Lexan Windows

pafiat

True Classic
Hi and Happy New Year,
Has any one replaced the side windows on their exxie with Lexan or similar? If so, any chance of posting some photos, particularly if you have installed a rally style sliding opening. Just trying to get some ideas on how to do it. I'm not after any great performance mod, I just think it will look groovy on my track beast.
Rgds, Pat
 
Is this mod even feasible on a frameless door design?
The stock side window has curvature to it and is attached to the door only along its bottom.
Lexan is flat and floppy.
It have trouble seeing this mod done on the X.

I may be completely wrong on this, but maybe I saw fiberglass doors for the X offered that introduced a window frame that holds the lexan in the correct shape and contour.
 
I guess you are thinking of shaving some weight.

I replaced the rear window of my X with lexan. I think I saved around a pound.

While weight was one reason, I also wanted the window to open. I am happy with the open and close aspect with a bit of weight reduction as a bonus but I am not thrilled with the ease that it scratches.

I have done a bit of custom car work over the years and always thought it would be cool to have a car with shaved door handles. I like the look and in order not to ad weight negating the reduction via rear window decided I could just reach through the rear opening rather than installing a solenoid to the latch.

While this method works with minimum of hassle the rear pane has become very scratched as a consequence from opening and closing.

I had heard the lexan didn't scratch as easily as plexiglass. I don't think that is so. The 3/32 plastic I am using is quite flexible so it would not be good for unsupported side windows.

I got my lexan at a yard sale at an embarrassingly low price but hear it is not cheap normally so if you got thicker stuff the price would be even higher.
 
The fiberglass X doors are probably meant to be run w/o windows.
But I did find fiberglass doors for my BMW.

Stock door w/o frame:
1988-bmw-e24-m6-for-sale-priced-at-usd158800-photo-gallery_12.jpg


Fiberglass door with frame:

http://www.pesch.cz/en/product/bmw-e24-doors-pair-fiberglass
 
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Is this mod even feasible on a frameless door design?
The stock side window has curvature to it and is attached to the door only along its bottom.
Lexan is flat and floppy.
It have trouble seeing this mod done on the X.

I may be completely wrong on this, but maybe I saw fiberglass doors for the X offered that introduced a window frame that holds the lexan in the correct shape and contour.

Di Fulvio offers a fiberglass door with a frame that a Lexan (polycarbonate) window can be added.

http://www.difulvioracing.it/shop/580-portiera-in-resina-x1-9.html
 
Hi Pat, it certainly is do-able, but it's a lot of work just to get the look. I made lexan one's for my track car that slide up and down by hand (for light weight). They are fairly flappy when raised, so would probably want to extend the rear guide channel to the roof line to stiffen a fixed window. And you have to heat the lexan in an oven to get the curve in it. And it is very soft so marks easily, and not easy to polish out, perspex may be better, but it's not as strong. Good luck.
 
Christian Naggiar's K20 that we built had lexan side windows in the stock tracks with two pieces of aluminum flat stock riveted at an angle. Each plexi window had a bolt with fender washers, and a spring loaded thumb nut that allowed you to drop the window to any height then tension it into place against those center rails. It was kind a clever. Sorry this is the only pic I could find...

23545.jpg
 
image.jpeg
I gave it a shot and it turned out OK. As noted by others, its quite fiddly work and the stuff marks quite easily. The scratch resistant stuff is very expensive and not warranted for a toy. But... I am sure it has carved literally grams (ounces) off the weight of the car, the performance gains should be huge.:)
 
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A sheet of 4.5mm polycarb cut to the same shape as the original glass. A trapezoidal hole cut in it for a sliding window. I then fitted it to the original channels and provided an alloy stiffening support toward the back of the inside of the door and along the bottom of the window. Screwed the plastic to it with some stainless self tappers. Routed a 5mm channel in 20x10 polycarb strips for the sliding window and bolted them to outside of the main sheet with some stainless bolts. The main problem was providing some curvature to the sliding window to follow the curve of the window. It is do-able but you need a fair amount of heat. It goes wobbly at about 147 degrees C but runs at about 155 deg C so the operating tolerance is not great and I managed to bubble a few spots but I figure that gives it street cred.
 
Christian Naggiar's K20 that we built had lexan side windows in the stock tracks with two pieces of aluminum flat stock riveted at an angle. Each plexi window had a bolt with fender washers, and a spring loaded thumb nut that allowed you to drop the window to any height then tension it into place against those center rails. It was kind a clever. Sorry this is the only pic I could find...

23545.jpg

Stratos(es) had a knob like that. Only difference was the Stratos window merely pivoted about a pin in the upper rear corner of the door instead of the entire pane traversing up and down.
DSC01945-copy.jpg

The rare Hemi Dart had a strap with a snap to pull the window up. Only had two positions: up and down.
ccrp_0810_13_z-1968_dodge_dart_hemi_nhra-car_door.jpg


Seems to me there were some British cars that had other such devices, straps or knobs. Drawing a blank right now.
 
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