Thumper Posted November 6, 2005 Share Posted November 6, 2005 I am planning to do some more weight reduction on my z. It still has to be streetable but not daily driver. One of things i'm considering is replacing the rear window with lexan. So who has done this and how much weight has saved? If you have done this are you happy with it, can you drive it on the street, did you get the uv screen or tint, where did you buy it, what size did you get, and how much did it cost? When I am asking about weight difference I am talking about oem hatch with oem glass and oem hatch with lexan window. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lunar240z Posted November 6, 2005 Share Posted November 6, 2005 there are lots of threads covering this topic. just search for "lexan" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thumper Posted November 6, 2005 Author Share Posted November 6, 2005 LOL why yes little grass hopper I am aware of the search button. Although all my questions were either not asked or were out of date. You see lexan has come out with some good uv resistant in last 2 yrs. When it came to the weight I only found one answer it didn't sound conclusive. Plus it was just the weight of the oem glass. I would like to know the weight of the oem hatch with oem glass vs oem hatch with lexan. Thanks for your time though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oleh Posted November 6, 2005 Share Posted November 6, 2005 wow a newbie telling a OG to search. personally, i dont think you will save alot of weight, hell maybe 5-10 pounds at most. You probably know they scratch very very easily though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S15 200sx owner Posted November 6, 2005 Share Posted November 6, 2005 Go the whole hog, and use a f/glass rear hatch with lexan like i have, truck loads lighter than stock hatch with glass! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom'sZ Posted November 6, 2005 Share Posted November 6, 2005 wow a newbie telling a OG to search. Now I am laughing my @$$ off... you guys are TOO MUCH!!!!!!!!! I'm dying here. The second I read that, my eyes shot over to the join date (asian accent) grasshopper catch on fast I just want to say... I know some of you guys have spent countless hours researching things, discussing things on this forum and when someone asks a question and it's obvious they haven't lifted a finger to try to find the answer before posting, it makes you feel like that time you spent is wasted, or at least not being fully benefited from. You've beaten it to death and you don't feel like going over it again. Fine... let somebody else answer the newbie's question. (and I know thumper isn't a newbie, that's why it was so funny) Sometimes (like when I'm at work) when I'm board, I wish there were more posts, even if they were stupid questions. (those are usually the only ones I can answer) Now the search is great. But it takes some getting used to. Sometimes there are so many reasults and even thogh they contain your search word, they had nothing to do with what I wanted to know. You have to learn to use the advanced search and booleans and I'm good with a computer. (pro IT guy) Maybe a search FAQ??? but anyhow, I've search for hours, couldn't find what I needed to know, posted a question... AND FLAT GOT MY HEAD BIT OFF!!!! And yes, like thumper, they were many threads on what I was asking, but none specificly about what I needed to know. And maybe somebody who never posted about it will read it and decide to post. That what it's all about to me. (hope no one is offended) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
260DET Posted November 7, 2005 Share Posted November 7, 2005 Don't have any weight comparisons for you but lets put it this way. The stock hatch is quite awkward and heavy to lift, a fiberglass frame with bonded in plastic 'glass' is light as in comparison. I'm guessing that replacing the glass by itself gives the biggest weight reduction, it should be possible to work this out by researching the weights of both materials. To avoid scratching, just use high pressure water to clean it, don't touch it with anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueovalz Posted November 7, 2005 Share Posted November 7, 2005 I think Darius' new project uses a Lexan hatch window. My hatch is fiberglass, and the glass is Lexan (but I made the window smaller than the OEM size). Regardless, I am guessing that the OEM window is between 20-25lbs, and the 1/8" Lexan that I used is no more than 5 lbs. This thickness conforms fairly well with the compound curves in the hatch. The issue then is how do I place a thin material into a grommet meant for 1/4" material (Mine is pop riveted into the fiberglass frame to make it flush with the hatch surface. I think ScottieGNZ did this with the rubber grommet, but I may be wrong on that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
preith Posted November 7, 2005 Share Posted November 7, 2005 Unfortunately I don't have any pics, but I installed lexan into my stock steel hatch. The lexan is about 1/2 the weight of the glass, and without it, the steel one really isn't too heavy or awkward. I took it off the car and set it on a card table. I bought the lexan from Home Depot. Their stuff is pretty thin, something like .095", but IMO just about any thickness will require additional bracing. I used 90 deg angle alumuinum stock (.125"x.25"), also from there. I'd have reservations about using lexan on a street vehicle I also bought some 1/4 thick plexiglass, cut it into strips with my angle grinder, and sandwiched it between the lexan and lip of the hatch to help bring it up towards the surface. I was surprised how much more time consuming this was, probably 10 hrs completed, but the end result was worth it. On a side note, lexan seems to scratch easier than plexiglass, but it is much more resistant to cracking, even over the high impact stuff that Home Depot has sold in the past. It's not cheap though either, I seem to remember the sheet costing something around $75. I also found that it's very easy to bend into shapes without braking as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JaysZ Posted November 7, 2005 Share Posted November 7, 2005 i've been thinking about this for quite some time, and my idea for a solution would be to have the 3M RockGuard film applied. Not only is it extremely durable and 100% clear, it is UV protectant and custom cut to your specifications. my ideal situation would be to have my windows replaced with lexan and sandwiched between the rockguard material so i would have no worries. i've never checked pricing though. a typical application on your hood, front bumper, and headlights will run you about $800 USD installed. http://www.rock-guard.com/faqs.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark Posted November 7, 2005 Share Posted November 7, 2005 Check out Betamotorsports site. They sell the lexan and the fiber or carbon fiber hatch. Also have a comparison of weights. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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