lexan???
09-12-2007, 11:39 PM
#11
Senior Member
RACING JUNKIE
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: La.
Posts: 2,890
Lexan
Originally Posted by nitro63
thanks bbc4life for the postive feedback about the lexan windows, i read the previous message about the lexan at home depot, so today i went to all 4 home depot in town were i live and NOT one of them carrys margard lexan "scratch resistant" , all they have is regular GE polymer in different sizes, which is a sheet of clear plastic, now about the 10 year guarantee and one side is treated for sunlight, im sorry but that isnt even lexan , GE Lexan has a lable on it that clearly states , "lexan" or "margard". corey is looking for the margard lexan for his malibu, i offered him the regular std lexan which is 1/8 size with paper back on both sides and the complete kit i quoted him was 400.00 and the shipping was already included into the price and that is a very good deal, i do agree with mcracecars about the way you have to take care of the lexan on your race car, i have a 68 camaro and the lexan i have on it is the std regular lexan , look up my profile it is nitro63 for the pics of the car, the lexan on the car has been on it for over 8 years now, and all i do is take care of it inside and out and i live here in texas with nothing but wind some times and alot of dirt flying around , but what it really all comes down to is the way we want our race cars to look, because that is what keeps us sane !! just my 2 cents
I appolagise for my previous post, $400.00 for a malibu, all windows including the windshield is a very good price when Margauard is included. My Malibu is all factory glass, but if i decided to go lexan/marguard, i would pay $400.00 for the conversion.
Just my .02
Zip.
09-13-2007, 06:54 AM
#12
Senior Member
EXPERT BUILDER
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 272
Im not sure the margard stuff (or equivalent) is so much better than the regular lexan, I have seen at the track lots of cars that you wonder how they can see going down the track.
And night racing under the lights with a lexan windsheild can be very annoying. Lots of light distorsion.
In my opinion and experience, I think it is better to leave a stock glass windshield in the car and use the polymer on the other windows. Just makes it soo much easier to hit the light at a night race. For the few lbs you save, I would rather have good visability out the front.
However, if you got a full on fiberglass car such as brians, you dont have a lot of choice... :lol:
And night racing under the lights with a lexan windsheild can be very annoying. Lots of light distorsion.
In my opinion and experience, I think it is better to leave a stock glass windshield in the car and use the polymer on the other windows. Just makes it soo much easier to hit the light at a night race. For the few lbs you save, I would rather have good visability out the front.
However, if you got a full on fiberglass car such as brians, you dont have a lot of choice... :lol:
09-13-2007, 07:49 PM
#14
Junior Member
SHOW GUEST
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Overland Park in the Great State of KANSAS
Posts: 9
I had a lexan windshield on my motorcycle and it was scratched on both sides. Very bad glare, especially at night, and in the rain. Same with shield on my helmet. The fix is to clean it spotless and I mean down in the scratches also. Then many coats of Armor All or Rain-X. Rain-X lasts longer.
09-14-2007, 08:59 AM
#15
Senior Member
SENIOR BUILDER
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Loganton, Pa
Posts: 112
I am in agreement with the Margard lexan. I chose the Home Depot kind because of a few reasons. 1st was that my car will be a 9-10 second car if I ever decide to go that route. Probably high 10's will be its limit. I am also leaving the front windshield(new and stock) in place. I wanted to try to get stock glass installed in my VFN glass doors,but that can't be done.So, I looked around (before I found RJ) and couldn't locate anything for my car. They had kits for Chevelle and nothing for a Buick GS.Before anyone starts saying they GS is the same as a Chevelle,you would be wrong! My front window and possibly side windows are the same,but the rear glass is totally different. It sucks that I have to scrounge up Chevelle parts and modify it to fit my car,but thats how it goes. 2nd,even when I found the kits they were 7-8 hundred bucks a set and shipping was astronomical. I realize the Camaro,Malibu etc guys are the most common cars and I always have to pay a premium to have such an (ODD??) choice of car. I am used to it now and just pay the extra premium.I am just hoping to get started with the Home Depot stuff till possibly I can get some Margard material.
To get off topic a little,where do you guys get your mounting kits and hardware to mount your side glass?? I have located a kit from S&W racecars but nowhere else.
To get off topic a little,where do you guys get your mounting kits and hardware to mount your side glass?? I have located a kit from S&W racecars but nowhere else.
09-15-2007, 07:58 PM
#20
Junior Member
JOURNEYMAN
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 25
big difference
There is no comparison bettween Lexan (or any other manufacturers Polycarbonate sheet) and Plexiglass which is an extruded Acrylic sheet. I believe Lexan was developed for fighter canopies. You cannot break Lexan. I have seen guys take a ball peen hammer to it and it simply WILL NOT crack, shatter, etc. Plexiglas on the other hand WILL crack, shatter, etc. Home depot sells Acrylic sheet, that's why it is so cheap. Your OEM windshield is laminated with a plastic layer in the middle that adheres to the glass and retards glass fragments form entering the vehicle with any breakage. NEVER put anything but Lexan (Polycarbonate) in a windshield application. Anything but Lexan would be very Dangerous!!! From a safety standpoint, I wouldn't use Plexigas for anything on a car. Your side and rear glass is tempered so that if it breaks, it crumbles and there are no shards of glass. Plexiglass will shard, and therefore is dangerous in an automotive application. You will have clarity problems with anything but glass. That is just the tradeoff for the weight savings. You can either live with it, or you can't.
Dan
Dan
