The 24 Hours of Lemons Forums → Lemons Tech → Windshield
Windshield........we have none. Is this going to be a problem? Houston race is in two weeks and I just thought about this. Thanks for any input!
Yes, it will be a problem. Well, maybe.
It depends on your car. If you're running a full-open roadster, then you can run with a minimal windscreen.
But if you're running a car with a roof, then you need either stock glass, or swap to Lexan, or at the very least run a dirt track wire screen (probably braced). At least that's what Jay told me at ECR in June when I was thinking about taking our lexan out just to increase airflow in the hot temps.
You can find plain lexan at any Home Depot, but it scratches very easily. You can find coated lexan either pre-cut to fit (depending on your car model) or in stock sizes that you can cut to fit with a jigsaw at Summit Racing (and probably other places too). Make sure to cover the foot of your jigsaw with masking tape before cutting and the lexan too in order to limit the scratching.
Lexan is a lot lighter and won't shatter or break in an impact, but factory glass might be cheaper and easier to get, especially with the race looming pretty closely.
with all the fluids and crap on that come off these things, no windshield is a scary proposition
And don't forget, that cool looking expanded metal windshield is pretty hard to see through if you sit more than 2 feet from it.
Right after we teched in May, one of our guys put his butt through the window as Nick was taking a picture of us. We're all smiling, he's got a very guilty look on his face!
We ran to Home Depot, bought a $100 sheet of lexan, and fabbed it up that night. It held up through that race and through our race in August. It does scratch easily, as was posted above. It's not that big of a deal in bright sunlight, but if we ran closer to dusk/dawn/night, I bet we would notice those scratches.
It's a low weight, relatively cheap solution. Just be sure to cover it up with a soft towel to keep dust and crap off it when you're not using it.
And don't forget, that cool looking expanded metal windshield is pretty hard to see through if you sit more than 2 feet from it.
We drove our entire race with a full sheet of chain link fence over our window a few weeks ago. Once we got out there we didn't even notice it was there.
Yes, it will be a problem. Well, maybe.
It depends on your car. If you're running a full-open roadster, then you can run with a minimal windscreen.
But if you're running a car with a roof, then you need either stock glass, or swap to Lexan, or at the very least run a dirt track wire screen (probably braced).
that's odd.
Thanks for the info, we are going with the "dirt track style".
does anyone have a good idea as to what "Dirt-track style wire (mesh) is?
~expanded metal isn't quite it - be like wearing a beekeepers helmet only worse.
~I'm imagining what the guys across the pond use for "AutoGrass events - but what min gage and is it welded at every joint - it's obviously not chicken wire...
~EG john says I'm a smart boy and it should be obvious, like maybe I don't want someones' plaster-o'-paris (not plastered Paris Hilton) Carps falling off a Carpi to come screaming inside at the end of the 100mph straight. I am certain that would be true, but again, what are we looking for in strength and such?
~should we institute a frozen chicken gun like the air industry uses? that would be fun.
...PETA be damned, they're frozen, and they (were) chickens...
...teach you guys to introduce a topic I read well after midnight. Ha.
The stuff we are using is some fencing I found in my shed. Its much heavier than chicken wire, but slightly lighter than chain link fencing. We are gonna use some small rebar to support it.
...PETA be damned,
That's all that needs to be said.
~EG john says I'm a smart boy and it should be obvious, like maybe I don't want someones' plaster-o'-paris (not plastered Paris Hilton) Carps falling off a Carpi to come screaming inside at the end of the 100mph straight. I am certain that would be true, but again, what are we looking for in strength and such?
.
Actually we are thinking of REAL Carp. Sorry but the wire mesh won't help you much.
Might make the full carp into shredded carp. Yum.
Might make the full carp into shredded carp. Yum.
"Wow!! That's Great Bass!"
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