I work in gl***, any lexan, or plexi will scratch fairly easily and is normally more per sq foot than gl***, for flat laminated (w/s gl***). We normally dont recommend any kind of poly for a large opening, and even smaller openings should have at least 1/4" of material being "held" in. if your depth in the rubber is more than 1/4" inch than a 12" high w/s shouldnt come out ( and as the last poster said get 1/4 inch thick as well. it takes alot of force to bend it. I would still NOT i repeat NOT recommend it. As far as cutting a w/s down (flat is never a real issue, but even flat gl*** doesnt always "run" the way its meant to). There are allot of options beside cutting and running the gl***. you can sand blast through it, keep your cut line bigger than where you want it, then wet sand it down to an exact size. you need a to protect the area you want to keep or you will ruin it. If you have access to a water jet, it can be done that way as well. ive heard of people taking a 40? grit belt sander and grinding it all away. cutting with a gl*** cutter, ive seen people that have been doing it 30+ years and they still break upwards of 30%. personally ive tried it on old windshields i take out of new cars, i break at least 90% still. the gl*** saws are ok (basically a diamond wheel with water pouring on the cut), but the curved surface puts allot of stress on it. anyways good luck with it.
So to recap...It looks like you can use the stock rubber window seal providing you drive it like a rock crusher and never use the windshield wipers. Sounds good.
Tinted safety gl*** installed in a model a frame for 120.00 at a local auto gl*** shop. Whats all the fuss? If your gonna run on the street be safe.
Gl*** yes, lexan NO...........especially for a "full time" viewing portal (windshield). I ran lexan (polycoarbonite, Lexan is a trademark) in side windows in my Willys coupe for a VERY short period of time .........too many scratches from up and down, attempts at cleaning, etc. I even tried using carnuba wax to polish it. For the difference in weight and SAFETY in being able to see and NO GLARE reflections, I went to tinted SAFETY gl***. Yes, it is heavier, but I wanted to be able to see and NOT be blinded by scratches/glare and imperfections. And this is in side windows, not a windshield. Does your state have "safety inspections" requirement for licensing/registrations?....polycarbonite might not p***. And pretty sure your insurance underwriter won't cover you. Bite the bullet and go with the safety gl***.
While I am NOT advocating the use of Lexan or any other brand, a really good friend of mine had a chopped 58 Chevy tow truck back in the early 80's that had a polycarbonate windshield ,and he drove it at 70 for many years. I am guessing the ones that came out were either to short or to thin.He also used Rain X instead of wipers.That being said, it's a lot easier finding someone to cut a windshield today than it was back then.
I've had a poly windshield for 35 years - raced for 10 years, street driven since. It's held up well - no wipers though. Randy Millard (Henrysnephew)
Don't shoot the messenger, but quite honestly, then the truck isn't ready for the street. That's like saying I need $500 to replace the bald roller tires so I can drive it. Stay home and work on other things, save your money and do it right-with gl***. Its just part of the cost of having a chopped top. Aside from being illegal and a ***** to see through with wiper scratches, IMHO, chopped cars with lexan windshields never look as good as gl*** and make the car appear as if it was built in a hurry with short cuts to get it on the road, like seeing 80 grit scratches in the bodywork under primer.
probably a flat windshield and kept uuder 50 mph lexan needs to be screwed or riveted in and never try acrlic's
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