Windscreen & wet weather gear

[Blacktop]

I thought my mind was made up as I was going to buy the Haynes roadster kit from Saturn once they launched the revised chassis for the MX5 donor. HOWEVER I have been doing some more reading surrounding seven style cars and drivability in terms of wind buffeting etc... and the concensus seems to be:

1) Drive with a helmet
2) Get a windscreen and sidescreens and also hood etc...

Now the Haynes is constructed with the helmet option in mind but since I am not planning on doing any track driving and being cocooned in helmet does not appeal, that option for me is out the window.

This leaves me with the option of windscreen, sidescreens and hood which would suits my needs better and allow me to go touring and not worry about the forecast too much.
Now I know everthing is dooable and I could probably find some where to do a bespoke wet weather solution but as stated originally I was going to buy rather than fabricate my kit so I wonder if I would be better off going for another kit manufacturer which is maybe more suited to my situation and can supply an off the shelf solution for screen and wet weather gear?

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

[shaun]

Can anyone let me know the width of the Saturn scuttle, as I plan to fit a screen to my roadster. GBS sell a screen kit but I'm not sure if it is the right size.
CHeers
Shaun

[AshG]

im in the process of talking to someone about making screens for the roadster. he used to make them for the indy.

[shaun]

Thanks for that Ash, let us know what you find out.
Cheers
Shaun

[cornishmaid]

A few years ago a family member built a Locost with a screen but the force generated cracked the scuttle panel. It wasn't strong enough to take the extra loads.

CM

[Talonmotorsport]

My dads locost now 15yrs old has a screen fitted but has a steel scuttle, maybe GRP scuttles just need steel supports bolting to the top chassis rail inside the scuttle.

[minicountryman1961]

im in the process of talking to someone about making screens for the roadster. he used to make them for the indy.

Jack at Kinetic in the USA has simplified the windshield frame construction. he uses the upper aluminum piece, but not the lower, the lower piece is replaced by a rubber seal that sets against the ledge on the fiberglass scuttle.

http://kineticvehicles.com/windshield.html

[minicountryman1961]

A few years ago a family member built a Locost with a screen but the force generated cracked the scuttle panel. It wasn't strong enough to take the extra loads.

CM

wind loads or people using windshield as handhold wile getting in and out of car?

[cornishmaid]

wind loads or people using windshield as handhold wile getting in and out of car?

I suspect a bit of both but the screen does act like an open door.

[AshG]

i would agree that the scuttle would need some metal supports on the inside. the wind over 65mph is notably stronger compared to sub 60 speeds. at +120mph its almost unbearable even with a helmet on.

[K4KEV]

I must admit I have been toying with the idea of welding in a couple of bits of 25mm box section at either side within the bounds of the scuttle to allow the possible fitment of a screen with 19mm box section ends that happen to fit very neatly into 25mm section so I am thinking of welding the 25mm section in now so I can work on a windscreen in retrospect and just have a couple of grommets to hide the holes during nice weather.......should not be too difficult to fabricate with something like a nissan micra rear windscreen ( I would like some curvature as I think flat glass looks naff):rolleyes:

[Wynand]

Im also going the full windscreen way and having looked at the local Locost scuttles (read flimsy) available, decided to do do things right and that again means to do it yourself.

First of all, the scuttle is laminated with a 3mm CoreMat sandwiched between the two 450g CSM laminates resulting in a strong/stiff lightweight scuttle about 5-6mm thick - mine weights 4.1kg. The scuttle is also solid to the engine side (top firewall laminated within scuttle).
Furthermore I fabricated a frame using two round tubes (25x2mm) across frame linked together that actually acts as a fwd roll bar should it goes turtle onto (over) which the scuttle fit and secured to. On the sides of the "roll bar" frames plate brackets will be fitted to which the window frame will secure to taking the load off the scuttle so to speak.
A nice solid, light and safe solution hopefully:)

Here are some pictures showing my setup - the scuttle plug from which the mold was taken is still in position but scuttle molding already made will fit the same.
The dashboard hides everything nicely:cool:
Last two pics of the scuttle molding itself - mold release agent still on it:o

[axle]

looks great a lot of work, I have made one brace of 25x3 mm across the scuttle where the bottom of the triangle for holding the windscreen is going to locate!

[MarkB]

Although not being done until all parts are finalised Mr Voodoo bloke is badgering me for windscreen option ideas as well as a quite few of his own. The new scuttle will bear this in mind but not integral to it.
Also deflectors and other tricky bits to help keep the windage out yet the top open....;)

[robo]

I too am looking at screen options. I am a bit long in the tooth to be getting blasted by the elements on every jaunt. Like minicountryman and cornishmaid pointed out a screen will get used as a point of purchase. why not design a front rollbar type hoop that a screen can just fit into. if it was part of the rear hoops etc weather gear could be made to go round the whole lot. there would be somewhere to hang sidescreens/doors and weather gear could be tensioned against it. Scuttle strength would not be an issue. Just ideas.
Bob

[baz-r]

im thinking a bracket could be made to fit between the top rail and the scuttle bent up the side of the car and windscreen or make a metal scuttle as in book

[MarkB]

im thinking a bracket could be made to fit between the top rail and the scuttle bent up the side of the car and windscreen or make a metal scuttle as in book

Some cannyness during laminating can have a strong yet not too heavy scuttle that can carry a screen. Along with how the new Voodoo scuttle is shaped it adds strength so shouldn't require any extra steel supports.

Pics as soon as honest....:)