Now I have to come up with some sidecurtains---

This article on MGA side curtains might give you some ideas...

http://www.mgaguru.com/mgtech/top/top110.htm

 

Magic Blue Roadster tape! Keeps the drafts out

 

If you make the front 'channel' deep enough, you should be able to put a pair of those little pushthebuttondetent type pins through the front in a couple of places. That'd also keep the glass up and off the painted tops of the doors at whatever prescribed height you wanted it to be.

 

The model I posted of the lexan in place is not totally accurate. The lexan will actually be about 1 1/4" higher, and will tuck in behind the horizontal top frame tube. I am going to use velcro on about the first 10" from the rear towards the front, attaching the top 1"of the lexan to the inside of the top tube, untill the angle of that top tube diverges too much from the actual plane of the lexan.---And as Goztrider says, I may be able to get a cross pin thru the front channel as well.

 

If you use 3/16" - 1/4" Lexan they shouldn't flutter.

As far as wind flow sucking them out of their mounts, I'm guessing probably not if you keep your windwings on.

My 32 - with windwings - has the air flow off those and turn in toward the car and enter the window opening.


As far as cutting the Lexan, no secrets about that.

Use a table saw with a 60-80 tooth fresh carbide blade.
Fresh cuz new ones make very smooth cuts.

Don't allow the blade to lift the Lexan off the table.
If the Lexan does come up it will snap back down and you'll get a chip in the edge.

For making a rounded corner, cut several straight cuts - with the table saw - close to the penciled line and sand round on a disc or belt sander.

Sand the edges with 320 wet/dry used wet.
Makes a finished edge that looks like glass.
Be sure and break the sharp edges.

Lexan - a brand name - is polycarbonate and can be found at Home Depot and like places.
It has protective paper on both sides.
Don't remove the paper till you're done with cutting them out and drilling any necessary holes.

Note that polycarbonates usually have an ultra-violet resistant coating on one side that goes toward the sun.
In other words, don't make two left side windows . . . not that I've ever done that....

 

C9--Always nice to hear from you. It will either be 3/16" or 1/4"---that decision will be made by whichever I can buy pre-formed steel slide in channel to fit. I called the local "glass and mirror" place this morning---there is only $5 difference per window between 3/16" and 1/4". and they told me that if I bring in patterns they will cut it for me, no charge. I ALWAYS make patterns for this kind of work. Heavy construction cardboard is a damn site cheaper than any kind of glass or Lexan.---Brian

 

And... they look amazingly like my old Healey side curtains!
Wonder why... LOL. Gary

 

So, today while I was driving to a jobsite and thinking about this, the idea struck me "Hey---I have a milling machine!!! Lets build that front Lexan mount out of 1/2" square aluminum and polish it. I called my aluminum supplier, and 36" of 1/2" square aluminum is only $3.00---Hell, why not!!!

 

A tip for cutting lexan.........buy a reverse tooth HOLLOW GROUND jigsaw blade. They come in a fine tooth for cutting laminate countertop and cut on the upstroke making a much cleaner cut.

 

Find spots to hide velcro. It works on SUV tops and will work for you. Build a metal rod frame and cover it with plastic if you have to. Then attach flaps for velcro.

 

TaDa--$3.00 worth of 1/2" square aluminum and a couple of hours on the milling machine---and we have the front mounts for my Lexan sidewindows. This stuff will polish up like chrome if it ever gets warm enough to work with my garage doors open.

 

Does anybody have experience with riv-nuts or nut-serts (same thing I think). I am thinking it might be easier to but three 1/4-20 nut-serts into the top frame tubes at the rear of the window opening, then loctite a 1/4-20 stud into them. This would give me a permanent spot to mount the lexan on when I needed to, and they would not be nearly as obvious as a peice of plate like my first idea. The topframe tubes are relatively thin wall---too thin to tap, but with a nut-sert locked into them it might work fine.

 

Brian,
Very cool project, they will be a nice addition I think. I have used nut-serts, & for many applications they have really worked out well. They are super easy to use-just drill a hole, pop in the nut-sert, & crimp in place with the tool & you're done.

You can get them in different finishes & materials, & also for different wall thickness material. Some of them have better knurled sections where the nut-sert slips into the hole. This helps it seat well, & keeps it from slipping & spinning when you try to remove or tighten the bolt.

Anxious to see this come together!
Dan





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Can you heat and bend the lexan to fit whatever style of channel or 'holder' you so design?

Not necessary to heat Lexan. Protect the surfaces, and sheet metal brake works just fine. And no "grain" to worry about. For many years, I did this to Lexan as thick as 3/16"...1/8" is a snap. But. plexiglass, heat it to bend.

 

I agree with Flat head guy. Lexan bends great on a brake, you will have to over bend a bit to get a true 90degree brake. That way you can start out at the overhang on the top, brake it back to align with the door, then brake it back so it can rest on some foam on the bottom where it rests on the door. You could brake it down again the hold it against the door. Also attach any lexan or acrylic fittings or attachments with Weldon #3 clear glue. Maybe some commercial glue on Velcro at the back of the tubes to secure it there. Have done this type of thing many times, it is simple, fast and relatve inexpensive. Love your RPU.
Gary

 

Jeez--Now that I have started this project, one idea keeps flooding in on top of another. I like the milled aluminum front mounts that I made yesterday. Now, as I think about the rear mounts----The cloth top is on the outside of the 1" diameter frame tubes. I could attach the Lexan to the inside of the frame tubes, but then from outside the car you can see the 1" gap between the lexan and the convertible top material. BUT---If I was able to mount the inside of the lexan flush with the centerline of the frame tube, then there would only be a 1/4" gap---much more visually appealing and marginally more room inside the car. I can make the purple brackets out of 3/4" aluminum, and attach them to the frame tube with one self tapping screw---and the shape of the bracket will keep it ftom rotating on the screw. Then drill and tap it for a 1/4"-20 x 1" stud and add a little Loctite 648 to the stud---

 

Wow!!! I think this is going to work out great. Now if I can just find enough peices of scrap 3/4" alum. plate to built 3 more of these. I don't know yet whether I will polish them or paint them the same colour as the frame tubes to make them "disappear".---Probably paint them black and polish only the front channel mounts.

 

And Voila'--An afternoons work yields 4 finished brackets.--I hate to admit it by my old butt is draggin'. I'm not used to standing at a machine all afternoon. (I'm ashamed to admit that.) tomorrow I will make patterns for the lexan. I might need one more bracket on each side, but I will wait and install the lexan and then see what I think.

 

Look great! Just curious if you are worried about the windshield getting foggy b/c of the heat difference from the outside and inside? maybe you already addressed this earlier in the thread. Anyways looks like a great idea and can't wait to see the finished product.

 

I doubt that it will happen. The side windows are not going to be air tight at the top. I'm far more concerned about my buddy that will be riding with me to the east coast and back--he likes to eat chili and drink beer ya know---

 

Cool, I figured you had it all planned out like it seems you usually do. Now as for your buddy... good luck.

 

Looking real good in mock-up. The rear brackets are hidden by the top material when viewed from the outside, they don't interfere in any way with people getting in and out of the car, (I tried it), and they are wide enough apart vetically to give good support to the Lexan. The front support fits perfectly and will look great once polished.

 

Brian:

Here's a possible idea for a window clamp. These slide
clamps are available in many sizes, and could be used
to hold the back of the window. You would have to drill
the Lexan for pop rivets or, pan head bolts. Would make
for quick mounting. Just an idea!

Rich

 

This morning I installed all the brackets on the car--this involved a total of four 1/8" holes drilled into my frame tubes at the rear, and two in each windshield post at the front. In the picture, that peice you see running between the upper and lower rear brackets is a temporary peice bolted tightly in place on the 1/4" studs to ensure that the upper and lower brackets are in perfect alignment when the frame tubes are drilled. It was removed after the holes were drilled and the anchor screws in place.

 

Two men in a small cab, I would not dismiss ventilation too much Brian...just my 2 cents

 

So--after a 2 hour interlude --vacuuming-(yes, even I get to help with the "Big Easter Housecleaning--relatives coming")--we move on to making templates for the side windows. I start with heavy layout cardboard, and my trusty glue gun. This means getting in and out of the car about 7000 times, gluing peices hereand there, untill the pattern is as perfect as I can get it. The wooden slats are glued in place to stiffen the carfddboard.

 

And then, just to be "Double damn sure" (Lexan is expensive), I transfer the cardboard pattern onto 1/4" plywood, and install it. I intentionally made the pattern to leave a 1/2" gap between the sidewindow and the top of the door, which I don't want marked up. I find that the plywood slips into place very easily---I have a couple of 1/4" hex nuts holding it onto the studs right now, but they will be swapped out for wing nuts in the final rendition. I still have to decide on how to seal the gap at the bottom. In a perfect world, I would glue some soft foam onto the bottom of the lexan and let it rest on the door top, but I don't think it would be very durable---I will think of something.

 

Well, I'm up to $19 in cost so far on my project. $3 for aluminum square bar and $8 each for two peices of 1/4" plywood. The patterns are made for both sides, and seem to fit quite well. I am going to try and find a source for Mar-Guard polycarbonate, because these side windows may spend most of their lives in a cloth bag in the back of the pickup with my lawn chairs. I don't want them all messed up from rubbing inside the cloth bag. I reduced the gap between the bottom of the sidewindow and the top of the doors to 1/4".--that way, in a "worst case" scenario. if I can't find a good premade seal material, I can glue a 1/4" square soft rubber strip to the bottom of the polycarbonate to close the gap and protect my paint. So far, this has been an easy project. I will post a couple of pics when I'm finished.

 

So---Today I found a glass shop right here in good old Barrie that will cut Marguard lexan to my templates, and they have 1/4" in stock. Spendy stuff though---$180 for what I need. This is about $60 more than I had initially thought of spending, but---I'm worth it!!! (especially if this stuff is as good as everyone says.) Now, in terms of the rubber seal that I require along the bottom of it, next to my door top.---I have looked at a number of auto glass shops, glass shops, and on-line, and can't find exactly what I want. Have a look at the attached drawing. It shows what I need. I can buy the rigid vinyl U profile, but not with the foam rubber strip on the bottom of it. I can probably buy some foam rubber or low durometer solid rubber and glue it onto the vinyl with rubber cement.---But---If anybody knows where I can buy a 6 or 10 foot length of material that is close to what I show in the drawing and is all in one contiguous peice, please let me know.---Brian

 

So---Here we are--Greasy fingerprints and all!!! I picked up the Marguard windows today and picked up enough light aluminum channel to cover the bottom edge of each window. I put a bead of clear silicone in place in the bottom of the channel, stuck it on the Marguard, installed the marguard into my car, and then after protecting the top of the door with heavy paper, I wedged shim shingles between the door top and the aluminum to push it up tight against the bottom of the Marguard. After it sets up for 24 hours, I will glue 1/4" closed cell foam weatherstripping to the underside of the aluminum. That should get rid of 90% of the wind which would blow in through the crack.