Foggy windows in the “old days” when most cars didn’t have AC.

[JHZR2]

My 1991 350SD I’m still trying to track a slow leak from the fittings. So today I had it out, and don’t run the AC (which works fine as long as it’s not way hot and humid) only about half time on my trips.

Trips included a 35 mile drive in the rain.

Running with AC off, the windows would fog, quick.

Of course with AC on, no issue.

Made me think… back in the day lots of cars didn’t have AC. My parents had cars when I was young that didn’t have it.

I remember they had blue “fog cloths” for wiping the windows in some cases but I don’t remember much

What were best practices back in the day for keeping fog off the windows?

 

[JayhawkRoy]

Aim side vent windows towards windshield
Run defrost on cold and hope for the best.

 

[jhellwig]

Heat on and windows open. When vehicles had vent windows in the doors and vents that didn't run through the HVAC system it was easy to stay comfortable doing this. I still have to run the heat on full to keep the windows clear on the high humidity mornings here.

 

[supton]

Set to defrost, open a window. Suffer. Try not to breathe at the window.

Growing up the parents had ac, do not recall them having issues. But I sure did with my jalopies.

 

[spackard]

The Plymouth Valiant had defroster vents that really threw air onto the inside of the windshield, and side window wings. Plus, a lot less rake than today.
The Citroën - Fuhgeddaboudit.

 

[Kira]

1) Clean the glass as best you can.
2) There was a product which looked like a translucent eraser. You drew an X on the glass and rubbed it out and you wouldn't get fog.
There was always a hawker at car shows selling the item.
3) Rain-X makes an anti-fog application in a black bottle instead of their 'trademark' yellow but I've never tried it.

 

[userfriendly]

On the Canadian prairies we had frost shields that had a peel off backing and were glued to the side windows.

 

[RooflessVW]

I crack the vent windows in the Trooper

 

[Cujet]

In the 1960's and '70's, we'd run the defrost on full hot, heat up the windshield, and then turn the heat off.

 

[hrv]

1) Clean the glass as best you can.
2) There was a product which looked like a translucent eraser. You drew an X on the glass and rubbed it out and you wouldn't get fog.
There was always a hawker at car shows selling the item.
3) Rain-X makes an anti-fog application in a black bottle instead of their 'trademark' yellow but I've never tried it.

would use it on eyeglasses too....

 

[Chris142]

Use vent and not recirculation mode

 

[PimTac]

What were best practices back in the day for keeping fog off the windows?

A rag on top of the dashboard for quick wiping.

 

[gfh77665]

I learned to drive in Dad's old work car, a 64' Dodge Dart. The thing was so bare bones it didn't even have an AM radio.

It did have two great innovative features that I wish were available today. First was a vent with a small handle was on the side wall of the interior by your left foot. Open it and you got a continual blast of fresh air blowing up at you from the floorboard area. Second was the small triangle windows just in front of the rectangular passenger windows. It pivoted on a mount and you could spin it around so outside air was deflected in directly to you. Combine those two with cracking open the LR passenger window to get a great Venturi effect and that car stayed COOL and fog free.

Yes I know some young people reading this has no clue what I am talking about.

 

[IndyIan]

Just run the defrost setting with some heat and crack a window to start before there is any heat. Never really had any real fogging issue with any cars without AC that couldn't be solved with this method.
Sometimes if the vent air intake is full of loose snow in the morning you have to run the defrost on full cold until the car engine actually warms up to avoid frosting up, and then a couple miles down the road, flip to full heat on a straight stretch and get fogged for a second, then it clears off.
Sometimes if the car is full of wet kids in snow suits, even defrost with AC can't keep up and you have to crack a window or two to avoid fogging to much.

 

[VolkswagenFox21]

The Jetta's AC broke last summer so I had to relearn all the little "tricks" to deal with foggy windows growing up in ACless cars. Basically what everyone has been saying. Air towards the windows, heat on, and windows open. I also remember a yellow perforated spongy thing my parents used to wipe the windshield with. Maybe I should get one of those, but I don't recall ever seeing one for sale.

 

[CleanSump]

In the '60s my parents would clean the inside of the windows with ammonia Windex and then wipe them with old fashioned spay can shaving cream (really foam). Like Barbasol, Colgate, or whatever Dad used.

I tried some treatment I have for full face motorcycle helmet shields and diving masks. That left the windshield looking all smeary when the sun was at angles. Too far from the face to remain invisible. So that was worse than nothing.

 

[Vercingetorix]

Crawl under car. Wire heater boxes open and reconnect the heater hoses. Then stuff rags in the heater slots and drive around in second gear or third on the freeway.

 

[twouvakind]

You just stocked up with napkins from 7-11, Wawa, Taco Bell etc.

 

[andrew_j]

I ran into this borrowing MIL car with broken AC. It was miserable trying to run defroster full tilt and wet weather and humid 78F. My MIL is dirty in home and cars especially glass which was no fun.

 

[JTK]

The first 4-5 vehicles I owned right up to the mid/later 1990s didn't come with A/C. I do remember having to have the w/s defrost blasting or having to add heat to it to get the interior fog to clear. Odd that I don't remember it being a huge problem. Like they were ventillated differently back then. My 1997 Chevy 1500 reg cab, short bed, 4x4. 4.3L did not have a/c.