Norval- birdcage?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 2,635
Likes: 0
From: Union Ontario
Re: Norval- birdcage? (norvalwilhelm)
Yours does not weigh that much maybe 5 lbs(at most). Mine with the hatch style rear window weighs approximately 20-30lbs. I just have to find someone that has the ablility to form it into my rear window.
Yours would be easy to do, Its just a flat piece of glass. Just becareful as Lexan is much softer and will scratch and marr easily. Honestly it wouldn't be much more than a 2-3 hours job to replace it. Pull the window, use it as a template, cut the new one out, mount it and wait for the adhesive to dry, then peel off the protective coating. Just make sure to cover it when welding around it it is a lot more sensitive than glass is.
Yours would be easy to do, Its just a flat piece of glass. Just becareful as Lexan is much softer and will scratch and marr easily. Honestly it wouldn't be much more than a 2-3 hours job to replace it. Pull the window, use it as a template, cut the new one out, mount it and wait for the adhesive to dry, then peel off the protective coating. Just make sure to cover it when welding around it it is a lot more sensitive than glass is.
Drifting
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 1,651
Likes: 13
From: Holly MI
Re: Norval- birdcage? (MikeC)
Here's a better solution for the early rear windows; just remove it when you drive.
Seriously, here are some other thoughts: the firewall also serves to provide a huge amount of torsional rigidity to the car. Drilling holes does not necessarily mean you are reducing the strength of a component. At my last job, we needed to lighten a rocker arm, but maintain the rigidity. We cut holes in the vertical walls, but actually made the walls taller at the same time. The part ended up stiffer and lighter. That is why the pictured car worked. The problem comes in optimizing the amount of material; and the SHAPE of the material.
Adding horsepower to make up for extra weight only works in one direction. Reducing weight helps everything, braking, cornering, and acceleration. If you're to the point of drilling holes in the birdcage (or at least considering it), I hope you have removed all carpet and insulation, radio, etc. Look into different tires as well. Lots of people look for lighter wheels, but there can be big differences between tires as well. Get a lighter seat. Use Lexan for the side windows as well.
Good luck.
Ken
Seriously, here are some other thoughts: the firewall also serves to provide a huge amount of torsional rigidity to the car. Drilling holes does not necessarily mean you are reducing the strength of a component. At my last job, we needed to lighten a rocker arm, but maintain the rigidity. We cut holes in the vertical walls, but actually made the walls taller at the same time. The part ended up stiffer and lighter. That is why the pictured car worked. The problem comes in optimizing the amount of material; and the SHAPE of the material.
Adding horsepower to make up for extra weight only works in one direction. Reducing weight helps everything, braking, cornering, and acceleration. If you're to the point of drilling holes in the birdcage (or at least considering it), I hope you have removed all carpet and insulation, radio, etc. Look into different tires as well. Lots of people look for lighter wheels, but there can be big differences between tires as well. Get a lighter seat. Use Lexan for the side windows as well.
Good luck.
Ken
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 16,945
Likes: 9
Re: Norval- birdcage? (norvalwilhelm)
Mike Lexan rear window?? How much does a stock window weigh? I have sheets of lexan here at work.
Never thought about that one but if I could save a few pounds :) :) :)
Never thought about that one but if I could save a few pounds :) :) :)
Racer
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 384
Likes: 6
From: Brockville Ont
Re: Norval- birdcage? (applevette)
carbon fibre does not necesarily have to be any thicker than fibre glass to gain the same stiffness, by weight carbon fibre is slightly stiffer than fibre glass as its modulas of elasticity is high S glass is comparable for much less money, carbon is extremely brittle and does not lend itself to repeated cycling (flexing) depending on resin used, anything other than higher grade epoxy will not be suitable for use with the carbon as typical iso and orth poly and vinyl resins do not have the correct modulas for use with carbon fibre. It is a complicate formula to get the most the carbon has to offer, shape, strand bias, weave etc all contribute to stiffness, and should be considered.
Just my 2 cents
:party:
Just my 2 cents
:party:
