white cab top people i need your help.

[cory d]

does it really help keep the cab cool when in the sun? the top oc my cab it dark green/blue with some flat black primer areas and im going to be driving to eastern washington this weeked where its going to be hot as crap. the paint on my truck is far from perfect by anyones standards so i dont think a good rattle can job would stick out or bug me at all.

[RandyP]

I feel it does. Granted the rest of the truck is bright red, but the white does help. Thousands of school buses can't be wrong.

[motornut]

i didn't like the look at first but yes it sure helps with heat
i can reach up and put my hand on the white roof,wouldn't try that today with the red one
just sitting in it you feel the heat
i am going to do the caps,rims using tremclad gloss white

[Firebirdjones]

Absolutely. The white top on my blazer keeps the cabin relatively cool even in the AZ summer sun.

Other cars I have that don't have white tops are absolutely unbearable to get into after sitting in the sun for a couple hours.

[Square_78]

I honestly dont think it makes much difference. The inside of my truck will be (feels) the same temp and the inside of my black Grand cherokee. Even if its a couple degrees cooler with the white roof, its still HOT as hell. Even if the black truck is 130 degrees and the white one is 125 degress (examples temps), its still too hot to jump in and drive. I think if you paint your roof white just to try to lower interior temperatures, you will be disappointed.

[WarBeard]

Originally Posted by RandyP

I feel it does. Granted the rest of the truck is bright red, but the white does help. Thousands of school buses can't be wrong.

My work truck's Have white roofs

[Firebirdjones]

Originally Posted by Square_78

I honestly dont think it makes much difference. The inside of my truck will be (feels) the same temp and the inside of my black Grand cherokee. Even if its a couple degrees cooler with the white roof, its still HOT as hell. Even if the black truck is 130 degrees and the white one is 125 degress (examples temps), its still too hot to jump in and drive. I think if you paint your roof white just to try to lower interior temperatures, you will be disappointed.

Do you have tinted windows or anything else that helps?

I ask because it sounds odd what you are experiencing. The difference is night a day for me. My 72 blazer with a white roof and white interior is not uncomfortable at all to climb into on a hot day (I never take the roof off) and sitting in 100 degree sun isn't all that bad. I find it cools down pretty quick with the AC on as well.

My 79 pickup however, or my wifes 2000 SS camaro, are hot to the point of unbearable, and it takes several miles for the AC to cool the inside of the car down. Any one of my other classic cars (chevelle, bird, mustang etc..) are absolutely miserable and no AC. Not much fun to drive when it's 110 outside.

My blazer is the only vehicle (with it's white top) that I can drive in 100-110 heat without the AC (if we choose) and not be roasting inside.

My father bought his 69 goat new (white vinyl roof and white interior) No AC,,,and that was our daily driver throughout the mid 80's before it's restoration and now leads a cushy life. We road all over the country in that car, it was the family car, it's actually quite comfy in the heat.
When we cruise together I'm in my orange chevelle with black interior and he's in the goat with a white roof and white interior, I'm sweating my ass off and he's not all that hot We park and I ride with him and it's like getting in a car that had the AC on, there is that much difference

[Firebirdjones]

Originally Posted by motomech

My work truck's Have white roofs

Yup, like Randy said, thousands of school buses can't be wrong. There is a method to that madness.

[JPalmer81]

The white reflects the UV rays from the sun, darker colors absorb all of it, so it does make a difference, makes a big difference if you put white shingles on your house too.....if you live where there is dry heat it would feel like a huge difference, but if you live where it is humid then you probably won't notice too much of a difference, humidity is what makes heat unbearable, unless it is over 120 degrees, then it doesn't matter....

[Firebirdjones]

Originally Posted by JPalmer81

The white reflects the UV rays from the sun, darker colors absorb all of it, so it does make a difference, makes a big difference if you put white shingles on your house too.....if you live where there is dry heat it would feel like a huge difference, but if you live where it is humid then you probably won't notice too much of a difference, humidity is what makes heat unbearable, unless it is over 120 degrees, then it doesn't matter....

Exactly, and I should have pointed out that fact about the humidity too. It's dry here, which is why the shade makes a huge difference. I lived back East with the humidity so I can attest to the differences. You simply can't escape the uncomfortable feel of humidity (unless you have ac )

Another way for people to think of it is your clothing. Go out in the hot sun with a black shirt on, then go back out in a white shirt,,,,you'll feel the difference
That's why you always hear on the news about dressing appropriately in the summer heat around here, and one of their quotes is to wear "light" colored clothing.

[grs]

Put you hand on the roof of a black car on a hot day. Then put your hand on a white car sitting next to the black one. Then decide.

[Firebirdjones]

Originally Posted by grs

Put you hand on the roof of a black car on a hot day. Then put your hand on a white car sitting next to the black one. Then decide.

Torture...


How about walking bear foot on concrete,,,,then jump over to black top

[Desert1957]

This is my 87 with "NO AIR" Conditioning and a white roof. Makes a huge difference. Its 101 here right now , I drove it to work today.

Desert

[Firebirdjones]

Nice "soft" color combo. Classy,,,I like it.