Saturday, July 31, 2010 - 06:17 am, by: Mike Bradberry(Halflife)
I'm guessing, but I wouldn't think you'd lose more than 20Kg all up. I doubt it would be legal (street use) and of course plastic will scratch much more easily. Good thing for a race car, but not so good for street.
Ben Lipman Goo Roo NT Soarer TT manual, plus TT track car
Saturday, July 31, 2010 - 09:20 pm, by: Ben Lipman(Ben12a)
I'm halfway through it. I have done the door and quarter glass with 3mm UV protected Lexan(polycarbonate). I have saved 8kg in the glass alone, and more with ancillaries (winder mech, trims, etc). I am hoping to save a bit in the rear glass when I get to it, but I reckon Mike is probably right with 20kg max.
Benefits: 1. light 2. Strong (resists impacts)
Drawbacks: 1. I very much doubt it would be legal. 2. Unless you are able to shape the lexan so it holds the complex curve on the front windows, you lose the ability to wind you windows up without getting out of the car to guide them by hand. 3. It will scratch much easier than glass. (a dirty sponge will do it) 4. I have no idea if you can tint it- probably can.
Monday, August 02, 2010 - 08:42 pm, by: Ben Lipman(Ben12a)
Tom Richards wrote on Monday, August 02, 2010 - 01:59 pm:
what benefits do you expect for losing 20kg?
You could lose half that by eating less, which would be easier than replacing the glass.
Clearly never tried to lose 20kg...or replace the glass in a Soarer. I have done both
In a street car most changes people make chasing performance are hardly noticeable, and largely a placebo effect. Spoilers, air dams, wider tyres, big front mounts, blow off valves, so on and so forth at 60kph would be hardly measurable. All together they may add up.
In a racecar/racetrack situation losing 20kg from so high in the car structure will be obvious. You will have less pitch under acceleration and braking, and less body roll during cornering etc. I can tell you a kilo here or there is worth chasing, and quickly adds up. The less mass you have to accelerate, brake and change direction the better.
As I said originally, the big question that needs to be asked: Is it legal?
Tuesday, August 03, 2010 - 09:59 am, by: Gary Redman(Gary)
It isn't legal because of the way polycarbonate breaks in a crash. Upon impact the plastic will break into large shards with very sharp protruding points and this is the obvious reason why plastic windows are not allowed. The old safety glass will shatter into a million smaller pieces with no large pieces, and laminated glass will hold together to some extent
Ben Lipman Goo Roo NT Soarer TT manual, plus TT track car
Tuesday, August 03, 2010 - 03:24 pm, by: Ben Lipman(Ben12a)
I know perspex breaks like that, but I have not yet seen Lexan (polycarbonate) break. I had a piece in a vice and tried bending it until it broke, with no success. I also gave it the good news with a hammer.