Lexan Door Glass for a Road Car?

PostPost by: Stevie-Heathie » Sun Jul 24, 2022 8:53 pm

When I came to set off for a 400 mile weekend round trip on Thursday I found broken glass all over the drivers seat and a shattered door window. No idea what happened but it had been 40 degrees outside the day before.

I bl++dy hate the stress of tightening the nuts in window glass so when I saw this lexan option I was tempted.

https://www.plastics4performance.com/lo ... oor-window

5mm with hard coating would be the one I guess. Half the price and half the weight of glass.

Has anybody gone with lexan for their road going elan? Works ok with the electric motors? Obviously lighter but any downsides?

Thanks
Steve
PS she didn’t miss a beat in her 400 mile weekend
Last edited by Stevie-Heathie on Sun Jul 24, 2022 9:10 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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PostPost by: GLB » Sun Jul 24, 2022 9:07 pm

I changed to Lexan on my Elan 1600 last year after a side glass cracked. Bought sheet material and cut and polished edges. No down side in my opinion. No change needed to counterweight springs, they do slide up and down a little easier than glass. Slightly thinner. Don't know how it would work with electric lifts but I don't see a problem. Gary
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PostPost by: elans3 » Mon Jul 25, 2022 7:52 am

Only downside that I can see with experience, is that they do scratch. Used to have Lexan in a the windows of most of my rally cars, and they get scratched more easily than glass. If I remember correctly, I used to change them when they'd been in around 5 years.
Current :- Elan S3 DHC SE S/S 1968,
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PostPost by: rgh0 » Mon Jul 25, 2022 9:54 am

I now use a lexan rear window in my elan FHC. The glass one is safely tucked away until i retire from racing :)

The only downside is the clarity is not as good as glass and has slowly got worse over the 10+ years I have been using it. I will try polishing the outer surface at some stage with plastic headlight polishers compound and I have a spare one so will swap out if it continues. If am allowed to also replace the side windows in my racing class and will do that one day also

cheers
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PostPost by: ericbushby » Mon Jul 25, 2022 11:23 am

PM sent.
Eric in Burnley
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PostPost by: 7skypilot » Sun Aug 14, 2022 7:51 am

Hi Steve. Alex Black used to make fasteners for the Elan window glass that separated the tightening of the cables and the clamping of the glass. I have used them on the Yellow Elan and they are excellent. I know that Alex is unwell and not able to make these fittings anymore, but a search may find details of them. They allow a 'stress-free' installation of the windows.
Many thanks for the Honey - delicious!
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