perspex or lexan side windows. - Ford Forums - Mustang Forum, Ford Trucks, Ford Focus and Ford Cars

72 xa coupe · 06-16-2004, 05:19

hi all i am in the process of putting the car on a diet and was wondering if anyone has had some success in making perspex or lexan side windows for cars with CURVED side glass.

I have made windows in the past but they were for straight glass side window cars so were not a problem.
I had a go with some left over material but when trying to get the bend right (damm coupe windows) the plastic when all hazey from the heat gun.
I got the window right but you could not see jack from them which is not what i want.

and if i can get it right would any other xa,b,c coupe owners be interested in getting a set of side windows? i have not checked up on legality of them yet so don't know if they will make vehicle unroadworthy or not,but who cruises with the windows up in summer anyway??????

SileNceR · 06-16-2004, 06:22

try putting some in a largeish oven, then bending it on top of some factory glass (that you've removed) and then cutting it back afterwards (not before)

provided it's heated well enough and done straight away AFAIK it shouldn't haze...

rod · 06-16-2004, 06:25

Lexan will flex no problems without heat, if you need heat to form the shape of the window i guess you are useing perspex, give it a miss because it will break with the vibration

regards
rod

72 xa coupe · 06-18-2004, 21:29

thanks for advise guys

rod:yeah i was using perspex mainly due to the fact that it has to look like an orginal window and still use the window reg to allow winding window up and down.

with regards to breakage of perspex i will look into it.

silencer:you are right but it would have to be large thats for sure i will keep stewing over this for a while.

rod · 06-18-2004, 22:29

if these windows are going into a street car you may have enother problem as i belive all windows on cars have to have some ADR markings on them

regards
rod

ZC-Cruiser · 06-19-2004, 16:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by rod

if these windows are going into a street car you may have enother problem as i belive all windows on cars have to have some ADR markings on them

Rod is 100% right there:

"Transparent material used in a windscreen, window or interior
partition of a motor vehicle manufactured after June 1953,
must have the characteristics required by any of the
following standards:

� Australian Standard AS 2080-1977, AS 2080-1983 or AS 2080-1995
� Economic Commission for Europe R-43/00
� British Standards Institution BS AU178-1980
� Japanese Industrial Standard JIS R 3211-1979, JIS R 3211-1985 or JIS R 3211-1992
� American National Standard ANSI Z26.1-1980
� New Zealand NZ 5443-1987."

There are plenty of other ways to get some weight off - have a look at the article on the XY Super Falcons in issue 12 of Australian Muscle Car mag.
There are loads of good clues there for cars wanting to diet :-)
How does a full race, Clevo powered XY weighint 1414kg sound? (Factory XY GT was 1575kg I think)

xacoupe · 06-19-2004, 19:48

the only problem with that falcon was that a good fart inside will probably have blown the doors off it !!
I wouild just use as many allow parts in the engine that you can .. you would save far more by doing that. The weight saving by using plastic windows would probably be the same as having a dump before the drive.

ZC-Cruiser · 06-19-2004, 20:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by xacoupe

The weight saving by using plastic windows would probably be the same as having a dump before the drive.

Exactly - I have seen sprintcar drivers spend $2000 on titanium bolts to save 1kg when they could have easily saved that much weight and some $$ besides just by laying off the cream buns a bit :-)

Stuff like drilling holes in the inner door skins, window regulators and other non visible panels is probably worthwhile as is using really light door trims, carpets etc...

Every ounce counts.

monty.v8 · 06-20-2004, 05:59

i have just taken a set off lexan windows out of my coupe (ex-drag car). they were all screwed in place, i.e. the side windows didn't go up and down. the drivers window had a metal rod fixed to the rear edge, as that door was the most regularly used and would flex if not supported.
i think it would be easier, as the other guys said, to concentrate on other areas as far as weight saving is concerned. my coupe had thin alloy door trims, fibreglass bonnet, the boot hinges and supports (the bits that go from the wheel tubs to the parcel shelf) removed, even the frame removed from the bootlid skin.
a friend of mine has an xc ute thats got fibreglass doors, bonnet and bumpers and holes drilled all through it. just the fibreglass panels and bumpers save a ton of weight. thats what i'd be doing :)

Phil

72 xa coupe · 06-22-2004, 04:31

i am or have already done some of the other weight reducing issues mentioned, its just that when i lift the spare set of windows up they feel heavy.might have to weigh them and see how much they really weigh and decide from there.
thanks for help all.