Technical I need to know about clear plastics for transmission hump.

Ok, so here's my polished th400.
I hate to cover it up and want to have a clear cover over it. However I don't know much about the details of clear plastics, or even if such an animal exists. As long as it's not anymore trouble than polishing the thing, it will get a clear cover

Here's what I think I need....
Strong enough to contain a trans shattering failure, at least as much as a floor pan would.
Heat resistant, maybe heat proof.
Solvent resistant
Chrystal clear


I can handle the fab for mounting and removal for whatever it is I need, but I don't know what material needs to be there. Even if it needs to come off often for cleaning that's not a problem.

if you know of a source or info for me to study that would be great too because this would be a brand new adventure for me.
Thanks

 

polycarbonate, such as Lexan, is sold at the big box home improvement stores like Lowe's and Home Depot. It is flexible and mostly shatterproof. It's mostly solvent resistant, but loctite will destroy it. you can mold it to shape if you heat it to around 375 F, but then it may form bubbles. You can also bend the thinner flavors such as under 1/8" in a brake, although it's not likely to hold a 90 degree bend. We use it on our robots....good stuff

 

Try sending a Pm to Plowboy,Aaron,..he could give you some pointers .

remember the bubble top on the Atomic Punk? HRP

 

I have used 1/4" lexan for side windows. It is the same stuff that is used in "bulletproof" glass. It is also crystal clear. I don't know how it would hold up to solvents or high heat but hey two out of four ain't bad!

 

Have you thought what a PITA it would be to keep clean? Everytime you drove it you would likely have to get under there and clean the road grime and dust.

Maybe make it easily removeable.

 

check with your local sign shop. my shop used to be next door to a sign shop and they had access to all kinds of plastic/polycarbon sheeting in all sizes and shapes for making signs.
sneeze guard for a salad bar maybe?

 

Yep, I thought about that as mentioned above.

I can handle the fab for mounting and removal for whatever it is I need, but I don't know what material needs to be there. Even if it needs to come off often for cleaning that's not a problem.

 

It might be ok if your building a show car but for a driver it would be a nightmare. You would be taking it off continually and cleaning it.

 

if made removable, a "driving" replacement could be made.....think stunt double.

 

It could formed. maybe depending on the thickness needed and being heat resistant it might not want to bend. Then I could bolt it to the floor pan down like a valve cover to a block.

Maybe it needs to stay flat and be like a bolt in window on top of the hump.
I don't know?

 

Might get some good road kill pictures too... Make a buck master had have Daryl Starbird vac form one for ya.

 

Maybe use some large Dia. polycarbonate pipe/ tube cut on a taper and attached with some nice brackets.
Check this place out
http://k-mac-plastics.com/polycarbonate-tubes.htm


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You'll probably want to make a metal frame to go around the edge of the plastic hump to hold it in place, as the plastic is relatively flimsy. You might look at using Dzuz fasteners or some other type of quick release to hold it in place. If you can design it so that it has a simple curve without much radius, you can leave the plastic "flat" and it will be easier to make. So you might want to see about making the floor area around the hump with metal, and make the hump itself a simple curved shape.

 

I don't think the plastic tubes are going to be the way to go....we also use them on our robots, and I would highly recommend sheet instead.

 

Taking Squirrel's idea one step farther; why not just make a conventional metal tranny tunnel, but with a curved lexan removable "inspection window"? Maybe about 12" x12"? People could see the polished tranny case, but it would be *much* easier to fabricate & clean.

Hope this helps.

 

If you go ahead with this plan you will find out over time, why you really didn't want to do it ( or maybe should not have done it) in the first place.
Then you will find yourself building a nice metal one anyway.
Why ?
Because polycarbonate will do what you want it to. It will be strong, tough and clear.
It's moldable and is used in safety glass lenses and other things like face shields.
That's all in the beginning.
After a while in use it will start to go from clear to the point that you can no longer see through it at all.
Heat will speed up the time it takes the plastic to yellow.
Cleaning it will scratch the surface to the extent that it will appear to be frosted like a translucent bathroom window that you can't see through.
Even safety glass lenses will scratch ( and they are hard coated ) in a welding shop environment.
Lexan is more scratch resistant but will still get scratched and cloudy.
In any case you can go ahead and do this, just don't drive the car and store it in a bubble

 

You seem to be assuming that he's going to get the thing done some day, and drive it


as for the window idea...yeah, that's what I was thinking too, but make the window as large as it can be, as one curved piece.

 

I'm sure a place like this could do it if costs weren't a problem.

http://www.neodeshaplasticsinc.com/custom-plastic-vacuum-forming

For a place like this with large equipment with a metal form to work over I can't imagine it would be difficult at all for them. Just looking there are all sorts of do it yourself videos but your problem is size. A plastic sheet that large isn't going to fit in your oven.

Looks to me after looking at the video's you just need to build the form, a couple shop vac's and a pizza oven. I guess it just depends on how bad you want it.

I'd see if you couldn't find a place like the link above close to home. It might not be that much.

 

I may have to gun engrave/flourish the case now that I have such a 'purtee shiny view of my polishin'. Talk about eyeball. Stellar thoughts to the interior purposes. Show rod/fighter pilot. Dig it all the way. I'd be the odd job toothbrushing it clean before exit for sure !! Spit shine proud, every damned day ... what ? !!

 

I'm with Blue One; any plastic will scratch and being where you want to mount it, it will be sooner rather than later. Cool idea for a showcar, no so much for anything that gets seriously driven.

 

Now, I don't care who you are , that's some funny shit right there!!!!!

So here's my quicky sketches of where I need to go.
It's simple and flat faced. Could be a window in a steel frame or the whole damn thing really.

Man oh man - You got your quick change done yet ?

I really have all of the figuring parts done, the layout is done, the doing parts it left. The thinking parts that you mentioned are done too, all those concerns accounted for, hence the purpose of the thread is to find a suitable medium and then figure out its limitations on workability and cost.
Now based off this sketch, I'd have the hump I want made out of 18ga in the same amount of time some guys need to eat breakfast. I could also do it in some kind of plastic too but probably not as quick. So maybe I need 10 of them out of clear sheets. I know I could make you 10 out of steel by lunch time.

Come on ,,,, it triple dog dare you to tell me I can't do it Larry

 

Thank you !!!!!

Just so you know though, it's hard to take Latin seriously from a guy who calls himself uncle daddy lmfao.

 

If you're building it with flat panels rather than a curved hump, you can easily install flat plastic 'windows' and not be concerned about vacuforming a bubble. The flat panels could easily be replaced if they get damaged. Consider using impact resistant glass instead of plastic. Possibly 3 or 4 flat panels. Take a google image look at glass skylights for design ideas. Think of a marquis shape sliced in half. Glass won't get scratched and can easily be cleaned with a swipe of a cloth.
As someone mentioned, use a valve cover style flange floor mount with dzus fasteners and a gasket to seal the seam.
I'd piano hinge mount one side, then fasten the other side with 4-5 dzus fasteners. This would allow you to pop it open and quickly clean the underside from inside the car.
While you're at it, maybe install some clear floor panels as the Jackman Brothers did with their 60's built Model A;

 

Thanks man.
Isn't there some rule on how much cool stuff one guy is allowed to have ?

 

The radiused bends you have planned could probably be made by heating the polycarbonate with a heat gun, with it draped over a piece of pipe. Get some plastic and play with it.

 

I'm thinking your gonna get pretty good at making them, when it yellows from blow by and heat