If you want to build a rat-custom with lexan windows, then go ahead. But don't be shocked at the reaction you get here. If you'd like to do the job the right way, there will be no shortage of people here will to help and offer sound advice, myself included. Slag always told me, "Unless you break the glass or bend the trim, there isn't any mess up you can't fix". I think that's true. You can still add to the pillars if needed and you can cut and weld the window channels to suit your needs. If you really needed to, you could even find a donor roof in due time. I have to agree with the other when they say that Lexan is not the proper way to do this. But if you slow down, think real hard, consult some people who have been there and done it, and plan some more, with time and hard work this build will be back on track.
Well damn. The guy calls me names, threatens me, drops me a stupid ass PM, then delete's his photos. Guess he knows better now?
joe, i agree, and ryan agrees as well that using glass is obviously the right way to do it..the fact that his windshield cracked one day was part of the reason for doing all this. As windshield's for these car's are extremely expensive he decided he might as well chop it because either way he didn't want to pay $1000 for a windshield. There are 2 junkyards that both have a 56-57 lincoln 2 door hardtop with the roofs still intact (however both windshields are broken) that could be used for parts...If he could get his hands on a windshield, there is no doubt, the advice from others will be used in getting a windshield in this car. He bought this car less than a year ago...with no front suspension what so ever, took the body off the frame,cleaned it up, and put a 460 C6 in it,rewired it, did the seats, patched the floors, all in his driveway..Obviously the body work hasn't been addressed yet, but he wanted to take care of the mechanical parts and drive the car before taking care of the bodywork...He is building this car for himself to keep and has had plans on what he wanted to do with this car since he got it earlier this year.
What about a roof swap with something that uses a more common (inexpensive) windshield? Perhaps '55-58 Ford? Or maybe something weird like '57-59 Dodge/Plymouth hardtop? I'd just hate to see one of my favorite '50s cars running a rigged lexan windshield when it's a car that should be done right.
Absolutely man, In fact Billy and I were commenting at the Radir Wheels show how kickass the car looked and that it was bad ass that it was running and driving. But chopping it with the intent of using lexan as your finished windshield is like going to school with the goal of getting Ds on your report card. If you're going to do it, you might as well take the time, and unfortunately expense, of doing it right. Dammit Gotgas, took the thought right out of my head! Since you're not keeping the car stock (obviously), maybe swapping in a windshield of similar shape from a different year might be a possible way to circumvent the issue of glass being difficult to procure and prohibitively expensive. I don't think 57-58 Ford will be the way to go due to the slanted A pillar, but maybe a 55-56 Ford or Mercury will have the straight A pillar which could be a more suitable donor. I know the Ford glass can be bought brand new for around $300, and I'm sure there are good used windshields laying around.
hey sonim38, not busting your balls here but take a look at the nj hambers pumpkin run thread. check out the last post, look's like they got a parts car (?) down there if you need parts. roof, ss, glass? any updates on the project? later
I was thinking that too. Perhaps a '56 Ford windshield like the guy did in the article below. There's a lot of good advice in this thread. I'm definately saving this in my build folder. sonim38, come on back with some progress pics.
FWIW, I recall reading that Bill Hines used uncut '57 Ford vent windows for this Lincoln chop. (I don't know what windshield.)
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