PA Hillclimb

gdh57 wrote:

Mel Horn wrote:
Male graduate of an educational institution: Alumnus
More than one: Alumni
Female graduate of an educational institution: Alumna
More than one: Alumnae
Gender neutral and who really cares: Alumni

Now that I didn't know!

Good thing I is an engineer. My speeling is worse than my grammer...

Grace

Got the diploma, dinchya? That's really all that matters!

I don't understand why your going to Lexan windows. Same thickness of Lexan will almost weigh as much as the orginal glass window. Where you really save weight is in the rubber molding. In many cases, the rubber will out weigh the glass window. In all the GT cars I build, I use GE4000 brand Lexan. We make all side & rear windows out of 1/8"(.125) material. We mount it to the body with pop rivets. ALLWAYS drill the holes in the Lexan oversize to allow for the expansion of the rivets. We drill the holes in the Lexan aprox 1/16"(.062) oversize. Weigh everthing and you'll see what I'm talking about.

As I said in my original post (or at least meant to imply), I know pretty much nothing about lexan, and have just started looking into it.

I will weigh everything! The point of going to Lexan is to reduce weight. If it isn't that much lighter than glass, I won't bother. I had read that lexan in the same thickness as glass is about 1/3 weight. But it sounds like that source was unreliable.

The rubber moulding on the Scirocco is not that substantial, and I would be very surprised to find out it weighed more than the window glass, especially in the hatch. But the only reason I had thought to keep the original width and reuse the rubber seals was to keep the car from leaking. I do not yet have a permanent garage -- it lives in a tent (aka the ghetto garage ) -- but even if I did, I'd still like to keep the car waterproof. But maybe pop-riveting and caulk will be enough to seal it.

Anyway, I have a good place to start. Thanks for the info, and I definitely will look closer at the weight / thickness...

Grace

I don't understand why your going to Lexan windows. Same thickness of Lexan will almost weigh as much as the orginal glass window.

Huh?

Lexan density is 1.2 g/cc
Glass density is 2.4 g/cc

So any window with the same dimensions will way half as much as glass when copied in lexan.

That's true. That's the only reason anyone puts Lexan in is weight, it's not safer.

Still looking for Lexan? I wish I had planned a little better. Found myself scrambeling at the last minute for Lexan and didn't have have time to ask if anyone still needed some. Just ordered 48"x24" sheets from "Aircraft Spruce" on line. Cost $29.95 per piece plus shipping. Needed it 2nd day so it cost me a little more. If anyone is still interested we could place a bulk order and combine freight. They are available in any 2 foot incriment dimentions. Let me know if you are interested.

I haven't gotten around to the lexan yet. First there was the rollcage and interior to paint, then when the recoats were done and paint dried, the oil pump went, and before I knew it, the season started...

Where did the winter go anyway ??

Anyway, assuming nothing breaks this weekend, this is next on the list.

Grace