CHJ In Virginia

Its getting time to strip the interior, windows and all extraneous stuff out of the Z and install a full cage. Funds are available for the cage, race seats and a couple of other items. I only have an open trailer and can't afford to get a closed trailer and the required truck upgrade to tow it. How do you protect a car without windows from rain etc. when towing ? A full car cover would beat and tear itself to death quickly. A "Tonneau" snap on type cover could be fashioned to cover the roof and windows. How does everyone handle this situation, ideas appreciated ??

travisnd

Some people make inserts that use velcro and snaps that work well. I picked up a roll of crash wrap aka wreck wrap from the local autobody supply store. Got a 3' x 100' roll for $80 that will last "forever".

The stuff is like sticky kitchan wrap and will stick through most rain. It's used by tow companies and body shops for cars that have the glass broken and need to be storred outside. I tape the leading edges down with painters tape for extra protection. The only time I've had an issue was in a torrential downpour where I stopped to eat. Stoping allowed the water to start seeping under the edges and eentually made the plastic come off.

I'd like to eventually fashion some type of "mini" car cover to cover the top/roof/turrit portion of the car (C5 Z06), but haven't gotten around to that. Truthfully I'd like to have my own enclosed and had planned on getting one this spring but went and got engaged so now she's got my enclosed on her finger.

jaa1992

Get some Katie windows!
PM Jason for the details!

Bill Dearborn

I was going to suggest Collision Wrap as well. I use on the car when I take it to the track. I tape leading and top edges to keep wind and water from getting under it.

Bill

MySR71

The guys at DRM came up with a really slick solution for me. They got some lexan side windows and used quarter turn fasteners and an added channel in the door to secure them.

Here's how it works:

They added a channel in the door. I side the lexan window into the channel that they put inside the door.



They burried the female side of the quarter turn fasteners inside the window gasket. The fastener is on a simple L-bracket. Here's the one on the A-pillar:



Here's the one in the middle of the window:



So I drop in the window into the channel with the door open. Then close the door. The male side of the fastener in the window aligns with the female side on the car.



Then I just secure the two quarter turn fasteners (which aren't secured in the picture below).



The system is very simple and eligant. It is practically rain proof when being trailered and just sitting in the paddock. It was quite labor intensive to do though and Randy said they didn't have much fun with it. It sure is slick though.

PS Other ideas/pictures are in this thread: http://forums.corvetteforum.com/auto...ows-issue.html

urtoslo

I made plexiglass blanks using the original side glass as a template. I used the thinnest stuff I could find at Lowes (1/8 inch), but would use the next thickest stuff if I had to do it again. I drilled a pair of holes near the top of the plexi by the A/B pillars and wire-tie the plexiglass to the roll cage anytime it looks like rain.

eogel

Check out this thread, although some pictures have been deleted.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/auto...inserts-2.html

I first had a tonneau made that fastened like a boat cover. Was very effective, but it required snaps be installed on the body and was rough on a lexan windshield. I have since implemented a variation of Jody's idea and made covers from vinyl with velcro & snaps holding them in place. Works great.

sperkins

Just throw a trash bag over the seat and roll.

Falcon

c4cruiser

Could you define "truck upgrade? I just sold my 18' open trailer and picked up a 20' CargoMate Blazer trailer. Think with the proceeds from the sale, the new trailer cost me about $4K.

My truck is an '08 Silverado extended cab Z71 with the 6.0L motor (367HP, almost 400 ft-lbs TQ) and it could pull the open trailer and my 87 easily at freeway speeds. The gross trailer weight was about 5700 lbs (all steel trailer @ 2000lbs, car @ 3500 lbs, and about 200 lbs for a set of tires and some tools.

The CargoMate trailer weighs 3000 lbs and with the same car weight and same tires/tools, I'll be towing around 6700 lbs which is well within the maximum for my truck. The only other thing I changed was going to a weight distribution hitch.

The biggest thing I wanted was security for everything in the trailer and because in the winter, I now have an extra "garage!!

parkerracing

....but drill a hole in the floor after the carpet's gone /:\

AutobahnRacer

I just trailered a Spec Miata race car from Chicago to Road Atlanta, and needed windows in case of rain.

I used corrugated box material to create a template, and then went to Home Depot for some 1/4" Plexiglass. I think I paid $ 50 for a 36" X 48" sheet (one for each window). I cut with a jigsaw, and they worked great.

racerbob4

When we had an open trailer for our T2 Camaro we used the glass windows as a template and cut the shape needed out of tempered masonite and then put on three coats of paint to give additional protection. Suprisingly they lasted 3 years and were still in good shape when we sold the car. We attached them in place with bungee coards.

CHJ In Virginia

[QUOTE=c4cruiser;1579482665]Could you define "truck upgrade? I just sold my 18' open trailer and picked up a 20' CargoMate Blazer trailer. Think with the proceeds from the sale, the new trailer cost me about $4K.

I currently have an 04 Silverado 1500 with Z71 and Tow Package. It has the small V8, 300HP and is only "adequate" towing the open trailer, car and all spares. Towing through the mountains to VIR or going up to the Glen, I am frequently screaming along in second gear to pull the hills. Max tow capacity is 8500LBS and adding the extra weight of an enclosed trailer would put me way to close to the limit for my liking ---- At least need the bigger V8 or would love to have a Diesel - torque rules !

Gray Ghost GS

Curtis, sounds like a TOP SECRET project is brewing in your garage this winter. Serious weight reduction for a track only car with roll cage. I'm looking forward to before and after weights, if possible, and photos of the 'new' interior. Who's doing your roll cage? Piper Motorsports? The Sparco Evo 2 Plus are great seats. I'm still running at full weight + the roll cage and fire suppression. I need to place my C5 on a diet.... one of these days. Mike

Jason

It's not weight, it's aero. You need a damn big truck to pull an enclosed trailer around the mountains. I tried it with an F250 gas motor truck for a couple years and was never sure I was going to make it to the track, and when I did I was exhausted. Do yourself a favor a get an older 7.3L Ford diesel and tow like you're sitting at home with your feet up.

drivinhard

or stop when you got there

c4cruiser

[QUOTE=CHJ In Virginia;1579483673]I used to tow the open trailer with a '99 Silverado similarly equipped to yours with a 5.3L motor but with 270 HP. On the flats it worked fine and had plenty of power but pulling on hills did cause speed to drop off. Never had to take mountain roads but I'm sure that would have been long and slow.

Diesels are great but diesel fuel around here is still in the $4.20 range while 87 octane is down to around $3.40. If you ever do decide to go with a newer GM truck, look at the 6.0 or the 6.2 gas motors. The newer ones are at 400HP and over 420 ft-lbs of TQ.

travisnd

Buy a used Titan... very very nice ones can be hand for $16-$19k (earlier models a few grand less) and they tow like a beast for a gas truck I shopped 2007+ GMC/Chevys and newer Ferds and Hemis pre 2010 (the newest body)... kept coming back to the Nissan as the best used truck value out there. They hall have a 5.6 DOHC V8 rated at 315 horse and 390 ft/lbs. On the truck froums they typically put 300 to the wheels and make 350 ft/lbs starting in the very low rpms. Tows a 24' enclosed w/o issue... even up hills

cire96

Here's a simple (and cheap) solution: Remove the stock glass and any hardware attached to it. Next, buy two sections of 1" aluminum angle iron and a roll of double sided foam tape. Use the tape to affix the angle to the lower edge of the glass at the location where it's positioning allows the flat side of the angle to rest on the door's upper edge and the glass to align at the top of the door frame. To put them in, you open the door and slide the glass into the slot where the glass once resided. When you get to the track, you open the door and pull it out. Viola!
Cire