Someone has done it - acrylic windows

[adampecush]

Just doing my daily interweb rounds, and I stumbled upon this:

(scroll to the bottom of the page)

http://www.greenline.jp/catalogue/b...Toyota&carcode=MA70A&intake=FI&category=other

It seems there is now a solution to lighten up the doors/hatch, all for the low price of 145K yen (~$1500). I found a site with some installation pictures of the sides and rear glass, it looks pretty good.

http://www.70supra.com/supra-diy/acrylic-window/acrylic-window.htm

enjoy.

 

[figgie]

Just doing my daily interweb rounds, and I stumbled upon this:

(scroll to the bottom of the page)

http://www.greenline.jp/catalogue/b...Toyota&carcode=MA70A&intake=FI&category=other

It seems there is now a solution to lighten up the doors/hatch, all for the low price of 145K yen (~$1500). I found a site with some installation pictures of the sides and rear glass, it looks pretty good.

http://www.70supra.com/supra-diy/acrylic-window/acrylic-window.htm

enjoy.

any shop that deals in polycarbonate, acrylic should be able to do that. Of course a race shop would be ideal as most places like that will not take the liability of someone running that stuff out in the street.

 

[shaeff]

Does that stuff shatter into shards of death-causing spears upon impact?

 

[figgie]

Does that stuff shatter into shards of death-causing spears upon impact?

I know polycarbonate takes a heck of alot do shatter.

Acrylic i think is no where near as impact resistant.

Speaking off, perhaps impact resistant polycarbonate like used on airplanes windshield is what is needed.

 

[supraguy@aol]

Saw this a while back, thought it was relevant.


http://www.hrpworld.com/googlebase....ra&form_prod_id=,209,334,_1337&action=product

 

[figgie]

Saw this a while back, thought it was relevant.


http://www.hrpworld.com/googlebase....ra&form_prod_id=,209,334,_1337&action=product

At least it is polycarbonate!

Prices are around what I expected. Not to bad though considering that glass windshields run about the same.

too add

http://www.proglasswindows.com

 

[Quin]

Anyone know how much Lexan "glass" runs? I think I can a couple 1/2 or 3/4" sheets for free, rough estimate on how much you'd need?

 

[figgie]

Anyone know how much Lexan "glass" runs? I think I can a couple 1/2 or 3/4" sheets for free, rough estimate on how much you'd need?

3/4? trying to stop a bullet?

1/2" is still pretty darn thick, I almost am positive that it would introduce some mild optical distortion.

 

[shaeff]

I only ask because I wanted to replace the hatch glass in my car. I refuse to put something in there that's unsafe, and I'll only do it if I can remove an even amount of weight between front and rear...

 

[adampecush]

Before trashing "acrylic", please do some research on it. You may also know acrylic as plexiglass.

As far as impact/fracture properties are concerned, monomer additions are made to improve mechanical properties to the point where there is really no difference with competing "plastics"

 

[Quin]

Yeah, it's bullet proof at 3/4s... I was actually trying to stop other robots from wrecking mine

Might as well prepare for Z day at the same time, right? :rofl:

 

[figgie]

Yeah, it's bullet proof at 3/4s... I was actually trying to stop other robots from wrecking mine

Might as well prepare for Z day at the same time, right? :rofl:

lol

but serisouly

a 1 inch thick polycarb can stop a .44 point blank

a 3/4" should be able to stop a 9mm nooo problems.

 

[ttsupra2503]

just doing my daily interweb rounds, and i stumbled upon this:

(scroll to the bottom of the page)

http://www.greenline.jp/catalogue/b...toyota&carcode=ma70a&intake=fi&category=other

it seems there is now a solution to lighten up the doors/hatch, all for the low price of 145k yen (~$1500). I found a site with some installation pictures of the sides and rear glass, it looks pretty good.

http://www.70supra.com/supra-diy/acrylic-window/acrylic-window.htm

enjoy.

you are a god!!! Thank you so much for finding these lol

 

[AGlobalThreat]

Anyone know how much Lexan "glass" runs? I think I can a couple 1/2 or 3/4" sheets for free, rough estimate on how much you'd need?

8' x 4' polycarbonate sheet is enough to do the rear, rear quarters, and partial side windows. Rear hatch glass is over 48" so a 4' x 4' square is not big enough. I used 1/8" thick grey tinted from mcmaster carr, it was a little over $200 including the freight shipping. You should use at least 1/4" for the windshield and it may require bracing.

The majority of the work is getting the old windows out and prepping the area afterwards. Cutting it is easy, I used a jigsaw. I can't imagine paying someone $1300 more just to cut the lexan.

 

[RPSil13]

8' x 4' polycarbonate sheet is enough to do the rear, rear quarters, and partial side windows. Rear hatch glass is over 48" so a 4' x 4' square is not big enough. I used 1/8" thick grey tinted from mcmaster carr, it was a little over $200 including the freight shipping. You should use at least 1/4" for the windshield and it may require bracing.

The majority of the work is getting the old windows out and prepping the area afterwards. Cutting it is easy, I used a jigsaw. I can't imagine paying someone $1300 more just to cut the lexan.

any pics of your setup?

 

[AGlobalThreat]

Yes I have many pictures but most of the time you can't tell the glass has been replaced. The only way you can really tell if it's glass or not is by knocking on it. Obviously on my setup I chose to have smaller windows and no trim so that's the biggest visual difference regarding the back windows.

These next 2 pictures you can see the aluminum fasteners. In these pictures the sky was light and the lexan was reflecting so you can see the little spots where the aluminum fasteners aren't reflecting. Rivets will crack the lexan around the mounting points because it will hold it too tight and the lexan will grow and shrink as the temperature changes. They work and I see them used all the time but they almost always have cracks around the rivets.

 

[RPSil13]

sweet, sounds like you did this yourself, correct?

what tools did you use to cut the lexan?

did you also do the doors?

from what ive seen they usually attach the lexan to the door and the window can no longer roll down

 

[AGlobalThreat]

Yes I did it myself.

I used a jigsaw with a fine tooth blade to cut the lexan.

I haven't made door windows yet.

 

[ochocinco5k]

How much of a weight savings is there especially for the rear hatch ?

 

[AGlobalThreat]

A rule of thumb is that lexan is half the weight of glass. That being said, I'm not sure what the stock rear glass weighs and I didn't weigh my lexan before securing it to the hatch.