Technical Fabricating a clear display enclosure for a car?

Who is going to clean all that glass?

 

Green house. I have a buddy that bought one used, assembled it in his shop as a paint booth (bitchin idea).

 

Having watched several inexpensive covers blow apart on friend’s patios, check the wind rating on anything you find. It’s amazing how things without cross bracing can fold up in a wind. Then the damage to the vehicle from the beating.

 

What about companies that make sun rooms?

 

These guys do all kinds of stuff with windows.

Steelworks Etc.
805-499-3400
2230 Statham Blvd, Oxnard, CA 93030

they are located in Oxnard where the Murphy museum was once located.

https://www.steelworksetc.com/

 

T V Tommy

 

That's what I was thinking for my original post also. You can put glass on 3 sides, paint the rest and put in some vents.

 

I feel like anything you do for 3k is gunna look like something that cost 3k.

Surely the whole point is to allow attendees to view said vehicle, the display has to enhance the experience otherwise you'd be just as well putting it on a plinth with a wrap around walkway.

No way any sort of painted plywood, stretched PVC, chopped up container etc etc is going to enhance the view of said vehicle.

Of course something like the 'cell' displaying the Merc in the first post would be amazing but at some point ya gotta understand it wasn't expensive for the heck of it.

 

Hello,

You did not say where this enclosure is going to be in any museum. If it is going to be a permanent display in one location, then it is possible to have a glass company, any glass construction or commercial glass company locally put one together. It certainly will be a one of a kind and rather permanent. Mainly due to the weight.

We had a 6 foot glass plate glued to another smaller glass plate and it made a nice corner of our large shower. But, I have seen larger pieces of glass put together. The size of the car, the safety glass thickness and a top to give it some stability could be made. But, it would not be the kind that folks lean on and google-eye the car, closer. It would also have to have some breathing capabilities as it gets stale fast enclosed.

Jnaki

There are commercial glass companies that do large projects. But, it sure seems like any reputable local glass companies have the ability and design to meet your needs. Safety glass comes in all thicknesses, so that is a concern.

Question: Why would a car need to be covered inside of a museum? Outside like the Washington Mall, sure, dust, daily environment, and stuff. But, inside? A little dust for a long time and that is what those maintenance guys get paid to clean the cars in scheduled rounds. YRMV

 

Anything other than real glass is going to deteriorate optically in sunlight

You need a shop fitter or builder that specialises in glass work.

Glass panes that big are going to be expensive (upwards of $1000 a pane)

 

If what you need is something similar to what is pictured in post #1......
Step 1: Take said $3k budget to the horse track and try to turn it into $20k.....or even better, $30k.

 

How about bus-shelter glass. Maybe your town council has a few dismantled bus-shelters in their yard. It is tempered glass.

 

Outdoors poses a huge change in required structure, security and not cooking the contents.
I'd look into how the high dollar designs are done and try to find economy, but 3K isn't going to be much more than the tent shown.
If possible, look into local businesses and millionaire homes being remodeled. Low end, gather up sliding doors that have been replaced and weld the frames together.
I understand the visual impact of trying to emulate the display, but it's going to take a lot of funds and design to even get something like that on paper and signed off on by museum and city/county/state, let alone sourced and assembled.
Even Amish sheds require site work, and they can be hauled on a trailer and dropped in place. Add in a path and circle for visitors, and ensuring access and safety. What is 3K going to get in them? 10x12 foot.
https://www.glicksheds.com/blog/planning-your-shed/affordable-sheds
So you have a pad with a path to and around it. You drop off a big enough shed. You then remove the siding and replace one or two sides with the scrounged sliding doors. Decorate the inside 2 or 3 walls as a garage or shop, making sure the clear side is North to avoid sun damage and heat gain. Much more realistic, but probably 3-4 times the budget. Not nearly as dramatic, either.

EDIT: Went back through OP's other content. Seems to be based in or around the Los Angeles area. With the other local car museum closing down, and the need for materials to rebuild after the recent fires, this task seems even more difficult. Either there will need to be a generous benefactor or they could try to gather up used stuff from rebuilding or both to get anywhere close to the vision.

 

We did construct something like you want to build and used "T" slotted aluminum extrusions and brackets from McMaster-Carr. If you log onto their catalog you can see all sorts of brackets, hardware and extrusion to fit your needs. Lexan and Acrylic sheets are also available from MCM. One quarter inch 4'x8' sheets of Lexan are about $450 and acrylic is about $400. If you are talking about an enclosure that is 12ft. long by 8 ft. wide with a roof you will need 13 sheets so that is about $6,000 alone. I don't think your budget of $3000 will work and you are probably easily talking 10K-15K using this method.

 

That captures what the budget gets you on the open market!
offshore blowup.

 

Some clear plastic sheet isn't UV resistant and will turn yellow left out in the sun.

 

Well,we don't know if it's inside or out, if it needs a top, if it's temporary or permanent, if it is dirt or visitors we're keeping out, or dimensions. If it is a short term display, it might b cheaper to hirer a security guard, The OP needs to come back.

 

Maybe the OP has realized his $3000 budget is a pipe dream for anything that isn't some hacked together mess of used crap like some are suggesting here.

 

In my opinion, the best AMBR display at this year's GNRS had no ropes or barriers. You could get quite close, but not quite touch the car that won.

 

Not disagreeing because lack of respect can happen anywhere, but GNRS (and SEMA) are a different public group than a museum. One would hope that going to a institution to view objects would only draw those who understand Look But Don't Touch. Sadly, this is not always the case.
Since OP hasn't returned it's speculation at this point, but I hope it's to capture attention, not for protection.