[GI] Lexan hatch windows for real.

[Ryan]

^ Not quite as funny because I'm sure you could get it in limo tint b/c you can't see anything but birds and semi cabs out of it anyway.

Not sure if the cops would understand that though. Its the little hatch glass that I look through all the time

Wouldn't 3 people be prime for hatch installation? two to hold, one to align and bolt on?

[fowljesse]

^ Not quite as funny because I'm sure you could get it in limo tint b/c you can't see anything but birds and semi cabs out of it anyway.

Not sure if the cops would understand that though. Its the little hatch glass that I look through all the time

Wouldn't 3 people be prime for hatch installation? two to hold, one to align and bolt on?

I considered doing fiberglass for the big window, and using a backup camera.
If you really do just use the little window, you should do my mod. It's 2x as big! Also, it's lighter.
It was pretty easy for just me and Cjthor, and me & Mooneggs to remove, attatch, and remove the rear hatch (2 at a time). With 3, it would be really easy.
I need the hatch window, because I'm tall. My head rubs the roof.

[hgallegos915]

any updates?

[EZ_4_FUN]

I'll be heading over to a local plastics manufacturer here in Toronto on Friday( Laird Plastics).

Hopefully they have a plycarb with tint in stock. My plan is to pick up a thin sheet; using cardboard, cut out a template and rivet it on a CF hatch.

Seems like the quickest and cheapest alternative.

I'll let you all know how it goes once I have further progressed with it.

[fowljesse]

This is it, homies..
For 3/16" Polycarbonate (Markolon= the best mar-resistant, and shatterproof), it will cost $350. I can possibly talk him down, especially if I have cash.
This way, your hatch will look OEM (unless it's CF ), using the rubber, and all, with no distortions around rivets, and no possibility of the rivets coming out. We decided that rivets would have too much tension on them ESPECIALLY for a daily driver, and wouldn't work with any kind of sound system.
I'm excited about this!
The material is about $100 U.S. per sheet ($97, I think) I could maybe get a discount if I buy in bulk. The shaping, and cutting to spec is about $250, which would come down, like I said, with cash, and bulk..
I CAN NOT afford to put any money up front, so, I'll have to use my MX-3.com cred, and maybe Mooneggs', and Cjthor's, too . I would need $350 up front, and if the price comes down with enough people, I'd credit the extra toward shipping.
The guy I talked to has done many racecars, boats, M/Cs, including windshields (which I'm going to do = illegal for road use.. SSsshhhh).

Remember, you can get these for about $600 from MazdaSpeed. I haven't looked into it, but I doubt they use 3/16" Markolon.

[EZ_4_FUN]

How big are the sheets? are these tinted sheets?

I have sourced 3/16" tinted polycarb 4'x8' sheet for $240 CDN cost. It looks like factory tint and of course is transparent.

I'm picking it up tomorrow. I'll post pics up once i pick it up.

With a bead of silicone to absorb any vibrations and to weatherproof, my engineering experience tells me rivets will be more than enough to hold the polycarb in place.

There is no way you will generate enough force from inside the car to blow out the window

Force= pressure* area

the area is not that big and i cant imagine the pressure inside the car will be anywhere near critical.

[hppwdn]

I have sourced 3/16" tinted polycarb 4'x8' sheet for $240 CDN cost. It looks like factory tint and of course is transparent.

Is that $240 CDN for a piece formed like the stock glass or just a sheet? Fowljesse's sheet cost was only $100 USD and the $350 was for a sheet formed like the stock glass that would install and look like it was stock, eliminating the need for rivets. IMO, unless it's strictly a race car I would much rather have one that installed without using rivets purely for aesthetics.

[EZ_4_FUN]

Is it tinted lexan or not?

[EZ_4_FUN]

Again, what size sheet?

Im getting 4'x8' tinted polycarb for $240 Canadian.

Im not 100% certain but i may be able to get 2 parts per sheet.

No 3m tint stuck to it, this is impregnated into the polycarb.

I'll have some pics tomorrow. They only have 2 sheets of this in stock!

This is just a cheaper alternative in case we don't have enough guys.
Given the fact that only 10 were sold of which im still holding 4 in my possesion...

[fowljesse]

My sheets are not tinted, but I can certainly get them that way. I don't remember exactly the size of the sheet. They are just big enough to have a few inches of margin. They are Markolon, for better mar resistance than Lexan.

My concern for rivets is that there will be alot of tension in the "Glass", against the rivets. It will certainly hold, with enough of them, but will be distorted all around the edge, and you'll need to hold the material in place while you rivet, to keep tension off the individual rivets... plus, it didn't seem that the hatches were thick enough all the way around, and there was too much space to rivet through both layers (inside, and outside). I'm glad you're doing it, and am looking forward to the results. Ice racing did it, and it turned out fine for racing. Of course, he had a metal hatch.

[hgallegos915]

still interested

[Mooneggs]

My sheets are not tinted, but I can certainly get them that way.

I thought the whole idea of getting clear lexan was to tint on both sides to protect it from scratching... if you just get it tinted you are still going to need to protect it somehow right?

[hgallegos915]

I wouldnt want a tinted one, it reduces cost and plus I can install my own film to protect it, or wouldnt it be easier to install the film after you guys get them made and then charge a bit extra for it instead?

[Flyer]

Reason #7843860 as to why unemployment sucks

[fowljesse]

It would lower the overall cost if we got a big sheet of tint/ protectant, and did them all at once, or just send pre-cut sheets.
I agree.. unemployment sucks