x 19A = 38A, which equals the total maximum current output of the vehicle’s original factory-fitted Bosch 38A dynamo, and would still be a substantial proportion of that from the Bosch 50A or 55A alternators, with which later model-year vehicles were equipped.
Assuming electrically-heated windscreens ever became available for the Triumph Toledo & Dolomite, it’s likely that the current-load would be related to windscreen area, which is probably somewhat smaller than that of the 1968~79 VW Type 2 Transporter. However, it’s likely that the current-load would still be quite substantial, so it would probably be desirable to have only one of the windscreen heated zones switched on at any given time, even if one substantially uprated the alternator (same-size Lucas ACR series: 28A - 15ACR, 34A - 16ACR, 36A - 17ACR & 43A - 18ACR) on one’s Triumph Toledo or Dolomite.
Dependent upon the switch configuration, this could readily be implemented using either two or three accessory relays (the third relay, if appropriate, being a standard changeover relay), in conjunction with a single double-throw switch, such as a second-hand, square-knobbed headlamp switch (to match the other Triumph dashboard switches) from a Triumph Toledo. I have designed two alternative simple circuits (with either two or three relays), for my 1973 VW “1600” Type 2 Westfalia Continental motor-caravan, to which I intend to fit an electrically-heated, laminated front windscreen, as a replacement for the original factory-fitted zone-toughened windscreen.
Headlamp double-throw switches, are generally of a type where either just the side-light circuit is live, or both the side-light & headlamp circuits are live. If such a double-throw switch were to be used for an electrically-heated front windscreen, then one would need to use the slightly more complex circuit option with three accessory relays and only a little more short-length wiring between relays, which could be mounted together in the same multi-way relay mounting cum connector block, such as those I salvaged from Austin Montego cars.
Unlike the post-1970 model-year VW Type 2 Transporters, the Triumph Toledo & Dolomite have only two simple electrical supply options, which are either direct battery supplies (fused or unfused) or ignition-controlled supplies; the latter of which is live irrespective of whether the starter-motor is operating or not. If one has high-current systems, such as front lighting (headlamps, front fog lamps & auxiliary driving lamps), an electrically-heated rear window and/or an electrically-heated front windscreen, it would be desirable to automatically switch off these high-current systems whilst the engine is being started, such as on occasions when the engine stalls.
In addition to a simple ignition-controlled supply (terminal-15 in the DIN Standard), the post-1970 model-year VW Type 2 Transporters, have another ignition-controlled supply (terminal-X in the DIN Standard), which is only live when the starter-motor is NOT operating; a facility which can readily be mimicked for the Triumph Toledo & Dolomite, using another circuit I designed several years ago, for use on pre-1971 model-year VW Type 2 Transporters, which similarly did not have this facility.
