Interior Exterior
Q:
Have been working with a local tool & dye shop to
have them construct '4' individual 'scratch resistant'
clear acrylic covers to replace the black-plastic
'louvered' ones that came with the Elise. In essence
they will consist of 1/4 inch 'see through' acrylic and
whereas the small 'upper most' openings are flat and
don't pose much of a problem, the 'lower' larger ones
do require bending to sit properly. After numerous
heat/pressure applications they are almost ready. They
will have slotted openings (3 on the large ones and 1
on the small ones) with clear acrylic 'canopy like' covers
that will allow 1/8 inch 'air escape' openings at the base
of each canopy. At present I am intending to secure them
with 1/4 inch double-sided tape, similar to that extremely
strong stuff that secured the original louvers. The original
ones only had tape 'top and bottom' but I intend to use tape
on the sides as well, forming a four sided frame for each
panel. Since the 1/4 inch 'double sided' tape is fairly thick
I believe it will serve as enough of a cushion for the panels
and would like to know if you 'body shop' guys agree? When
they are done I will take photos with a standard camera. If
anyone is able to take the photos and post on site please let
me know (PM me) and I will mail a bunch to you for posting on
site.
A:
I will take photos with a standard camera. If
anyone is able to take the photos and post on site please let
me know (PM me) and I will mail a bunch to you for posting on
site.
If you want to, when you get the film photos developed, you can have them copied to a CD. I've done this (before I got my digital camera) and it worked just fine, and only cost a couple of bucks...
My daughter's done it the other way - take great photos with the digital, and have them blown up and printed as a photo to make small posters (although that cost a few bucks more... ).
A:
If you want to, when you get the film photos developed, you can have them copied to a CD. I've done this (before I got my digital camera) and it worked just fine, and only cost a couple of bucks...
My daughter's done it the other way - take great photos with the digital, and have them blown up and printed as a photo to make small posters (although that cost a few bucks more... ).
The transfer to a CD sounds like a good idea. Then I'll just
need some 'step by step' instructions to post them. Thanks.
A:
Then I'll just
need some 'step by step' instructions to post them. Thanks.
1. Click Go Advanced at the bottom of the page.
2. Enter some text, then click Manage Attachments near the middle of the page.
3. Click Browse and find your photo on the CD, then click Upload.
4. Then click Submit Reply.
A:
1. Click Go Advanced at the bottom of the page.
2. Enter some text, then click Manage Attachments near the middle of the page.
3. Click Browse and find your photo on the CD, then click Upload.
4. Then click Submit Reply.
I've made a note of your instructions. Sounds do-able, even
for someone with meager abilities on computers such as me.
Thanks.
A:
1. Click Go Advanced at the bottom of the page.
2. Enter some text, then click Manage Attachments near the middle of the page.
3. Click Browse and find your photo on the CD, then click Upload.
4. Then click Submit Reply.
Wow, thanks. I never knew we could upload photos, I always thought they had to be hosted on photobucket or something. Cool.
Ron-
Really looking forward to seeing those clear louvers. Any idea on pricing yet? Is it one set for you or are you going to be producing them. It is something I'd be very interested in if the price was reasonable.
A:
Wow, thanks. I never knew we could upload photos, I always thought they had to be hosted on photobucket or something. Cool.
Ron-
Really looking forward to seeing those clear louvers. Any idea on pricing yet? Is it one set for you or are you going to be producing them. It is something I'd be very interested in if the price was reasonable.
I'm pretty sure they will offer them for others as well. This is
the same company that made the aluminum (with steel insert)
handles for my gull-wing, which HRM had made for them as
well. Pricing will undoubtedly be less than what I wind up paying
but my price isn't even finalized yet since a lot has to do with
hours applied. I will definately get him to give me a price for
future ones, including packing and insured shipping, as well as a
time-frame from date-of-ordering to date-of-shipping. Then you
can decide if it isn't excessive.
A:
I'd be very intrested in a set of clear louvers...together w/ a CF Trunk lid would look awesome!
A:
I'd be very intrested in a set of clear louvers...together w/ a CF Trunk lid would look awesome!
Someone at the shop must have attempted to wipe
down the covers with an improper cloth because they
looked foggy with some fine scratches when I saw the
finished product. I have since informed them that the
supplier of the scratch-resistant acrylic says it is vital
to use only specific wipe cloths and spray plastic cleaner
when wiping them down. That said, they looked awesome
.....even with the mentioned imperfections. I hope to have
the new set either later this week or early next but I do need
to have the car available to make sure the curve of the
larger (2) panels sit flush with the framed lip of the trunk lid.
This isn't possible until Manhattan Motorcars returns my car
to me and that may not be until next week. Once I have them,
I'll get some photos showing them on the car.
A:
The transfer to a CD sounds like a good idea. Then I'll just need some 'step by step' instructions to post them. Thanks.
www.videoprofessor.com
A:
www.videoprofessor.com
Hey! The only reason I have even the limited computer
skills known by me is basically due to my having gone to
the public library on numerous occasions whereas I would
ask the young children using the computers to help me. I'm
sure that after a few of these visits they were thinking,
'here's that old fart coming to bother us again.'
A:
Acrylic is usually scratches easily and can shatter. Polycarbonate won't shatter and is used in many school windows for that reason. They both change shape with heat. I only need about 200 F to form them in the first place. I taught plastics shop in LA for years, before becoming a autoshop teacher.......teaching kids to hot-wire cars.............
A:
Acrylic is usually scratches easily and can shatter. Polycarbonate won't shatter and is used in many school windows for that reason. They both change shape with heat. I only need about 200 F to form them in the first place. I taught plastics shop in LA for years, before becoming a autoshop teacher.......teaching kids to hot-wire cars.............
Acrylic is the hardest and thus the most scratch resistant of all plastics. Lexan and others are prone to scratching but resist shattering (higher rubber content)
A:
Acrylic is the hardest and thus the most scratch resistant of all plastics. Lexan and others are prone to scratching but resist shattering (higher rubber content)
Hi John: Glad to hear that the acrylic 'scratch resistant' way
is the better choice. I was able to find a 1/4" totally transparent
'double-sided' tape that I intend to use to secure the panels.
I also purchased, from the same company that offered the tape,
an accelerator that should increase the bonding of the tape on
both the acrylic under-side and the deck-lid lip. Hopefully by the
end of next week everything will be done.
A:
What about if the panels were made from the clear material of your choice, then covered in paint protection film to reduce the scratches? Eh? Eh? Sounds like it might be a good solution.
A:
What about if the panels were made from the clear material of your choice, then covered in paint protection film to reduce the scratches? Eh? Eh? Sounds like it might be a good solution.
It would seem to me that if my tool & dye guy were to
use something other than 1/4" scratch-resistant acrylic,
be it a different thickness of acrylic or polycarbonate, he
would have to 'again' tweak his time, pressure, and
temperature settings to get the desired curvature needed
after cooling to get the large panels to sit properly on the
curved deck-lid. Very time consuming is what I assume would
be the case to initiate these change of material and corresponding
pressure and temperature settings.
A:
Oh, alright. I was only saying that about the starshield (paint protection film) because of this line above:
"omeone at the shop must have attempted to wipe
down the covers with an improper cloth because they
looked foggy with some fine scratches when I saw the
finished product. I have since informed them that the
supplier of the scratch-resistant acrylic says it is vital
to use only specific wipe cloths and spray plastic cleaner
when wiping them down"
If the scratch resistant plastic is still scratching easy from using the wrong cloth, just thought the clear film might help protect it in that department.
A:
I think the clear protection film will show scratches (swirl marks) when applied to clear material like Acrylic. Given the flexibility of the film, I'd assume it scratches very easily and this would be noticable when applied to a clear material like Acrylic. A better solution is to buy Novus cleaner and scratch remover. It works very well, you can easily restore the plastic to a "like new" state. Go here http://www.tapplastics.com/shop/product.php?pid=113 for information. They also sell the appropriate cloth to clean/polish Acrylic material.
Good luck with the louvers Ron, anxious to see how they turn out!
A:
I did note where Tap Plastics says it is imperative to
use specific type solutions and cloths for plastic cleaning
and shining. I ordered the Novus Plastic Polish
mentioned by Miami Lotus as well as a 'final prep for
shine' product called Brillianize that they recommend. Also
purchased both the 'paper like' Wypall and Microfiber Cleaning
Cloths they offer.
A:
Sounds pretty neat. I want to do the same thing but with the entire engine cover(trunk lid). Make the rear trunk lid out of a solid sheet of clear plastic that has been formed into a female copy of the original piece.
Sort of like the engine cover on the F40.