Plexi glass windows, Thinking of doing it Options

[creis]

I'm getting more worried about my cars security, my friends zx2 was busted into they jacked most of his crap and left him without 2 windows. anyway i think it would be an easy thing to do just buy the plexi and take the windows out, form the plexi to the shape of each window using heat to soffen the plexi, cut out and your done. so that when someone goes to break in, sees they cant open the door because i have no handels, they go for the window and it wont smash it, It shoulds pritty secure to me.

I would only be doing the 4 side windows since the frunt and back are too big and i dont wana mess with the rear defroster.

Any advise or opinions about this project, tips on cutting plexi.

[Digndoug]

It would be a neat idear. but i really doubt its as easy as you think. I doubt you'll get the curve perfect, an cut it without leaking. Also if the thef is smart at all, you can pop the lock in under 20 seconds.. thats all it took me the first time, with a coat hanger. so i doubt ht eplexi is going to stop them.

[macavely]

it could work .. just a few things to think about .. plexi glass sratches really easy.. and to make it shatter prof.. i think it has to be at leat 2.5 inches thick... not a 100 percent sure about that.. i think i read it in one of my work manuels.. can some one correct me on that if i'm worng..

but sounds like a good idea...

[creis]

I know there is no real way to make a car 100% secure but for 85% of car theifs it would not be worth the effort or time. I have a big sheat of plexi (same width as the window) and its really hard to break you can bash it with a hammor pritty hard and it will have little to no affect becase it flexes to releave preshure. cuting it would be kida easy in that what i have to do is cut the general shape bigger then then window and once i have gotten the angle (done buy placing the plexi on top of the window and heating it to fold over) I can use tin foil to protect the surface and my low temp tourch.

as for breaking in, yeah if you know where the stuff in the door is its a 10-20 sec job, however popping the lock will not get you in (no door handles) you have to pull the handle from inside, or pulling the inner door mechanism witch is hard since i have the added resistance of my 45lb popper.

[Hanyo]

but you have to remember that our windows down have the top window frame. it would be easy for them to bend the window out.

the back would be a good idea.. A problem you will have is the screws you put in for the back window windows will cause small indentations.. I've seen it in person before and its not as easy as it looks.

But if you have the materials to do it.. more power to you.

[Nigel]

if you want to get a perfert copy of ur window, you could mold the window using alginate they use it in model making to make masks and sifi stuff. Youd get a perfet copy but its takes time and cost a bit. how you do it is get a box the size of the window pour the alginate in so its half the windows thickness then when its set and it take about 3mins pour the other half in to cover the other side, its hard to explain, then take out ur window an u are left with a mold then melt ur plastic and pour it in.

[Nigel]

oh yeah just buy security tint, if you dont like your windows backed out you can buy clear thts hard to break into.

[CelicaQT]

Have you guys/gals heard of Laminated Glass? What we have now in our Celicas is Tempered glass. When it's shattered it breaks into fragments. Laminated glass is 2 sheets of glass with a PVB in between the glass.

When a force is applied it won't fragment, instead this PVB acts as sort of like a "tape", it will only "web" and won't fragment.

They actually use this in most European cars. They're now incorporating it into most of the upcoming Cadillacs. For example, the SRX has Laminiated glass. It serves as a sercurity feature as well as a safety feature.

[celicarocker]

your telling me the glass shatters when hit.... i have a big pile of it out in my driveway

anyway, if you did get it done, just like hanyo said, the front windows wouldnt work out too well becuase of the top window frame... and after having my door apart to get all my broken glass out of it, it made me realize how easy it is to pop our locks...

[Digndoug]

Im not even talking bout poping the locks from inside the door. IM saying, sence there is no-top door frame around the glass. you can slide a clothes hanger inside and just have the tip bent to grab ahold of the lock and then the handle, if you have pops.. yeah it takes less thinking to shatter a window, but oi think its 10 times easier to use a hanger.

[celicarocker]

Im not even talking bout poping the locks from inside the door. IM saying, sence there is no-top door frame around the glass. you can slide a clothes hanger inside and just have the tip bent to grab ahold of the lock and then the handle, if you have pops.. yeah it takes less thinking to shatter a window, but oi think its 10 times easier to use a hanger.
[right][snapback]214546[/snapback][/right]

yah that too... i was just thinking since i had my door apart and seeing how the lock mechanism actually works, its pretty easy to pop locks like that... but your way is probably easier...

[Fate]

Im not even talking bout poping the locks from inside the door. IM saying, sence there is no-top door frame around the glass. you can slide a clothes hanger inside and just have the tip bent to grab ahold of the lock and then the handle, if you have pops.. yeah it takes less thinking to shatter a window, but oi think its 10 times easier to use a hanger.
[right][snapback]214546[/snapback][/right]

i know for a fact this works because when i locked my keys inside on my seat i used this method.

[creis]

Yeah i have had to break into a friends car (acura legend) using the "bend widow out" method its a snap to do, maybe if i make the window a bit taller it would be more snug, or added a small peace of rubber on the outside to overlap the window edge a bit better to make it harder for someone to get leverage on it to pull out.

The idea behind the whole thing is that 98% or people wanting to jack my shieit are gana give up when they cant break the glass, and the other 2% are smart enough to look though the window and see that i have nothing worth wile, just as long as they cant see in the trunk.

[Hanyo]

the best way ti keep your stuff from getting jacked is to bolt things. down..

my friends CRX gets broken into almost everyother month.. but his deck is still there.. he has a giant bolt that holds his deck in.. and his subwoofers are all held in really securly. but that will not prevent your car from being vandolized..

i hate stupid people

[Fate]

^yeah that's true. the most sure-fire way to prevent anything bad happening to your car is taking all the ideas people had and fuse it into one thing. but that's a bit excessive.

[creis]

hmm... make a mold, 2.5inch thick, meld the plexi into it, laminate it, get that tint tape stuff, bult the crap out of everything, and remove the inside handel, and secure the inner lock mechanism from moving. oh yeah this is for all 7 (sun roof is the 7th) windows too.

yeah bit much...

I think i'll try it on the 2 side back ones first then take a hammer to em to test it out. if it works, I'll update you guys and maybe make a howto if wanted.

edit: just though about this: how about plexi reinforced windows, get like thin plexi and just adher it to the inside (or outside) of the window, would have to be really thin for the frunt windows if i want to still rais/lower them but just another idea to throw in the pile. that way if they go to smash a window it will crack and maybe chip off the glass but the 2nd layer would remain intackt.

This post has been edited by creis: Dec 1, 2004 - 10:36 PM

[importceli]

lol, i dont see why you cant just bolt stuff down, i mean sure you still gotta deal with the vandalism but instead of molding all that crap wouldn't it just b easier to drill a few holes and screw a few screws?

[Batman722]

if someone knows you have plexiglass instead of glass for a window, and they really wanted to break in and steal your stuff, they could just melt the plexiglass kinda easily and reach in and unlock.

[importceli]

if someone knows you have plexiglass instead of glass for a window, and they really wanted to break in and steal your stuff, they could just melt the plexiglass kinda easily and reach in and unlock.
[right][snapback]215660[/snapback][/right]

na i think it would take a little more than just a cigarette lighter...or am i wrong? and usually theifs are pritty stupid. B/c they are stupid enough to steal in the first place..

[creis]

a cigarette lighter could not melt that, if it did it would take forever, and they would have to reach though a hole of burning hot plexi to unlock it, they would just smash the frunt window if they wanted it that bad.

the whole idea of it is to just give a little bit more security, even if its just to fend off the stupid criminals, i think most people who steal cars for a living would go after something worth wile, and leave mine for the kids.

gata think about the waight reduction too, it would be cuting like 2-3 pounds off, thats good for what, .00005 sec off a track time.

This post has been edited by creis: Dec 2, 2004 - 2:10 AM