1957 Aurora HELP!

mel hubbard · Post by **mel hubbard** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 12:36 am

My buddy builds & restores real weird looking vehicles, and has asked me if there is anyway that a windshield can be cast in a clear resin for his Aurora. Im lost

maybe you guys can help,, apparentally this is the way it was made way back in the 50's. Andy is real pissed off as the only thing that lets this mint condition car down is the windshield,, you cant see it that good in the pics, but Andy made that one from resin and he has a job to see out of it. see pics on,, andysaunderskustoms.com OK, its a long shot, but I have faith in you guys :rock:

CairoManx · Post by **CairoManx** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 6:37 am

It should be made out of optically clear plexiglass. He needs to farm it out to a professional aircraft canopy manufacturer. http://www.toddscanopies.com/

manxdavid · Post by **manxdavid** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 7:44 am

Andy Saunders is your buddy???? Respect!!!!

mel hubbard · Post by **mel hubbard** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 10:20 am

Thanks CairoManx, Andy made an inner & outer mold for the windshield, maybe he never used an optic grade resin,,will pass your info on to him. Dave, all my customers are buddies!!,, I did the buggy GRP seats & wife did metalflake seat covers for the 3 wheeler thing he did on TV a few years back. His latest project is a buggy

manxdavid · Post by **manxdavid** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 4:00 pm

I don't suppose Dino could help with this puppy....

Has it got wipers???

CairoManx · Post by **CairoManx** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 4:37 pm

[QUOTE="mel hubbard"]Thanks CairoManx, Andy made an inner & outer mold for the windshield, maybe he never used an optic grade resin,,will pass your info on to him. Dave, all my customers are buddies!!,, I did the buggy GRP seats & wife did metalflake seat covers for the 3 wheeler thing he did on TV a few years back. His latest project is a buggy

[/QUOTE] I don't believe they use resin. They heat a flat sheet of acrylic and "blow" the canopy into or onto the mold.

mel hubbard · Post by **mel hubbard** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 5:51 pm

[QUOTE="CairoManx"]I don't believe they use resin. They heat a flat sheet of acrylic and "blow" the canopy into or onto the mold.[/QUOTE] I agree with you, but Andy did say it was done in a resin back in the 50's too

the one in the pic Andy made from resin with the two molds, but, he has a job to see through it,, said he made quite a few & that was his best attempt. A few years ago I was offered some optic grade resin, the guy told me it cost ?1500 per 45 gallon drum, but said I could have it cheap,, I tried it out, in fact I made a Manx 2 buggy kit with the stuff,, never again ,,, it was like laying up with gel-coat

but when it went off in the plastic pots you could knock it out & it was as clear as glass,, never cracked with the heat either. The guy that sold me the sample has since died,, but I do remember he said it came from USA. No wipers Dave

mel hubbard · Post by **mel hubbard** » Fri Apr 27, 2007 2:46 pm

[QUOTE="CairoManx"]I don't believe they use resin. They heat a flat sheet of acrylic and "blow" the canopy into or onto the mold.[/QUOTE] Just spoke with Andy again today, seems he did try to get one made the way you said at a UK aircraft place,, but for some reason they had to stop as the machine would have broken. He said the windshield so far has eaten up over $12,000 in R&D costs

The one on the car (in the pic) that Andy made was fine when it came out the molds, but started to yellow after a short time. Seems clear optic grade non yellowing casting resin is what it needs,, if there is such a thing,,the stuff I had years ago was not casting resin.

CairoManx · Post by **CairoManx** » Sat Apr 28, 2007 5:18 pm

I don't know about the casting resin. Here in California one of the larger suppliers of fiberglass supplies is TAP plastics. http://www.tapplastics.com/ Todds makes most of the canopies for experimental aircraft in the US. When they make an aircraft canopy, they use instruments to ensure it meets optical standards. If he ever wants to drive it and have a reasonably clear forward view I think he needs the windscreen professionally done. He could email a picture to Todds and ask whether they'd be interested. They'd know whether its practical. You know the LE is $2 now.

mel hubbard · Post by **mel hubbard** » Sat Apr 28, 2007 6:34 pm

CairoManx, Thanks again for your help, I did pass todds site onto Andy, and I hope he gets in touch with them,, they sound like a real good company. He keeps asking me to do it

but that type of casting is new to me. As the old saying goes,, ''You Pay Peanuts,, You Get Monkey'' Maybe Andy should have spent the R&D costs at Todds.