Someone make me a light hatch

[Mr Ed]

So whats your current weight distribution like Justen? Ive wanted to do a lightweight hatch on the A70 for a while but decided against it as Ive already got a substantial weight bias towards the front.

[JustenGT8]

Bias is around 55 Fr and 45 Rr. But i'll be adding an oil tank for the dry sump, hopefully losing some weight from the front if the turbo kit sells, CF bonnet and a few other bits so should b able to maintain current bias or even improve is i can.

[kaido]

lexan or polycarbonate absorbs water, so the problem with heating it to form a curve is if you heat it too much or too quick. bubbles form in it.
the proper way to do it is to dry it out buy heating it at a certain temp over a few days.

for scratch resistance, you can get tear off films, chuck one on and just replace it when it scratches up... dont know how cheap they are tho.

[oldcorollas]

I like the idea of heating it to get the original curve....might save on stress cracks that you often get from the pop rivet holes if the 'plastic' is a better fit?

proper polycarbonate shouldn't "crack" because it is soft and has high impact resistance/crack stopping properties..
perspex will crack, and will shatter if hit hard enough, because it is brittle. ie, not a huge amount better than glass (maybe 50% better?)

links
link2
http://allstarplastics.com.au/polycarbonate.htm

[JustenGT8]

What's all this talk of poly carb...i'm using ACRYLIC!!!!!!

[kaido]

just stating facts for other peoples benefit...

relax.

[oldcorollas]

What's all this talk of poly carb...i'm using ACRYLIC!!!!!!

LOL, ok good luck




http://www.cityplastics.com.au/automotive.html

Advice to us from Transport SA indicates that legally both acrylic and polycarbonate windows can be used for all motor vehicle windows in South Australia in road registered vehicles manufactured prior to January 1994. For vehicles manufactured after January 1994 an exemption for use of plastic glazing needs to be applied for.

promising..

[MR22ZZ]

wow, you managed to find the only worthwile thing to live in SA for.

[oldcorollas]

you probably still need an $11tybillion engineering cert....

Maybe go to piccies and "remove" teh glass from a hatch and see if the steel portion is worth spending the money to have rebuilt.

easier than that, just measure area and thickness of glass and just calculate from density.. take that away fro total weight and see if it is worth it...

[JustenGT8]

LOL, ok good luck




http://www.cityplastics.com.au/automotive.html

promising..

Now that is interesting. Not a major concern as the car is far from a daily these days but nice to know something more that cunstable plod won't

[trdee]

interesting, i was under the impression that the windscreen at the very least was required to be made of glass for a street registered car

[manny]

Probably insignificant on a rear window but nonetheless this is a good graphic comparison of differences in properties of Polycarbonate vs Acrylic Plastic
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hsls5ZPCUnE

[MWP]

you probably still need an $11tybillion engineering cert...

Not for a rear window in a car with a hatch, like a JZA80, or in my case RA28.
The rear glass isnt as much of a structural element due to the large C pillars.

I know fibre glass RA28 hatch is legal in SA, so non-glass window shouldnt be a problem.
FYI, fiberglass panels and bonnet are also legal here

[JustenGT8]

Probably insignificant on a rear window but nonetheless this is a good graphic comparison of differences in properties of Polycarbonate vs Acrylic Plastic
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hsls5ZPCUnE

Yup not a consideration. The xtra price of polycarb just doesn't justify the advantages for my purposes