making perspex / polycarbonate windows

Status
This is not open for further replies. We close very old threads, and if this is the case, please start a new one on the same topic.

chunky

RMS Regular
Messages
3,613
Location
Ards
Drives
Lots
I'm going to have a crack at making some polycarbonate/perspex windows for my track car project. I'm confident enough taking the old glass out and making new ones.

Of the 2 what's the best material to use and what thickness. I'm doing the rear window which is short and has a fair curve in it so wanna keep it thin to make it handier ( and lighter )

Also where in Belfast / North Down area is best for buying this.

Any help appreciated.
 

Graham

RMS Photographer
Messages
32,993
Location
By the sea
Drives
Press Cars
Yup that's who done the mates wee fiesta. I dropped off the stock windows and they uses these as templates
 

chunky

RMS Regular
OP
chunky
Messages
3,613
Location
Ards
Drives
Lots
Much they charge?

If its the right doh I would do that tho ill happily buy the materials and do it myself. I think making the template is the easy bit tbh.

You can buy both front sides for 60 quid and both rear sides for 50 or so off ktec so makes me think the sheets must he cheap if that's all them strokers charge.
 

chunky

RMS Regular
OP
chunky
Messages
3,613
Location
Ards
Drives
Lots
Cool I will be onto them Monday. Any thoughts on perspex over poly?
 

chunky

RMS Regular
OP
chunky
Messages
3,613
Location
Ards
Drives
Lots
Maybe a blond moment but is a windscreen a no go?
 

Daviddunlop83

RMS Regular
Messages
8,160
Location
N.Ireland
Cool I will be onto them Monday. Any thoughts on perspex over poly?

Polycarbonate will be much stronger, than Perspex.

We had to use polycarbonate for a safety cage in work as the cutter spins at 24000 rpm. Perspex would have just shattered should the cutter hit it.
 

weeloaney

RMS Regular
Messages
19,046
Location
Fermanagh
Drives
Mazda 3 MPS AERO
Regards to the rear window curve, that will disappear with perspex or polycarbonate. It's flexible and will just lay pretty flat compare to the glass which has been made with the curve.

Will still be a slight curve, but not to the same extent.

I wouldn't worry about this but just a heads up
 

Graham

RMS Photographer
Messages
32,993
Location
By the sea
Drives
Press Cars
yup perpex wiill burst into pieces if in a crash, poly wont and for MSA regs the fiestas have to use 4mm poly i think it was

for his bill, both sides and rear was 200ish
 

Graham

RMS Photographer
Messages
32,993
Location
By the sea
Drives
Press Cars
Thats a great price, do they look okay fitted graham? Are they good quality?

quality of cut and the fit was absolutely flawless. They are fitted using the standard window rubbers with the fronts screwed into the frame to stop them going up or down.

Due to the softness of the material they scratch and score like mad though and these cannot be buffed out.

10153015_10152313556050056_1240066126_n.jpg
 

weeloaney

RMS Regular
Messages
19,046
Location
Fermanagh
Drives
Mazda 3 MPS AERO
Tho you save a good bit of weight if you remove all the side and rear glass and use plastic
 

Bono872

RMS Regular
Messages
4,156
Drives
Audi
Polycarbonate all the way as said above- much stronger material for purpose. If you want a panel that doesn't scratch or cause marks easily invest a few extra quid in single (or double) side hard coat polycarbonate. It is fantastic stuff. We show customers a test piece of hard coat and a piece of normal poly and invite them to scratch each panel with wire wool. Difference is night and day.

@Graham is the panel curved? So was it thermo formed by mc mordies or did they just flat cut the panels to fit the fiesta?
 

Graham

RMS Photographer
Messages
32,993
Location
By the sea
Drives
Press Cars
Polycarbonate all the way as said above- much stronger material for purpose. If you want a panel that doesn't scratch or cause marks easily invest a few extra quid in single (or double) side hard coat polycarbonate. It is fantastic stuff. We show customers a test piece of hard coat and a piece of normal poly and invite them to scratch each panel with wire wool. Difference is night and day.

@Graham is the panel curved? So was it thermo formed by mc mordies or did they just flat cut the panels to fit the fiesta?

Flat cut mate Because RACE CAR lol
 

sam_9n

RMS Regular
Messages
5,122
Was interested in these myself, I assume they are fairly easy to scratch? And after a while look dull?

That's something I was told to try put me off them
 

weeloaney

RMS Regular
Messages
19,046
Location
Fermanagh
Drives
Mazda 3 MPS AERO
They do scratch easy and cloudy when they do. You could always have a clear film stuck to the outside to protect it from washing. Like a clear tint. And can be replaced.
 

Bono872

RMS Regular
Messages
4,156
Drives
Audi
That's people using regular poly over hard coat which is a coated poly which is much harder to scratch. More expensive but worth it of you're worried about scratches and cloudy dull effect. We have single sided hard coat in 4mm in stock and various other thickness for double sided.

Try my place- Comco Plastics Belfast.
We have CNC machines for routering to shape too.

Maybe @natogreen16v could post up the differences as I left a sample kit with him the other week
 

chunky

RMS Regular
OP
chunky
Messages
3,613
Location
Ards
Drives
Lots
Interesting. Will price just supply and the reproduction as well. I'm trying to keep the budget down.... A few places online are selling 5mm poly windscreens but there dear. Sides and rear is all i'm going for.

Any prices for 4 mm sheet or thinner as it's only for trackdays supply only?
 

RCT

RMS Regular
Messages
2,470
They can get scratched, even the proper poly ones, but the likes of the plastic headlamp cleaning kits brings them up again. Well that's what I use on my various rally car windows. If you can cover the car if its sitting outside a lot, then they won't fade and go cloudy. That's what happened my mini with the previous person that owned it. These needed replaced.

Just clean them with a cheap microfibre cloth and they won't scratch, blue roll cloth will scratch them.
 

chunky

RMS Regular
OP
chunky
Messages
3,613
Location
Ards
Drives
Lots
The cars road legal(ish) and I've no garage so cloudy windows would be a pain. If I made them myself for cheap enough then it wouldn't be a big deal ....

.... swaying now to the ones sold by acw motorsport, 95 quid will buy 2 front side windows with slider vents in 4 mm poly.. Not a bad idea as I can get 40 quid a side for the window regs and it'll help the weight saving. Whereas if I've no vents ill need to keep my window regs. I think just bite the bullet and buy them then just make the 2 quarter windows and the rear myself out of 4 mm or less polycarbonate.
 
Status
This is not open for further replies. We close very old threads, and if this is the case, please start a new one on the same topic.
Top