Re: Looking for real data

["Graydon D. Stuckey" <graydon@apollo.gmi.edu>]

On Sun, 30 Mar 1997, Dupree, Robert A. wrote:

> As per a request from my father who is moving from Michigan to Desert   
> Mountain in Arizona; I would like to know if anyone has access to real   
> data concerning the differences in cabin temperatures between a white and   
> a black car.  He is currently looking for a new sedan,and the A8 is in   
> his top three, although he is underwhelmed by its overly sedate looks.   
Bob,

	I like black too, but I think I would go for a lighter colour in 
AZ.  I've been on HVAC development trips down there - it gets hot!   I don't 
have any firm data handy, but I think I recall some of the 
guys in the HVAC department at work stating that the difference between 
a white car and a black car could be typically 30 deg F in AZ.   The only 
other hard data that I have is a voicemail that circulated last summer 
that described an upper exec playing with a lazer pyrometer in a Park 
Avenue in Phoenix on a hot 120 deg day.   The top of the dash (and this 
was not even a black car BTW) showed over 230 deg F after sitting outside 
over lunch hour!   You could turn water to steam on the dashpad!

	OTOH, most of the true luxury cars can keep up with the heat in 
AZ because that is where the summer calibrations are done, and the max AC 
performance is tested there.  However, even the 
top-of-the-line-best-AC-in-the-world cars have to run pretty constantly 
to keep the car comfortable.   There is a reason that you don't see many 
black cars in AZ...  :-)   That is also one of the few markets where 
cloth interiors are offered in some of the highend GM luxury cars.  Even 
the big caddies and the Aurora are offered in cloth!

Later,
Graydon D. Stuckey 
'86 5KCSTQ, GDSstageIII
now a non-CIS 5KCSTQ!