Moparchat - Home of MOPAR enthusiasts worldwide!



Go Back   Moparchat - Home of MOPAR enthusiasts worldwide! > Technical Forums > Performance Talk

Click here to search for Mopar cars and parts for sale.


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 07-07-2002, 01:02 AM
Tim_K Tim_K is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Southwest Pennsylvania
Posts: 899
Idea Heat forming plexiglass windows ?

I'm building a '74 Duster to be a drag racing car. It'll be used for street and strip driving. To save weight, I'd like to use plexiglass / lexan for the side and rear windows. However, since each window has some amount of curve to it, will this idea work?

I thought I could take the glass windows out one at a time, and lay then down flat, them lay a piece of plexiglass / lexan on top of them. Then heat them up, either in an oven or over a fire or something. The plexiglass / lexan would soften and conform to the shape of the glass window. Then I remove it from the heat source, let it cool, mark the edges, pop the 2 pieces apart, trim out the plexiglass / lexan along the lines, and have formed lightweight windows for the car!

Will this work? Or will the glass go bad in the heat before the plexiglass / lexan? Or is there some other problem with this scheme?

And on a Duster, once you remove the rear side window assemblies from the car, how the F$%K do you get the glass out of the frame? I can't see any way to do it without cutting apart the frame.
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 07-07-2002, 10:59 AM
rumblefish360's Avatar
rumblefish360 rumblefish360 is offline
Moparchat Bronze member
 
Join Date: May 2000
Location: C
Age: 57
Posts: 11,120
Default

WOW! Ahhh sounds OK in theroy. But, you can really save more weight else where. Windows are such a minor savings. There are place's that make lexon windows. Try a search and/or ask in the drag racing forum.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 07-07-2002, 03:51 PM
Tim_K Tim_K is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Southwest Pennsylvania
Posts: 899
Every pound out of the car will make it go faster. A few here, and a few there, next thing you know, it's 2600# with me in it!

So, will the heat thing work, or will I destroy the glass windows in the process?
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 07-07-2002, 04:14 PM
jimmycarter jimmycarter is offline
Inactive User
 
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: texas
Age: 44
Posts: 140
Default

i imagine you'll crack the window if you put it over a heat source that hot. i know an iron gets hot enough to crack a glass kitchen table.

im pretty sure most people lay the lexan on top of the glass, and just use a heat gun or a real hot hair blow dryer
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 07-07-2002, 10:05 PM
rumblefish360's Avatar
rumblefish360 rumblefish360 is offline
Moparchat Bronze member
 
Join Date: May 2000
Location: C
Age: 57
Posts: 11,120
Default

Good idea Jimmy. The oven may heat to quickly, even at low temps to cintrol the bending of the Lexan.
Let us know how you do.
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Windows XP Shatto Off-Topic Forum 3 01-04-2010 11:52 AM
Windows north-valiant Restoring your MoPar (Tricks & techniques) 1 01-30-2006 01:03 AM
Condensation forming on race car Billy Humphrey Drag Racing Forum 6 11-19-2003 03:24 PM
Plexiglass vsccman Performance Talk 11 10-29-2002 11:29 AM
Windows on my new Ram predHed Ram Truck Chat 1 10-24-2001 12:19 AM




All times are GMT -4. The time now is 01:43 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
. . . . .