The Project Anklebiter Build Thread., 8/29 Lid latches and glamor shots... Options

[plymouth37]

We attended the annual Snoqualmie Railroad Days car show, it is only a block from my house so it is a pretty easy drive over there!


As usall there were a ton of questions, "where is the rest of it" "is that a miata' etc...


My kiddo always has a blast showing the car to people, she even corrected a few people that were saying Porsche wrong which was hilarious, good kid!

[AZBanks]

Parenting done right!

[plymouth37]

I got the windshield frame temporarily installed, I used 1/8" spacers around the perimeter to ensure a uniform gap around the perimeter.


Initially I wanted to weld studs to the back of this frame to hide the fasteners but the complexity of having to install that system was inevitably going to lead to a lot of heartache and probably a broken polycarbonate windshield during installation. Instead I am countersinking flat head allen fasteners into the frame to sit flush, I started this process by marking out and drilling holes around the frame.


I pulled the frame and got a big chunk of MDF for a template.


Then using my newly drilled holes, I bolted the frame to the MDF.


Then cut off the excess material, time to throw this in and see what happens!

[plymouth37]

Well I only have half the bolts in and no gasket material but this sure looks promising.


Having the frame to clamp the material in with is really helpful and should make it look a little cleaner than the usual polycarb windshield install process.


This is good enough to move forward and buy a big ol' hunk of Poly, Woohoo!

[sixnotfour]

add the hump at the top like 70-71 ..= aero

[worn]

Did my sister Ann find you? She had a booth of artwork. I asked her to look for you. Last year i missed you by a week. My wife grew up in the valley, and we visit often.
Warren

[plymouth37]

Did my sister Ann find you? She had a booth of artwork. I asked her to look for you. Last year i missed you by a week. My wife grew up in the valley, and we visit often.
Warren

Was it the car artwork that the teenager was doing or another one? Shoot didn't connect, I will totally find them next year!

[76-914]

Do you pre-form the polycarbonate before trimming to size?

[plymouth37]

Do you pre-form the polycarbonate before trimming to size?

I think I can just bend it in there, the MDF formed in there pretty well and it is pretty brittle itself. I did stretch the frame opening vertically a bit when I bolted it to the mdf to make the template so it will naturally be somewhat convex. At the very least I will try to jam it in there on a hot day in the sun with a hairdryer. I actually have access to a large thermo-forming oven but then I would have to make a mold and that seems a lot harder than just trying to jam it in there.

After the first one explodes on installation I will probably explore pre-forming (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[rhodyguy]

If you were to place the poly on a piece of black plastic out in the sun (when it comes back) the plastic would heat uniformally.

[plymouth37]

If you were to place the poly on a piece of black plastic out in the sun (when it comes back) the plastic would heat uniformally.

Yeah that is a good idea, I think the sun is about as extreme as I want to get at first, even a heat gun can create bubbles if you aren't careful. The shape is pretty mild, not going all George Barris on it, should be a good experiment!

[wndsrfr]

This is good enough to move forward and buy a big ol' hunk of Poly, Woohoo!

Take the MDF template to a glass place that has the polycarbonate for the local circle track guys....they'll use the template and cut it for you right there....
Local indy shop "Danny's Glass" here was easy to find as they sponsored a circle track car at Langley Speedway. $100 for a cut out lexan windshield...

[plymouth37]

Okay, time to conquer the task that has been hanging over my head for about a decade, the windshield. I am not really tackling body work yet but my cowl was looking pretty tired, and when I filled the cowl years ago I didn't get everything as smooth as I would have liked. So as part of the windshield install I am doing a light cowl freshening.


Skim coat of bondo to smooth out the lumps.


ohh, fresh paint:


I also filled, primered and painted the windshield frame in a flat black.

[plymouth37]

After the paint dried I installed the attachment clips, I went with these because they introduce a nice amount of slop in the system which should help in installation.


I ran some poly foam weather stripping around the frame opening. this is just generic hardware store weather stripping, not sure if this is the right stuff but I am rolling with it for now.


Also ran a few strips around the back of the outer frame, leaving a channel down the middle for hardware.


I also brought my windshield template to TAP plastics and they kindly cut some abrasion resistant 3/16" polycarb to shape.


I taped the template to the poly and drilled the mounting holes around the perimeter.


I don't know if this helped or not but it was in the 90's yesterday so I dragged an old solarpanel I haven't had the time to mount up out into the sun and baked the polycarbonate in the sun for an hour or so.

[plymouth37]

Oh hell yes! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/aktion035.gif) I can't believe this worked.
It took me 3 tries to get this bolted in correctly, the order the bolts are inserted definitely matters, I finally figured that starting at the sides and then bolting around the perimeter towards the center got it to take the shape well.


I just gradually put a turn into each screw and worked my way around until it slowly clamped down into the frame. This thing looks beautiful, can't wait to take it out for a spin.


I am going to take it out this weekend to get some better shots for you all, this is a big milestone, one step closer to completion!

[rhodyguy]

Everyone enjoys a success story. Nice work.

[falcor75]

Nicely done, congratulations (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[tygaboy]

Dude! Big congrats. I love when folks just jump in and give things a go.
And I know what you mean about those tasks that loom over you. But man, way to knock it out of the park!
It turned out great and looks FABRICATIONULOUS! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/aktion035.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smilie_pokal.gif)

[Krieger]

That looks really good! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smilie_pokal.gif)

[914 Ranch]

NICE…