I had a '79 Nova and it fogged up inside like crazy. Rainy days were the worst because the rear and side windows would completely fog over and being that there was no mirror on the passenger's side, it was impossible to see anything on that side of the car. A total blind spot! But I also had a '71 Nova and I don't remember it ever fogging up, but it had vent windows, so maybe that made the difference.
Foggy windows in the “old days” when most cars didn’t have AC.
- Thread starter JHZR2
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I remember my dad having some convoluted scheme about keeping the sun visors folded down against the windshield. Made the air flowing more turbulent I think was the reasoning. Had nothing to do with the years of White Owl cigar smoke and nicotine film I'm sure.
It Canada it was common in winter to have stick-on clear plastic mini “windows” that would keep the moisture off the glass and if they stuck well to the glass around the circumference they would keep the fog and ice off the inside of the window. When rear heated wire defrosters were built into the glass it was really helpful.
Drove our ‘57 everywhere when I was younger. It seemed to handle it better than a modern car with the compressor off. I’m really not sure how or why, but it naturally had so much more airflow… 5” (or so) floor ducts with 5” (or so) ducts up to the front would move a lot of air. The CFM on the defroster was low by todays standards, so you might throw a lot of heat at it but it was less air. And, the whole car leaked air too, not like anything today. but also, we weren’t so spoiled on a perfectly 71 degree cabin either. You were more “outside” in that car.
My last car with frost shields was an '80 Volare wagon, which we owned from '92 to '97. They had been installed by a previous owner, and were cracked, yellowed, and ineffective. I removed them.
It was local lore that one told visitors from milder climates that the things on the windows were bulletproof shields.
Since my daily driver's AC is broken, and the rest of my cars are pre 1955, I deal with that on a regular basis.
Heating up the windshield with defrost stops condensation, also cracking the windows while at it.
Also I have that blue anti fog cloth, that helps a bit but smears the glas. Anti fog treatment (Rain-X or other brands) do really work well, at least for a while, than you have to re apply it.
Heating up the windshield with defrost stops condensation, also cracking the windows while at it.
Also I have that blue anti fog cloth, that helps a bit but smears the glas. Anti fog treatment (Rain-X or other brands) do really work well, at least for a while, than you have to re apply it.
Any surfectant will do. Saliva, dish soap, soap, detergent, sodium lauryl sulfate. Maybe a glucoside will work.
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That artwork did look good, didn’t it? I think I figured out the farce when i learned that 10A times 12V =120 watts, so it had less than 1/10 of a hair drier output. it would likely need half an hour to really make a difference.
Fog repellents have been around for decades. Cleaning glass with white vinegar imparts some fog resistance but maybe that's just because clean glass doesnt fog as easily as grimy glass does. Not breathing while driving also helps. 
I just remembered another trick. Apply shaving cream or foam, or dish soap with a moisture rag and don't wipe it off completely. Let the window dry and the condensation will cause the window to get wet on the inside but you will be able to see through it just fine. I also remember that the best anti-fog coating I have seen was on a pair of UVEX ski goggles. They had a permanent coating. The drawback was that the coating was very soft and would easily scratch. That was back around 1990 and I have never again seen this kind of coating. It was probably toxic.
This post brought back memories OMG! As a kid in high school driving my Jeep CJ7 (lived in MD then so had the hardtop and full metal doors for winters) - I still have this 78 CJ! Anyhow riding around trying to keep the windows clear in rain/fog/ice/snow involved first treating the glass with rain x anti-fog and while driving you would have to still wipe occasionally with a blue treated paper towel....when that ran out it I had a roll of paper towels to wipe. The anti fog didn't work much more than 20-30 mins in a Jeep so towels were mandatory lol.
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RainX also has the anti-fog sponge. It does actually work. But is prone to streaking of you don't do your part.
JHZR2
Staff member
Yes. I remember my parents had “fog cloths” in the glove box in their non ac cars.Fog repellents have been around for decades. Cleaning glass with white vinegar imparts some fog resistance but maybe that's just because clean glass doesnt fog as easily as grimy glass does. Not breathing while driving also helps.
It’s just so easy to run ac and things stay clear.
Brings back memories, but my parents got ac cars when I was very young, mid-late 80s.
JHZR2
Staff member
We do this with snorkeling masks. A light spray of dish soap works really well.I just remembered another trick. Apply shaving cream or foam, or dish soap with a moisture rag and don't wipe it off completely. Let the window dry and the condensation will cause the window to get wet on the inside but you will be able to see through it just fine. I also remember that the best anti-fog coating I have seen was on a pair of UVEX ski goggles. They had a permanent coating. The drawback was that the coating was very soft and would easily scratch. That was back around 1990 and I have never again seen this kind of coating. It was probably toxic.
Arena has a special coating on my swim goggles. Worked well for months but is starting to lose effectiveness.
I remember when I started my business I had a dodge van the heater core was leaking bought it cheap for that reason bypass the heater core.Froze my can off that winter defrost windows impossible the days of being broke not fun
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