Lexan windows????

[itsnotanova]

Has anybody made their own lexan windows before? I'm thinking about doing it but I'm n ot sure what it takes to do it. I've heard the windows turn yellow, which doesn't bother me because i plan on tinting them anyway. What does bother me is if it's too expensive. No need to spend hundreds of $$ to save 5 pounds. I only plan doing the back and quarter windows because it's a street car.

 

[3XBrownCutty]

do a search for lexan windows, i think this has been brought up before.

from what i remember, i think they scratch very easily and are very expensive.

 

[itsnotanova]

I already did a search. there was one small post about lexan windows and it didn't say anything about making your own. I was looking for first hand knowledge about how hard it was to put one on a gbody

 

[andrewmp6]

You can't use lexan on any window on a street car it can get you a ticket and or car impounded.You have to cut it to fit need a sheer a jigsaw just kinda melts its nasty too.You have to bolt it in glue only don't work its flexable it will wiggle loose over time.There is a few different types of lexan style windows some turn yellow some get a fogged effect to it and it scratchs really easy.If you want to lose weight try the g body parts alum bumper mounts a fiberglass hood or trunk alum heads intake etc etc.

 

[itsnotanova]

andrewmp6, I've already lighten my load by most of the ways you mentioned. I'm in the process of taking out the back seat and also putting in a rollbar. When I took off the back plastic, the side windows almost came off. Thats when I started to think, Hell they're already out maybe I should just go ahead and switch to lexan. I heard somewhere that someone got lexan from the local hardware store and used that for windows. That didn't sound right to me. I have zero experience with lexan so I'm reaching out for some advice. By the way thanks for the info. I got more questions.
1.Can you buff out scratches
2.can you score it and break it (like tile)
3.what kind of place would carry the correct grade or is it something you have to order
4.if you get in a wreck, does that stuff become like knife blades flying around

Thanks Woody

 

[350_85cutty]

I work at a sign company, we do sign faces out of plexiglass and Lexan quite often, with alot of drop sometimes. we have a machine called a shop bot, which is guided by computer and cuts with a bit the desired shape out and leaves a clean edge. You get your dimensions and plot out the shape on a program, save it to a disk and upload it to the machine and it cuts it. It comes in clear, and a transluscent white, and in 1/8 or 3/16 inch thicknesses, that's what we use and probably 3/16 would be your best as 1/8 is to flexible. Yes a jigsaw does tend to melt the edges but if you use a correct blade for cutting plastics, it can be minimal and you can always just sand the edges to get them smooth. Scratchin lexan is as easy as taking a breath, it comes with a protective film on either side but once you take it off, any little thing can put a scratch in it and I doubt there is anyway around it, and as for breaking, Lexan is pretty indestructable and supposedly bullet proof?? but dont take my word on the bullet proof thing! I hit a old McDonalds face made out of Lexan with a sledge a bunch of times before it finally cracked, so flying shrapnel should be of no concern

 

[itsnotanova]

350 85cutty, Thanks for the info.. You seem to be experienced working with lexan. Can you tell me if this is doable? I plan on taking out the glass on my bu and using them for templets for the lexan. To get the correct glass contort. i plan on heating/melting the lexan over the orignal glass with a heatgun. I've done things like this with plastic and it worked. Does lexan act like plastic?......thanks

 

[pontiacgp]

I help out on a race car and lexan windows scratch real easy so unless you want to be changing them regularly or you don't mind the look of scratched windows you might want to reconsider. I used lexan for the rear quarter panel window on my daughter's car after someone broke it to get into the car. I couldn't find a used one and the cost at the window shop was ridiculous so I used the lexan as a temp fix. I was surprised at the increased level of outside noise with the lexan window. The window tho stayed in place for months mounted the same as a regular window...you shouldn't need to form the lexan window as it should take shape when it is installed but if you want to you can heat it and bend it to shape...

 

[itsnotanova]

Thanks... I think there's lexan that has some kind of protective covering that reduces scratching...judging by the responces I've been getting, if I can find that type for cheap, than I'll probable go for it.

 

[andrewmp6]

Harwood makes a lexan style of plastic which last the longest from the fogged up look and scratches but its pricey.Like a said if you drive it on the streets and get pulled over get ready for a nice ticket.You will have to build a frame for it to screw in to and the back window you might want to run 2 braces down the middle spaced out.