[dogstar]

how difficult would it be to install plexiglas windows in the rear quarters and hatch?

im thinking i could save a few pounds, and also make it a lot harder to break through the hatch.
i value my possessions, and i figure itd be well worth the expense of a sheet of plexi to come back to the car after someone had tried to break a hatch made from it.

might find a dent and some scratches, but that would be about it.

and of course, i might have to illegally replace my door windows with plexi too... depending how hard the other ones are to bend/install.

 

[batmobile]

Not hard at all! If you buy it at home depot or some hardware store, im sure they can cut it to the specific dimensions. Good luck on the project!

 

[supra_toy]

As I remember from replacing the rear 1/4 glass it has a slight curvature to it. You would have to have it shaped before you could install it. A old oven and some trial and error and I'd imagine you would be able to make the correct curvature to make it fix.

I've pondered this my self, I'm getting sick of replacing the glass in my supra(s).

will

 

[Tommy]

I wouldn't use plexiglas because it scatches too easily, and will discolor/turn white/yellow over time.
A better alternative would be to use a version of Lexan known as "Neva-mar" (sp?). It is what we used on our drag cars and is more UV resistant and has greater surface hardness to resist scatching when you're washing regularly etc. It can be drilled easily and conforms better too IMO.

Don't get anywhere near it with brakleen (or any other chlorinated solvent) either!!

It is $pendier tho .
Jamie

 

[SupraFiend]

The stuff home depot sells comes in 2 flavours, 10x stronger then glass and 100x stronger then glass. Both claim to be fade & yellowing free, as well as highly scratch resistent. Again, a little pricy. I don't know about shapping it to fit the curveature of the glass. That seems like it would be really hard to do without the proper equipment for it.

 

[supra_toy]

take the old glass and put the plexie on top of that and then stick the whole thing in the oven. The plexie (or whatever you decide to use) should conform to the shape of the glass a little extra shaping and trimming to get it just right and you should be good to go.

will

 

[Tire Shredder]

Would it be a good idea when doing this to clean the mating side of the plexi thuroughly along with long with the glass before putting in the oven? I'm thinking this would keep your plexi nice and clear so it won't be dull when you are done because of small pot marks from tiny flecks of dirt that were on the plexi/glass. Just a thought, I don't know if alcohol would eat the plexi or not but alteast try and keep it very clean.

Also will, what did you use to seperate the glass and plexi when finished? does it come off fairly easily? and lastly what tools did you use to cut the edgest perfectly to match the stock glass? would it be a good idea to put down some tape on the areas to be cut to prevent chipping?

Steve

 

[SupraFiend]

take the old glass and put the plexie on top of that and then stick the whole thing in the oven. The plexie (or whatever you decide to use) should conform to the shape of the glass a little extra shaping and trimming to get it just right and you should be good to go.

will

Sounds great in theory

 

[StanS]

Also will, what did you use to seperate the glass and plexi when finished?

Get hold of some Silicone "mold release" and place between glass and plastic. Try out a small piece on a test run.

 

[supra_toy]

Sounds great in theory

ya I've never done this myself but it sounds like it would work... :lol:

 

[batmobile]

I just got a huge sheet of the think lexan. Im going to rebuild my back hatch with fiberglass and lexan. I will tell you how it comes out. Fiberglassing starts tomorrow. Lexan will work, it is bendable and if you can squeeze it into where you want it and glue it, it will stay.

I wouldnt try the oven thing, Anything over 600 degrees and it will catch on fire.

 

[Angkistrodon]

I'm not worried about weight savings.....YET! Just about a nice runner, so I don't want to put plexi in.

My car is also still painted with primer so no one want to break into it. Do you guys(with you painted cars) really have that much of a problem with break-ins so as to replace the back glass with plexi?

OT sorry....
Plexi is very easy to work with in the oven....a few years ago I made a custom cage for my Day geckos with plexi from the Home Depo. I placed the sheets over Lg. tin pipes I cut into thirds or quaters in the oven at 300-350 F for a few hours and they bent slightly, buts thats all I was looking for.
You would need a big oven to do something the size on the rear hatch glass though.

What about the defrost??????

 

[dogstar]

defrost isnt an issue for me, since i dont plan for this car to see winter anyways.

the hatch "glass" doesnt really need a curvature... IF you can get it mount ed, itll curve all on its own.

still thinking about this, but too many other things on the go... turbo, wheels, brakes... lol, you know, important things.

and yeah, my area sucks, had two vehicles broken into in two years.

 

[supra_toy]

Just wire up a small heater blower in the back. This sounds like a great project. Please take lots of pictures and write stuff down I would be very interested in this myself... You could make the spoiler / sunshade just the way you want it.

 

[batmobile]

yea Dogstar I agree, The back hatch doesnt really need any curvature at all. It can be flat. But if you cut the plexi a bit larger than the diameter of the hole, The plexi will bend upwards to fit. Any then you have a nice small curved bubble on your car.

 

[82supra 86lude]

and whatever u do dont rush in cuting plexi glass, if u move a saw to fast(or make the mistake i did and use a jigsaw) the glass will melt on the gut lines, not really a big deal but having to do the same job twice sucks.

yeah the silcone mentioned before is good stuff, thats what i used to release the fiberglass mold from my prelude from bumper and it turned out oh so smooth

 

[dogstar]

jig saws are great on plexi as long as you remember two things... put about 5 layers of masking tape down on the path your gonna follow with the saw, and use the right blade.

cuts like buttah baby, like buttah

 

[batmobile]

I am making the rear side windows in about a week, I will use that helpful hint.

 

[76RA24]

link for shaping plexi-glass

http://dougnlina.home.mindspring.com/Dougs/chaptr19.htm

and another

http://www.designnews.com/article/CA85859.html

thinking i might be able to make some parts out of this stuff........

pete

 

[82supra 86lude]

lol its good light material but it really done take much to crack it.

a guy i know made some fenders using a heat gun, took him 4 months to get it done and after about a year he just lowered his car, i mean slammed and he hit a bump and the tire came up and where it rubbed across the plexi at 70 it melted a big spot lol. plue from rocks flying off his tiere and smacking the iner part it eventually started a long crack but can only be send from the inner wheel well at the moment. just becareful what u plan on making and imagine what kind of abuse its gonna have to take b4 u waste ur money