No Glass for Race Car?

[Mopar_Mike]

IMO leave the windshield factory. By the time it's reinforced and installed for a clean look, the weight reduction is not worth the effort. Lexan scratches, fogs-up and fit and finish are consuming.

I agree, going to leave front and back alone.

 

[HardcoreB]

I agree, going to leave front and back alone.

I did them ALL in my Valiant and used 1/8" Even thought the REAR window on my body has both concave and convex shapes, I was able to get it into a new 'factory' gasket and it's been over 160mph. I'd do all the windows expect the front IMO. I too did my vent window in lexan.

 

[fullmetaljacket]

I did them ALL in my Valiant and used 1/8" Even thought the REAR window on my body has both concave and convex shapes, I was able to get it into a new 'factory' gasket and it's been over 160mph. I'd do all the windows expect the front IMO. I too did my vent window in lexan.

3/16th thick Lexan windshield will slip right into the factory gasket with no need of a reinforced bar. It will be lighter than the factory glass even at the same thickness. Lexan, even the non scratch resistant pedigree, stays flawless for years only if you use the right material cloths, TLC and cleaners.
Never wipe Lexan clean with a dry cloth of any kind and no water. Dust is the enemy of Lexan and can eventually fog it up with minute scratches over time. This street car has been 132 MPH.

 

[RemCharger]

The vent window frames themselves must be made of pot metal as they are very heavy. Weight you don't need on a race car, plus they will fund race parts when sold.

I'm too much of a factory fat looking race car guy. I had considered trying to mock the wings with chrome stick on trim etc but the end of the day just need 1 more hp

IMO leave the windshield factory. By the time it's reinforced and installed for a clean look, the weight reduction is not worth the effort. Lexan scratches, fogs-up and fit and finish are consuming.

Have to agree. Real glass is a luxury .

3/16th thick Lexan windshield will slip right into the factory gasket with no need of a reinforced bar. It will be lighter than the factory glass even at the same thickness. Lexan, even the non scratch resistant pedigree, stays flawless for years only if you use the right material cloths, TLC and cleaners.
Never wipe Lexan clean with a dry cloth of any kind and no water. Dust is the enemy of Lexan and can eventually fog it up with minute scratches over time. This street car has been 132 MPH.

What is the penalty for a factory wind screen over the lexan?

 

[fullmetaljacket]

I'm too much of a factory fat looking race car guy. I had considered trying to mock the wings with chrome stick on trim etc but the end of the day just need 1 more hp

Have to agree. Real glass is a luxury .

What is the penalty for a factory wind screen over the lexan?

Mine was more or less 11 Lbs difference. That's weight high on the Totem pole.

 

[dvw]

The vent window frames themselves must be made of pot metal as they are very heavy. Weight you don't need on a race car, plus they will fund race parts when sold.

They were weighed on my 64, 11lbs. But if you want to have the side windows go up and down it saves a lot of fabrication.
Doug

 

[HardcoreB]

3/16th thick Lexan windshield will slip right into the factory gasket with no need of a reinforced bar. It will be lighter than the factory glass even at the same thickness. Lexan, even the non scratch resistant pedigree, stays flawless for years only if you use the right material cloths, TLC and cleaners.
Never wipe Lexan clean with a dry cloth of any kind and no water. Dust is the enemy of Lexan and can eventually fog it up with minute scratches over time. This street car has been 132 MPH.

Respectfully, I mentioned my speed for a couple of reasons. One being that I know on an A-body windshield about 160 the front windshield will distort in a concerning manor if it is not reinforced and YES 3/16" has been tested the same. That's why I used the thinner/lighter and a back-frame in the center. Certain body styles will vary because more curvature will make it more rigid. I'd guess at 150mph the 3/16 is fine but then who's installing it? How tight is it around the entire perimeter?! You are a craftsman and here I am not questioning your fit or finish. Conversely, I don't feel it should be done in a haphazard way for safety's sake. Second is that, specific to the rear, SO FAR it's held in place in the way I've mentioned. Which is a good gage for any considering the same. The new combo will be another 10+ mph faster so, hopefully I'll have the same results. Doug was the one who suggested the 1/8 in the rear was fine at his 150 on a similar roof-line. And to be honest I didn't think MY FIRST ENGINE (or the car in general) which is in Scott's car now would be that fast. E.G.-Build it once and build it 'right' with regard to any changes from OEM engineering.

 

[fullmetaljacket]

Respectfully, I mentioned my speed for a couple of reasons. One being that I know on an A-body windshield about 160 the front windshield will distort in a concerning manor if it is not reinforced and YES 3/16" has been tested the same. That's why I used the thinner/lighter and a back-frame in the center. Certain body styles will vary because more curvature will make it more rigid. I'd guess at 150mph the 3/16 is fine but then who's installing it? How tight is it around the entire perimeter?! You are a craftsman and here I am not questioning your fit or finish. Conversely, I don't feel it should be done in a haphazard way for safety's sake. Second is that, specific to the rear, SO FAR it's held in place in the way I've mentioned. Which is a good gage for any considering the same. The new combo will be another 10+ mph faster so, hopefully I'll have the same results. Doug was the one who suggested the 1/8 in the rear was fine at his 150 on a similar roof-line. And to be honest I didn't think MY FIRST ENGINE (or the car in general) which is in Scott's car now would be that fast. E.G.-Build it once and build it 'right' with regard to any changes from OEM engineering.

Hardcore B.
Good point on the different curvatures on certain cars that stress or destress glass.
I didn't get to mention in my hasty words that aside from slipping the OEM gasket onto the glass, I also screwed in near the ends where it curves more by the A-pillars. Just a few screws was enough on this car. In light of keeping stealth, the OEM gasket was then flipped over and locked in to conceal the fasteners. It's been a long time (20 + years) since this procedure was done.

For water seepage prevention and aero-dynamics, especially at the base by the cowl, I sealed it with a 3M windshield corking in black as another safety net. I trimmed the corking so as to blend it into the gasket itself. Eyes are on that shield at 132 mph and so far, it has been solid. The scoop up front behaves more radically understandably enough.
You are right though, certain shape windshields encounter different dynamic forces depending on their shapes fastenings and speeds.

 

[HardcoreB]

Hardcore B.
Good point on the different curvatures on certain cars that stress or destress glass.
I didn't get to mention in my hasty words that aside from slipping the OEM gasket onto the glass, I also screwed in near the ends where it curves more by the A-pillars. Just a few screws was enough on this car. In light of keeping stealth, the OEM gasket was then flipped over and locked in to conceal the fasteners. It's been a long time (20 + years) since this procedure was done.

For water seepage prevention and aero-dynamics, especially at the base by the cowl, I sealed it with a 3M windshield corking in black as another safety net. I trimmed the corking so as to blend it into the gasket itself. Eyes are on that shield at 132 mph and so far, it has been solid. The scoop up front behaves more radically understandably enough.
You are right though, certain shape windshields encounter different dynamic forces depending on their shapes fastenings and speeds.

 

[fullmetaljacket]

View attachment 1923712

Is this your car? If so, that's a flat plane of glass more or less and not as sloped to be slippery. I would think that the base by the scoop creates a vacuum of high pressure at high speeds along the center bottom edge of the glass.

 

[HardcoreB]

Is this your car? If so, that's a flat plane of glass more or less and not as sloped to be slippery. I would think that the base by the scoop creates a vacuum of high pressure at high speeds along the center bottom edge of the glass.

Yessir. It's got some decent arch to it PLUS I added a little (because I could! and thought I ain't gonna hurt aero) The scoop is sealed everywhere around the carbs and the scoop lays on the windshield with a rubber insulator. FWIW the distortion from impact winds is prevalent at the roofline in the center of the shield.

 

[fullmetaljacket]

Yessir. It's got some decent arch to it PLUS I added a little (because I could! and thought I ain't gonna hurt aero) The scoop is sealed everywhere around the carbs and the scoop lays on the windshield with a rubber insulator. FWIW the distortion from impact winds is prevalent at the roofline in the center of the shield.

View attachment 1923722

Strange how air and water find their way into and around things. Beautiful pocket rocket of a car you've got there. A close friend of mine here in NY sold his super, super clean post sedan Signet several years back. It was a a great candidate for a race piece.