? For those running lexan or plexi windshield

If lexan or polycarb. is illegal for use in autos what is that stuff Speedway motors sells that can be cut with shop tools? Just a question, I have way
more questions than I have answers

 

Interesting thread, thanks

 

I might also add that polycarb can be fully machined with ease and acrylic sheet ( plexiglass) is way more difficult. Drilling and tapping holes is easy. I have also cut thin strips from the edge of drop offs and used as weld rod for welding it together with a plastic welding torch. The marguard finnish must be removed before welding however. Polycarb can be solvent welded and/or super glued. One can heat a thin strip with heat gun with the polycarb shielded with pieces of drywall until the material is pliant and then bend it to any angle without the use of a press brake. Suppiers even have hinges made from this material which can be glued, screwed or welded on. The down side is that even with the marguard protection it is more easily scratched than safety glass so therefore it will have to be replaced periodically. Most of it is UV protected so the sun will not effect it as rapidly as other plastics.

 

anyone no of any good adhesives or anything because i chopped my 39 pickup and couldn't save the windsheild frame. i plan on just setting the windsheild in and glueing it in place or something?

 

I've never tried to glue lexan in,, we can't take any chances with it.
Wonder what the border would look like. Most factory glue in windshields have a black coating to cover this area. I know that paint barely sticks to the lexan unless you remove the mar-guard and neither would the glue. Sanding it off would leave scratches exposed from the other side.

Painting the outside is made more difficult by the static cling inherent to the material. Its nearly impossible to keep dust off new lexan. This gets better as it ages but never completly goes away. Anyone ever pulled it off?

 

could you use that black window stuff that they use on new cars to glue it in . put a bead of that then set the window in place and hold with tape till set then just fill in with more sealer. it would look ok yes / no

 

It's illegal because A) it doesn't support the weight of the body like glass does in a minor collision because of its flexibility and B) because you can't break the shit and if heaven forbid you schmucks aren't strapped in and hit the windshield, rather than break through glass you'll break your neck and splatter on the lexan (plexi-glas will just shatter and cut you bad, if you're lucky)...just thought I'd throw that out there...

 

The reason the racing industry uses it is because it doesn't shatter like glass. In the worst of crashes it may break in 2 or 3 large pieces. If it wasn't stronger than glass we wouldn't use it. Lexan is marginally lighter than glass so we don't use because its lighter but because its safer.
If you wear your seat belts you'll never get to the windshield! If you do hit a glass windshield you won't punch it either and if you do you will still break your neck.

Someone else will have to answer the glue questions, I'm not an expert with that stuff
​

 

You can paint a black edge around it. Just make sure the area you want to paint is sanded really well. You have to sand through the marguard. After it is painted, you can't see the scratches from the other side. Many of your outlaw race cars aren't allowed to have fastners on the glass so you have to glue the lexan in just like glass. Try it on a piece of scrap.

 

I wondered if the glue would stick thru the paint, guess it does. Scuffing and painting the back side is nothin new.

I talked to a buddy who has used lexan in some high rent rods, they use S-10 truck moulding on the edge before they glue it in. Its u shaped so it will fill any gaps and cover the top side of the edge.​

 

probably just answered part of my own question i think, but also if you are in an accident and the fire dept needs to break your window to get you out...?

 

Well guys , IF we where a bunch of guys trying to compete with the modern Auto makers when it comes to safety, then we sure would be a bunch of LOOSERS !!! ... Safety? ... I`m putting together a traditional Deuce roadster .... HOW Safe will that f..kn` boat be ?? All I can do is make the `40 juice Brakes work fine , And then drive that deuce with some caution ...( with someone riding shotgun, that is )
I just can`t see the problem here ..... if Custom made glass is too exspensive , then use Lexan ...
BTW ... I wonder what a Biker-dude would think of this "Hot-Rod" safety-discussion if he should read it ???
RIDE SAFE !!!!
Klaz