Roadster Drivers - What do you use for eye protection

The windshield on my T only comes up to about mouth level on me so I get a lot of wind blast. I find that regular sunglasses don't give me enough wind protection , making it hard to drive.

I went to a motorcycle shop and they sold me a pair of Wiley-X XL-1s. They work pretty darn well and I like the interchangable lenses but the quality was disappointing. After a few months, one of the lenses would pop loose and the foam padding is separating from the frame. I figure for $100 they should be more durable than that... especially since they're for motorcycle use which is harsher than the way I use them.

So what are you guys using?? Pics if possible.

Thanks,

Rick

 

The correct answer of course is a GINUWINE WW I aviator's cap and goggles. There was a great pic from HOPUP Mag a year or 2 ago but I seem to have lost it.

Choice 2 is a Top Fuel Mask and helmet. It's hotter than hell, but you'll find people will move out of your way when they check the mirror!

 

good question -- I'm driving with sun glasses too, but it doesn't work at night, so I have a second pair with clear lenses too ----- the ww googles are cool,but what do you do after riding few houres in summer?? - looks kind of funny - that white eyes -- good idea are those side wind wings on the windshield - but I don't like them -- hmm so what to do??

 

Can you lower the seat and get out of the wind?

My 32 had stock seats in it when first running and the top bar of the windshield was at eye level.
Dropping down about 3" or so due to a new seat made all the difference in the world.

When the tops off, the bubble of air floats right over the car so sunglasses/clear glasses do the job.

 

move your seat down???

have you tried saftey glasses? they come tinted and clear.
Clark

 

C9 you beat me to it
Clark

 

Both you guys beat me to it. But this is a tall guy.

I have worn motorcycle goggles when it was raining real hard.

 

[ QUOTE ]
The correct answer of course is a GINUWINE WW I aviator's cap and goggles. There was a great pic from HOPUP Mag a year or 2 ago but I seem to have lost it.

Choice 2 is a Top Fuel Mask and helmet. It's hotter than hell, but you'll find people will move out of your way when they check the mirror!

[/ QUOTE ]

I hadn't thought about the Aviators cap & goggles... it would also help with the bald spot sunburn since I can't wear a hat in the damn thing. And actually, I do have a top-fuel style helmet. I don't know if it fits or not. It's a full-face with a nomex liner and neck piece. It's got flames and a hand painted "Mother's Worry" on the back.. I bought it as an "object d'art."

 

[ QUOTE ]
Can you lower the seat and get out of the wind?

My 32 had stock seats in it when first running and the top bar of the windshield was at eye level.
Dropping down about 3" or so due to a new seat made all the difference in the world.

When the tops off, the bubble of air floats right over the car so sunglasses/clear glasses do the job.

[/ QUOTE ]

Seats are about as low as they can go but I'm gonna replace it at some point. It's got a back seat out of a import wagon and my butt gets sore after about 90 minutes or so. Wanna get something more comfy for long distance cruising. I also wanna move the seat back a little to pick up a little leg room.

Top??? what top???

 

[ QUOTE ]
Both you guys beat me to it. But this is a tall guy.

I have worn motorcycle goggles when it was raining real hard.



[/ QUOTE ]

Tall Guy and a short car! I can't imagine channeling it!

 

roadster - you're realy sitting cool - must be great sitting that low
I cant realy hide

 

Oakley X metal juliets with the rudy lenses and i use them for my bike too,aslo they will protect you from a high velocity stone ,i know it becuase they done it for me at 80mph on the bike not even a scratch on the lens ......Marq

 

I need to lower my seat after I chopped the windshied but that means a complete seat redo. I found several different style aviator goggles and leather helmets at the Motor cycle shows. I found a gennie set with some great patina at York last year. It makes me wonder if they ever flew over Europe. So far nobody has taken them from my rear view mirror.

 

[ QUOTE ]
Both you guys beat me to it. But this is a tall guy.

I have worn motorcycle goggles when it was raining real hard.



[/ QUOTE ]

Those are for a motorcycle Rudy? This whole time I was wondering where your snorkle was!!!!

 

Switch to a yellow tinted sunglass at night, it actually makes it easier to see because it only eliminates the glare.

I have a set of Black Flys that work great.
Photo courtesy of Rick Amado.

 

Glen nailed it on the damn head.

 

i use my hands

 

I caught a bee in the face driving a Jeep with the windshield down once. Friggin' hurt.

Like marq said, Oakley sunglasses will stop a shotgun blast. Do aviator goggles have glass or plastic lenses? A stone in the eye will put a damper on your day.

 

I wear a pair of "Bobster Cruiser 2" goggles when I ride, paid about $25 @ a bike shop, interchangeable lenses inc yellow. Plan on wearing them on trips when & if I ever get my roadster up. Had em about a year, like em a lot. Wear a ballcap backwards to protect the "gracefully thinning portion of my head" that is not totally covered in grey hair. Helments are too hot, cant hear, limit visibility.'course they keep you from cracking your noggin but I try not to go down.

 

I wear original Gargoyles on my bike & used Gargoyles Legends in my roadster. Overall, I prefer the Gargoyles & they are certified to stop a .22 cal pellet, so offer great eye protection - the reason I bought Legends is the interchangeable lenses, so I wouldn't have to carry a clear pair at night, but I prefer the original Gargoyles - I don't get any air in at all with them...

 

My wife bought me a pair of these goggles for my birthday. They are OK but not great.

On long drives with just my normal glasses on, I find my eyes get dry and bother me for a while.

http://www.classicgoggles.com/goggles/merchant.mv?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=CG&Category_Code=spyder

 

Check out this site for goggles . . .

http://www.uswings.com/barnstormer.asp


Aircraft Spruce & Specialty Co. has a neat canvas flying helmet that's great for sun and wind protection.

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/avpages/flyinghelmets.php

 

The helmet . . .

 

Here's a source for new military goggles. We used to call them "tankers' goggles." Fourteen bucks and they usually come with clear and some other color lenses.

http://www.imsplus.com/ims31.html

 

[ QUOTE ]
roadster - you're realy sitting cool - must be great sitting that low
I cant realy hide


[/ QUOTE ]

Rainer: I have a car very similar to yours under construction.
It's a roller right now, but complete except for plumbing, wiring, paint and drive train rebuild.
(A 30-31 body fwiw.)
It also has a 4" deep firewall setback to accomodate the 455 Buick.

It has more legroom than my 32 roadster with flat firewall.
That due mainly to an overly thick back cushion on the 32.
Granted, that's trying it out with an aluminum racing seat with very thin upholstery, but the aluminum seat will not be used because the car is going on the street.
The back cushion will be about 1 1/2 - 2" thick and may be sunk into the trunk a ways. Something I should have done with the 32's back cushion. Live and learn although the 32 isn't too bad to spend the day in. I'm 6' tall and have a 32" inseam fwiw.

The seats planned for the 31 may be buckets, but will probably be a plywood bench seat with foam cushions like the 32 has.

Plywood based seats are easy to make.
I used the 32 sheet metal riser on the 32 (and plan to use one on the 31) and cut 5/8" Birch veneer plywood for the base and back. (Veneer plywood has no voids as compared to regular plywood and isn't that expensive - one sheet (4 x 8') makes base and back with quite a bit left over.

A lot of guys cut out the base where your butt sits and staple webbing on underneath. That helps get you lower. The well formed by the cutout and webbing is filled with a firm foam and the seat base and back are covered with a not quite as firm foam and some softer foam - three grades of firmness in all in case you lost count.
Be sure and have some tilt-back for the back cushion as well as some lumbar support.
Build up the front of the seat base foam to support the backs of your knees.
Both the lumbar and knee support are very important and the firmness of the foam chosen makes a big difference as well.
The upholsterer will tell you what to use.

One good test is to cover the foamed base and back with a beach towel or similar (to keep from tearing the foam during entry/exit) and drive the car for a couple of days before the upholstery cover is added.

If you can swing it financially and you're not using cloth or tweed, use leather for the cover. It stays a lot cooler than does naugahyde.
I upholstered my 32 in stages, carpets, side panels and was going to do the seat last. I'm really glad I did it that way. Was easier to budget each bit every payday and the most important part was when we took the 32 to breakfast on a warm summer morning.
On leaving the restaurant I touched the naugahyde inside the doors and it was really hot. There was no way I could live with naugahyde seats and went for a velour looking cloth instead.
The cloth turned out to be a good choice. Ten years down the road it still looks good and more importantly it's still cool to the touch even with the top off.
Here's a pic of the cloth seat, taken 3-4 years ago, but it still looks good and there's 40,000 miles on the car.

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Roadstar - if you don't mind my asking, how tall are you?
You sit down in your roadster just right to my eye.
I wouldn't mind duplicating that for my 32 and am aiming that way for the 31.

Could you pass along the info on what seat you're using?
Or how you built it?

 

I went down to Harbor Freight and pick up a several pair of Safety glasses ($3). Kind of that wrap around style, they have various lens colors. I dig the yellow for night and flat light driving and the shadedfor day. The wrap around tends to keep the dust swirl effect down and keeps the bugs out. If they get scratched, toss'em, they're only $3. I have several pair for the unroadsterfied rider. I think you should take the motorcycle goggles back get your hundred bucks and by a few pair of these and go to a nice dinner or something.
Cheers.

 

C9 - I also cut out the base - now I'm sitting around 2 inch over the floor - I've changed the back foam too because it was to straight --- now that's much better --- anyway -- absolut good article you've wrote!!

 

The following links are from my site's Safety Equipment page, at http://www.roadsters.com/safety/

Classic Goggles, Inc.
http://www.classicgoggles.com/

Doggles
http://www.doggles.com/

Eye Ride
http://www.eyeride.com/

SportRX Prescription Eyewear
http://www.sportrx.com/

Also, for those of you who are building seats, consider using 3/8" Shocktec gel for padding. The manufacturer sent me some samples, and it's amazing. This is a patented gel that unlike other gels is always a solid, so it won't ooze when you slice it. You can pinch it as hard as you can and you won't be able to bottom it. If you visit my shop I'll take a piece of it, 3/8 of an inch thick, hold it up to a concrete wall, and punch it hard. This is what I'm going to use for seat padding in both of my cars and for roll cage padding in the roadster. It's made by:

Kemmler Products, Inc.
http://www.kemmlerproducts.com/

 

This sounds silly but my Kool Daddys(KD biker sunglasses)are awsome for keepin wind out when I'm riding. I had a pair of larger and wraparound RayBan's that sucked but the KD's are way smaller with opwn sides and are awsome for the wind.
-Jesse

 

i vote for the KD's (aka 64's) as well. $5 at the gas station. yellow for day or night. cool thing is for the price you don't have to worry about them. i wear a beanie pulled right down to the top rim of the sunglasses, no burn't forehead and your hair stays back.