Clear Perspex Bonnet.?

[novadose2009]

hi i would like 2 use a clear bonnet on my nova and assuming that perspex would be the only suitable material. has anyone ever seen a clear nova bonnet or made one before?.

thanks

[mowgli]

it might melt.......... or set on fire...

or are you talking about a show bonnet??

[MK999]

it might melt.......... or set on fire...

or are you talking about a show bonnet??

Like a plastic rocker cover does?

Perspex/acrylic will shatter in an impact and generally not shape easily etc. Polycarbonate is a far better bet. Which will quite happily sit a mm or 2 away from engine temps. Not sure how you'd go about getting one made tbh, I would expect a massive cost for a one off job.

[novadose2009]

lotus exige engine covers are perspex and transparent.

and also if i could only use it 4 show then i would.

[Edd]

One question, why ?

[novadose2009]

well ive shaved and smoothed my engine bay and its going to be the best part of the car and my dads built the craziest yellow 4x4 turbo belmont which has a lotus exige rear window as his bonnet and i wanna make something simular.

[Bubba]

One question, why ?

its different. ive thought of a clear bonnet, but the fact it wouldnt be clear for long is a bit off putting...and the fact u have to somehow make one

[paul james]

Easier option would just be to cut out a big hole in a normal metal bonnet, and mount a clear sheet of whatever inside.

[novadose2009]

that is a possibility but im building this car to highest standard i can and love 2 have a fully transparent bonnet to show my hard work and to have something different

[LEWI007]

Ive been thinking about this and thought about the above also.

imo just wrap cling film round the front end lol

[reevie1987]

i would go for the clear bonnet mate personally i have never seen one on a nova before and i would'nt put one on but its your car do what ever you feel happy with

[mowgli]

Like a plastic rocker cover does?
you know fully well there are more types of plastic than there are days in a year.


Perspex/acrylic will shatter in an impact and generally not shape easily etc. Polycarbonate is a far better bet. Which will quite happily sit a mm or 2 away from engine temps. Not sure how you'd go about getting one made tbh, I would expect a massive cost for a one off job.

your biggest problem is that an engine produces heat in odd places, it is not uniform which will cause hotspots & probably shatter perspex easily, it also emits various chemicals, and perspex absorbs chemicals easily & discolours

[novadose2009]

any one have solutions? ideas?

[George g]

You thought of "lexan" a type of polycarb but they use it on plane cockpits. It's near enough bullet proof iirc and good with heat.

[General Baxter]

what do they make the windows out of, for the shuttle ? lmao

[Stuart]

The exige uses polycarb you mong.


First last and ONLY text typing warning.

[MiniManDan118]

Hi all, new here. My Dad manufactures polycarb windows for cars, I'll just clear a few things up for you. Perspex and acrylic are the same, perspex is a trade name. Lexan is the same as polycarbonate, again a trade name. We use 4mm lexan for all our windows.

Acrylic would crack too easily really, polycarb would be a better choice. Saying that, polycarbonate is a thermoplastic, which means it can be heated and reshaped many times. The plastic used for engine covers is thermosetting, so once heated and shaped it cannot be heated and shaped again, hence why it holds its shape whilst hot. To my knowledge there isn't a clear thermosetting plastic unfortunately.

The best bet would be to cut a bonnet and insert clear plastic into it, to keep the correct shape. A full clear bonnet would involve very expensive forming. Maybe cut the centre out, between the 2 kinks that go from front to back?

We could probably help, but wouldn't guarantee the life of the plastic atall, due to the heat. Vents in there somewhere would help draw heat away.

Dan :)

[Benn]

well ive shaved and smoothed my engine bay.

Pics of...

[ste porter]

was thinking about having my engine bay air brushed onto my bonnet to scale on the 4x4 kinda like you see in mags where they fade a pic of your engine through the bonnet that type of thing but exspect to pay thousands for a decent job

[George g]

was thinking about having my engine bay air brushed onto my bonnet to scale on the 4x4 kinda like you see in mags where they fade a pic of your engine through the bonnet that type of thing but exspect to pay thousands for a decent job

Sorry to go a touch off topic, but you could get a vinyl cover with a printed photo of your engine for a fraction of the price of airbrushing.

[Ernie]

any one have solutions? ideas?

Yes leave bonnet as it is now and when you get to a show just open it or have it so the bonnet can be taken off once there.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v617/chunny01/08092007068.jpg
At the time the bonnet was clipped at the rear then bonnet pins at the front but you could always use aero catchs which look neater.

[novadose2009]

ok thankyou everyone

and BEN i cannot upload pictures on here otherwise i would of had a build thread if you you are interested i can email you pics

thankyou

[ste porter]

Sorry to go a touch off topic, but you could get a vinyl cover with a printed photo of your engine for a fraction of the price of airbrushing.

doesnt tend to have the same effect though but i know what your saying
the other idea with the 4x4 was have a 1.2 sohc lump put on it

[MK999]

doesnt tend to have the same effect though but i know what your saying
the other idea with the 4x4 was have a 1.2 sohc lump put on it

Bonus points if the rocker cover says "Well Nippy For What It Is"

[Pistol Pete]

ok thankyou everyone

and BEN i cannot upload pictures on here otherwise i would of had a build thread if you you are interested i can email you pics

thankyou

Why cant you upload pics?

[novadose2009]

cannot work out how todo it and all my pictures are off my mob and not sure if i can upload them on here i have plenty of pictures id like 2 put on here if anyone could help.

[Pistol Pete]

See here for how to post pics...http://www.pngclub.com/forum/showthread.php?t=121587

[novadose2009]

i have read that loads of times i just cannot do it :(

[Nova_Tek]

Totally doable if you got the spare £££. Was watching Fast and the Furious 4 last night and saw a few cars running a transparent bonnet

[Pistol Pete]

i have read that loads of times i just cannot do it :(

Email me some pics of your car, and i'll host them. Email me via my profile.

[novadose2009]

pistol pete you have email thanks