? For those running lexan or plexi windshield

How thick and which is better? Lexan or Plexiglas? Also any online sources for the stuff?

 

you should do a search..i think someone brought this subject up kinda recently.

_T

 

Lexan..A local car guy here (has 55 olds , craxy ass chop w/ lexan) He has no trouble & says lexan is stronger, & less scratch suseptible. Nascar car uses lexan. It works well @ 200 mph....should be good for you. Plus makking "chopped" window glass is cheaper & easier.-

 

I have a duplicate of a 52 stude windshield moulded at Shields Inc. Martinsville, In. They do Nascar windshields in Lexan but have a coating that is very scratch resistant. It was formed off the Studebaker windshield and the price was reasonable.
deChrome

 

It may help you to know that Lexan is a brandname and the material is actually polycarbonate. It comes in various thickness from .090" on up but 1/4, 3/8,and 1/2 inch are the most common. Polycarbonate can be purchased with a coating for abrasion resistance called Marguard. I personally shot a piece of 1/2" with a 22cal. long rifle from about 30 feet and the slug did not go through. It merely imbedded itself all knarly looking........cool. It is very easy to work with in that it can be machine with woodworking tools and/or metal working tools. It can also be thermo formed to shape and I have not found a solvent that totally messes it up, unlike plexiglass (acrylic) which crazes badly from solvents. I would think that 1/4" polycarbonate with marguard would be adequate for a car...... I plan on going with it for my 26 roadster. Oh yah, I plan on imbedding a bullet slug in a corner just to diss the fake bullet hole decal guys.

 

You say things soo Well, realy.......OLDBEET

 

3/16 lexan,its more expensive,but more plyable and stronger

 

You guys do know that stuff is illegal in all of the civillized world and some parts of Southern New Jersey??

 

were do we get this stuff ?? i am going to need this for my chop and rpu thanks tim

 

Like my shits legal???WTF???........OLDBEET

 

Check the Yellow pages for plastic suppliers. It comes from the factory in 4'x8' sheets. Also look for anyone locally that makes acrylic store fixtures as they may be able to turn you on to who distributes the stuff in your area.

 

any body know were i can get some polycarbonate ??i need some bad i have been looking for some for a while i looked at lowes and home depot but to thin. let me know tim

 

larger plastics stores carry it, also check for shops that build signs sometimes you can get scrap pieces to test for free

 

Call Bob @ Pro-Glass, www.proglasswindows.com , or PM me with size and shape or make and model and I will get you a quote.

I have used his stuff for 13 years and have little or no problem with it or him, I will not use anyone elses stuff, EVER!

I would use 3/16 or thicker if it is a large window.

Would ya'll like to see an online tech article on how I fit and install it??? Its on a Pro-Stock body but should get you a basic idea on how its done.

www.datinmanjay.com/windows1

 

I too have used only Proglass on all the prostock cars I have built and I would strongly recommend it. The cool thing about these windows is that they are shaped instead of being flat and obviously not glass.

 

He will also ship nation wide, 2-3 day turn around.

 

Lots of good info here, thanks guys. Looks like I'll go with 3/16. Tinman, is that the treated lexan in your link fron Proglass?

 

Nevermind, just saw it. Comes with Marguard II treatment.

 

Lexan of course, you could nail it without cracking if you wanted to.

 

hi tinman can you do that tech article on how you form the stuff i am looking to make a windshield for chopped plymouth.

 

When was the last time the windshield police came and knocked on your glass?

 

Another option is a guy named Figmo has a shop that specializes in just this. It's called Polyshields. Get him a template and he'll CNC cut to your form, then save for future work.

linky: http://www.polyshields.com/main.html

 

Bob @ Pro-Glass forms the stuff at his shop, almost everything he sell is pre-molded. it comes with a protective film on it as well. He has mold fpr most everything. He is also a Hot Rodder at heart, so if you have something unusual, he is able to find something close to get a mold from.

 

The racing industry uses this. Not exactly like Lexan. Pretty pricey though.

http://www.percyshp.com/speedglass_pages/all_applications.html

 

FYI,,,, all the nasty things I say in my tech page about the other than pro-glass windows are a direct result of deallings with Percy Speedglass. DO NOT USE PERCY'S WINDOWS,, You will regret it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bad optics, Coating does not stick, very bad curls around the edges, takes forever to get money back from them when they screw up. This is from my personal experience. oh yeah,, they also charged us a re-stocking fee on windows that were made to small for the application,, 25% for their fuck up!!!!DO NOT USE PERCY'S SPEEDGLASS!!!!!!

Sorry about the rant but these guys cost me a ton of time and money!!!

 

Sort of off the topic, but can you cut the polycarbonate windows with a verticle ban saw? I know this is probably an obvious answer.

 

Gee I'll just zoom on down to the local hardware stoor and ask for polycarbonate.
Lexan is a trade name but the average joe knows what you're talking about but polycarbonate? Even if you go to a supplier its not likely he's going to jump right on it if you ask for polycarbonate he's gonna say "ya mean lexan???"

Of the two plexi glass (also a trade name) is the least desirable. its brittle and less durable. "polycarbonate" or lexan as it is commonly known is better to work with and will stop bullets. Just incase you are ever driveing through a neighborhood of questionable repute.

 

Yes I cut the stuff all the time. We use it for machine guards at work. saber saws will cut it also. It in the thinner versions can also be bent 90 degrees with a sheet metal brake.
Dave

 

legal, illegal it's all up to the interpretation of the arresting officer (and yes, you are arrested when you are pulled over and step out of your car).

Check the local vehicle code if you're really going to worry about it...CA indicates windshields must be a "safety glazing" material. If pulled over you just have convince the arresting officer that Lexan tm is one such material. If the cops looking for something, he'll find it, otherwise it works.

Mark-Anthony

 

Why do you think the stuff is illegaL? Is there a safety reason like if you crash or something? I would think it would be better then safety glass/going through the windshield...and if its used on NasCar then...?
Always wondered that.