My understanding is that all these vehicles, whatever the color, will
achieve the same exterior body temperature. If this is true the physical
changes to make would be:

* Window tint
   - Driver and passenger door glas to the maximum legal limit.
   - All other glass to the darkest you can tolerate.
   - Adding a tinted strip to the top of the windshield.
* Body insulation
   - This part can be scary and expensive.
   - Keep the curtains closed whenever possible.
* Air circulation
   - Additional taxi fans.

Tim O

> > I haven't done this yet but would like to...How about painting the
> roof
> > white to reflect the sun's heat?  Seen this on lots of serious
> desert
> > vehicles.  I think it's called a safari top.
>
> in my own experience, this makes a world of difference in the inside
> temps. i had a white 86 bus and it was noticeably cooler inside,
> during alabama summers, than even my light blue 88 bus.  but it might
> look a bit odd to have a white top on some of the later colors. ;)
>
> if you'll remember, vw sold all the buses in the u.s. with white tops
> from 1968 to about 1977 .. except for pickup trucks and kombis, back
> in the 68-70 years. might have been because it was cheaper to paint
> them all white, then add the lower colors, though. :)
>
> it also helps to tint the side and rear windows. i, personally, don't
> advise tinting the front door windows ... too much hassle from the
> cops and i prefer to be able to see clearer at night out of those
> windows. tint the rear hatch window also ... if you pick the right
> tint, it doesn't affect the rear window defroster .... unless you
> later try to take the tint off (then you have to be really careful).
>
> one list member got better service out of his a/c by making sure the
> air channels were straightened ... that is, no corners and dead side
> spaces for the air to blow into. apparently, there isn't a lot of nice
> smooth channels for the air inside those overhead units.
>
> the problem with our buses, as i see it, is the amount of glass ...
> it's basically just a rolling greenhouse. :(  the a/c is adequate IF
> you could stop additional heat coming into the bus. but try driving
> into the afternnoon sun on a july day, and you can feel the heat
> overpowering the a/c.   now compare that windshield size to something
> like a honda ... our glass size is much larger (allowing more
> sunlight/heat in) and the interior volume of air is probably five or
> six times larger. i would imagine a panel van (without side and rear
> windows) would be cooler, if it had a/c and had the walls insulated.
>
> joel
>