tell me about plastic windows!!

[petetong]

want to put windows in the side of my hiace..
but would really like them to be flush fitting.
like VW T4 ones are..
rang around couple of place's to get a price for fitted windows
but most places wanted £250+ each side !! for fitted windows!! seemed a bit step to me???
looked on the bay for secound hand ones, but trying to find some that would fit flush just is'nt going to happen!

now today I serviced an ex police transit.. and the side windows in it were plastic!polycarbonate I thing?? thay were really tuff and flexible and I now there easy to cut..
so I'm thinking that maybe this might be a cheaper option for my side windows? by a sheet, cut them to fit, and bond them in with tiger seal??
but does is scratch easy?? and if it does, can thay be polished out? has any one had much experience with the stuff??
here the hiace in question.. want to fit the window in the sliding door, but so that it fill the hole of the window gap, and looks flush!

[Rich606]

We had a similar question a few weeks ago, have a look here; definitely some useful stuff here.

[RobinJI]

As far as I'm aware if you want something like that, lexan is going to be your best bet. It's bloody tough, and pretty flexible and workable. You can get it in a hard coated type as well, which is scratch resistant, although I think that may be a little OTT for your needs as it's a little pricy from what I can tell.

This is the first place on google to give you a rough idea of price's and types available.

[devilishdesigner]

problem with your current thought is that the plastic won't stay curved, it'll try to bent the door back to straight with it and put a HUGE amount of strain on whatever seal you use.

[popuptoaster]

Trouble is with plastic as van windows, its fairly easy to push out of a flat panel in a standard rubber seal and does not make the same noise as breaking a glass window does.

[petetong]

Dec 3, 2009 3:24:37 GMT devilishdesigner said:

problem with your current thought is that the plastic won't stay curved, it'll try to bent the door back to straight with it and put a HUGE amount of strain on whatever seal you use.

yes reading the link that's posted above.. it would seem,like you say that, that's the case.. but the panels are flat.. or near as dam it.. so shouldn't be a problem.. i hope!

and see the point with the glass being easier to pop out..
but was thinking that maybe if it was drilled and counter sunk..and fixed with M6 bolts, might not be as easy for the window to be popped out??? would that work?

[petetong]

think I'm going to give the "plastic" windows a go.. see what thay come out like..
be nice to try somthing diffrent?? ill post up photos when i give it ago

[popuptoaster]

might be worth popping into a glazier and finding out how much to cut a bit of laminated glass to the size you want first.

[alolympic]

I've got mine back from Plastic 4 Performance, fitting to the car this week, I will post pics when done.
One thing to bear in mind is that there is a compromise to be made;
If you want any level of tint, you will have to go for standard Polycarbonate. This is very strong but still susceptible to scratches.
I went for Lexan Margard, which provides a very durable coating, to prevent scratching, but is only available in clear.
I can live without tints more than I could live with scratched windows (I think).........

[Rich606]

I think you'd get away without any sort of scratch proof-coating if you're doing the sides, no winding up and down or windscreen wipers to damage them.
Also, plastic would make it easier to make up a set of awesome custom porthole windows:


You know you want to.
;D