Why does lexan have such a bad rap?

Heres a bird hitting a windshield at high speed http://www.keepbusy.net/play.php?id=bird-vs-windshield

1/2 half inch will stop up to a .38 special from as close as 4 feet away, once you get into the magnum calibers you need to get into 1" plus thicknesses.

Use a 22 high velocity bullet to get past the 1 in stuff.

 

I'll 2nd that. I had a chopped "49" Chevy coupe...with a lexan front window... and the sun glare while driving it sucked. just my 2 cents.

 

Lexan is a GE trademark of a very durable polycarbonate.

Plexiglas and arcrylic are cheap plastic.

When it comes to strength and safety, Lexan is at the top, safety glass and tempered glass are next, and plexiglas and arcrylic don't even make the chart.

Lexan, in the proper thickness is bullet proof and has good energy absorbstion properties. Thats why they use it for explosion shields, the Apollo space program's helmut visors, and many other similar applications.

Do some homework.

 

it says plexiglass right on your picture, do you realize thats a completely different material?

 

I used "Lexan" in the sign industry for years. It is strong, but rip it down through a panel saw in the wrong direction you're supposed to, and it will crack.

 

I remember this stuff from an old 4wheel and off road article...

http://www.percyshp.com/Speedglasspage.htm

http://jeep.off-road.com/jeep/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=261132

 

Get some nito on it and you will see the "ill effects". But, other than that it's good stuff.

 

nitro on about anything leaves ill effects.

 

They also are using it in high wind applications for hurricane protection. If it will stop a 2x4 going 150mph+ it will stop one on a highway.

And there is a guy that`s at the turkey rod run every year that will make a custom windsheild for around $700-$1000 bucks, just send him a pattern.

 

Hotrodaddy,
Funny avatar!

I think Lexan has gotten a bad rap or reputation because of the way it has been applied to some street cars in recent years. Many cars have shown up with curved plastic windshields that have been held in place with sheet metal screws all around the edge of the window. On Bonneville race cars it seems okay and functional. But on a street car, the effect projects to viewers, rightly or wrongly, like it is a fix for an error in planning the chop.

In the widened car in this thread, the use of the rubber molding has made the installation better looking than most.

 

I can personaly attest to Jimmy not liking or wanting someone to run a Lexan winshield, he nearly shit when he cut my for my sedan and put it in... he told me it wasnt safe, he didnt feel safe with my driving the car with it in it. be careful and he hoped to God I didnt catch a rock on the drive up or down to paso.......

 

the problem with not screwing lexan in, due to the flexiblity of the material if something hits the lexan, it will flex enough to pop out of the channel.

Ask my former fedex guy what its like to get hit in the face with a windshield at 60 mph.

 

Very interesting point. I would never have thought of the material flexing itself out of it's rubber channel.

Yikes, did the fedex guy get hit with the windshield from his own truck or from another vehicle in front of him?

 

Some of the newer model fedex trucks have windshield that are installed from the inside, and for whatever reason the driver portion on his truck came out. It was bad enough he got hit with the windshield, but the worst of his injuries were caused when the truck crashed. The windshield kept him from being able to steer.

He spent 3 weeks in the hospital, and it was over a year before he could return to work.

 

Well, we just started making glass for custom applications check out this corvette. www.superior54.com we did the windshield the two curved rear qter's and the curved rear window no problem. We will be coming out with a line of pre chopped windshields soon. I keep ya' posted

 

I run lexan in the rear and side windows in my coupe. After I finish racing this year it will be coming out. If you breath on it it will crack or put scratch marks in it. My 2 cents

 

I prefer glass myself for my build, after reading the pros and cons of Lexan I want to share a true story a bit o/t. A few bikers and me were riding back to Ohio from a Bourbon fest held yearly in Bardston Ky. On I75 we were cruising around 70 mph when all of a sudden the bike in front of me did a crazy swerve and I seen something fly over his head and was bouncing past my bike. The next exit we stopped for gas and what the hell was that? info. The front bike lost the in fairing turn signal unit, and when it came out and hit the ground it went up hitting the top of the windscreen of the bike in front of me. Put a nice gouge in the ridge of the windscreen but didn't break. Plus it actually save that riders life. If you do use lexan, Kit makes a great cleaner that removes haze and scratches. Its called Scratch Out. My 2c

 

If the law dictates using safety glass it's for a reason. I guess if you don't care about yourself or the people who ride with you then do whatever.

Maybe the best plan would have been to really think about the requirements of your build (custom glass that is) before actually doing it. I think the best rule of thumb is, when modifying something on a budget, start with available items that can't be inexpensively made or purchased and build around them - have you researched if there are any other vehicles that have proper safety glass windshields large enough to use to cut out what you need?

If you can fabricate with steel but you can't custom make your own glass, make the windshield/window surrounds fit what is commercially available.

Also, some architectural glass companies can quite easily custom make laminated safety glass these days - with the advent of CNC technology, custom bent glass is much cheaper than it used to be. Even if you would be into a custom windshield for $1000 that's not outside the price range of some modern vehicle replacements.

Steve

 

I've got lexan. Guess I'm a wannabe too! Shit works fine for me. Don't they run lexan on Nascar too?

 

Guess I don't have a problem with it personally.

Several of the down sides have already been mentioned. Bubble top cars have what is basically "Lexan" BTW

I don't know how popular it is or has been with the custom car crowd it is normally more of a go fast thing when used without disdain.

 

My "wannabe" windshield has been on for about 7 years now, last year I polished it with some Meguiars stuff and it's still good to go , Its a boat windshield frame we narrowed to fit the car and installed a new peice of Lexan , works for me !

 

Why is it bad???????? Because it is NOT the way it was done. Like 49Ratfink said... it seperates the craftsman from the poser's and that shit is not safe for highway driving. Its equal to replacing your stainless with 1989 honda civic rubber seal around your windows after you chop your car.

 

Hey guys,
I am in the hurricane protection business. There are many different types of lexan out there. Lexan has come to be a generic term for palstic that you can see through.
There are new generations of lexan out there that would work fine for a troubled car. You would want to look for the GE (Sabic) XL-10 formulation. It originated as a lexan to be used for the military in windscreens aircraft canopies etc.
The XL-10 has a great resistance to fogging, checking, yellowing, etc. I shot a lexan panel at thirty feet with a 12 gauge shotgun w/#6 shot and the shot did not penetrate nor did it break or crack. There are also places to get an XL-10 with an anti scratch coating on one side. The MR-10 lexan has an anti scratch coating on both sides. It is also available tinted.
This stuff is wind and impact rated to past 140mph and withstands a 9lb 2x4's impact. Of course it is only as strong as its mounting system.
I am not saying it will be the next best thing for cars but it is unlike the lexan that I am sure 90% of you grew up with or have ever seen.

 

Any way you look at it since it does not have the DOT stamp on it there is nothing that you can say to a chp officer that will convince him not to impound your car once he notices it.And you cant really compare nascar racing to a street drivin car unless you drive around with a full face helmet on.Why take chances with safety equip?

 

Southpark, you have a great attitude. It's obvious a lot of people who replied didn't even read your whole post much less all of the replies. Lexan - run it.

 

Dude, Southpark was banned.

One thing is obvious, some people can't understand the different grades of plastics. If you can't understand the difference between Lexan and Plexi-glass don't comment. Just like there are different strengths of wood (softwood versus hardwood) and metals (high carbon steel versus pot metal) there are different strengths of clear plastic.

Only someone who is ignorant would believe the cheap crap you can buy at the hardware store bears any resemblance to a good quality Lexan type plastic used in motorcycle windshields and bubble canopies of jet fighters.

If you get the good stuff it isn't any less safe than a glass windshield.

 

how do you measure/ make the template?? exactly as if fits or slightly larger or smaller or what? i made my template but having alot of ?????s

 

I know this is a VERY old thread , but I felt compelled to tell you my experience with '"poly-carbonate" materials.
I was first exposed to different materials working for a friends race car fab shop. Yes it true , back in the old days people used "Plexiglas' in hot rods and race cars. Mostly with poor results.

The new material used now is a product (MR2) or (CM2) just to name two. I can tell you from seeing a long term exposure on cars built more then ten years now, NO cracking , yellowing or scratching (even with wipers). You must install a warning label for local fire departments that it has been installed. The reason? It cannot be shattered or splintered even while trying to gain entry by a Fire department.

For all people who poo poo this idea of using it, I will tell you the protective packaging cover that comes on this product has a warning printed on it. It says specifically if used in a window application, for example commercial businesses it is required to carry a label.

IMO , I can't see any reason NOT to use it on a Hot Rod build.

 

I am not doubting the importance of 1st responders knowing that it will not shatter but I have real Lexan in the garage that still has the protective cover and it does not say a thing about a warning label required. That may vary from state to state.

I am not sure that any of us dispute the use of polycarbonates in race cars, a lot of us were racing when it was still called Plexiglas. I don't like it for a wind screen in a closed car but side glass works for me.