Aftermarket Windshield (lexan, or plexiglass)
07-07-05, 07:04 PM
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Aftermarket Windshield (lexan, or plexiglass)
Does anyone know of a company that makes light weight after market windshields for 1st gens. I have found a few companies that make them for 2nd and 3rd gens, but none for first. This is for a track day/ time attack car so legality is not a problem.
I broke my stock windshield trying to get the dash out!! Stupid Stupid, oh well live and learn. Since I have to replace it now anyway I was thinking of going with a lexan or plexiglass windshield to save weight and hopefully cost. My dad has done several plexiglass windshields for airplances, but never any cars. Depending on the cost and availability I might just save my dad and I the trouble and buy one. Anyone with experience on this matter wanna help me out?
I broke my stock windshield trying to get the dash out!! Stupid Stupid, oh well live and learn. Since I have to replace it now anyway I was thinking of going with a lexan or plexiglass windshield to save weight and hopefully cost. My dad has done several plexiglass windshields for airplances, but never any cars. Depending on the cost and availability I might just save my dad and I the trouble and buy one. Anyone with experience on this matter wanna help me out?
07-07-05, 08:44 PM
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It is my understanding that plexi shatters whereas lexan doesn't. I took a look at a few cars though and it looked like it was just a flat piece of lexan... so might as well just buy a sheet of it and cut it yourself
07-08-05, 06:05 PM
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thats what i was thinking, but i wasnt sure how easy it would be to wrap it. It is a flat piece like you said (checked the stock windshield with a straight edge) so you would just need to get the lexan to wrap around, and im not sure how hard that would be. I will probably order a sheet that way i can make the windshield and the side roll ups lighter.
07-08-05, 07:10 PM
#5
Put a thin layer of clear mylar on top of the lexan to reduce scratching because as soon as you peel the protective backing off it, it'll start scratching.
The real way to mount lexan windshields is to use brackets that allow the windshield to float. Reason you do that is the worst thing you can do to lexan is to drill a hole in it and pop rivet or god forbid run a sheet metal screw through it. Lexan expands in heat and contracts in cold so when you drill and screw it, it'll crack in no time. NASCAR does the floating bracket method.
If you must drill and put a fastener thru lexan, make the hole 1mm bigger and use big head pop rivets with a washer on the back end. That's what I did with my rear 1/4 windows a few years ago, no cracks at all and I started off with a flat sheet of lexan, not a preformed / curved piece.
Brad
The real way to mount lexan windshields is to use brackets that allow the windshield to float. Reason you do that is the worst thing you can do to lexan is to drill a hole in it and pop rivet or god forbid run a sheet metal screw through it. Lexan expands in heat and contracts in cold so when you drill and screw it, it'll crack in no time. NASCAR does the floating bracket method.
If you must drill and put a fastener thru lexan, make the hole 1mm bigger and use big head pop rivets with a washer on the back end. That's what I did with my rear 1/4 windows a few years ago, no cracks at all and I started off with a flat sheet of lexan, not a preformed / curved piece.
Brad
1979, bakersfield, brackets, ca, cars, fasteners, fastners, glass, lexan, mounting, plexiglass, plexy, rx7, technique, windshield, windshields
