Sector11 Polycarbonate Windshield Review

[perryeyges]

Well so far I am really enjoying my Speedglass windshield. It seems scratchproof(though I'm sure it isn't) and does have some distortion if you really look for it but if you just drive and watch the road it seems no different than the stock windshield(which has some distortion as well as I recall).
I have no wiper so that isn't an issue.
The visibility is really great since I cut off the top 1/2 of my windshield support.
I did add four supports to the top of the windshield that are tabbed to the roll cage.

[akandok]

Whats Sector11??

[RoadDad]

Originally Posted by akandok

Whats Sector11??

If you haven't noticed, he really likes shaving off little pieces here and there... he's just following tradition.

[akandok]

Originally Posted by RoadDad

If you haven't noticed, he really likes shaving off little pieces here and there... he's just following tradition.

[Serebo1]

Originally Posted by RoadDad

If you haven't noticed, he really likes shaving off little pieces here and there... he's just following tradition.

[nas213]

I've had my speedglass installed for a couple of weeks now. No problems with scratches yet, even when using wipers. My only complaint is the distortion, but I've become accustomed to it. It seems to me that the distortion comes from the coating, since it isn't uniform.

[usofrob]

Does the speedglass look different through polarized glasses?

[perryeyges]

Sector 11 would be 30% lighter than 111.. SHINOO!!!
Not sure about the polarized glasses thing, I'll have to give it a try.
I had a VW New Beetle that had horrible distortion in the rear glass so VW replaced it. The new window was worse than the original one!
I think if you really look you will find distortion in any windshield. The Speedglass doesn't seem to have any more than a normal windshield to me.

[sleepe]

Originally Posted by nas213

I've had my speedglass installed for a couple of weeks now. No problems with scratches yet, even when using wipers. My only complaint is the distortion, but I've become accustomed to it. It seems to me that the distortion comes from the coating, since it isn't uniform.

Is the speedglass installed the same way as regular windshield glass?
Was it hard finding a shop to install it, considering it's not street legal?
=Robert

[perryeyges]

Originally Posted by sleepe

Is the speedglass installed the same way as regular windshield glass?
Was it hard finding a shop to install it, considering it's not street legal?
=Robert

It is glued in the same as the stocker but doesn't have the same rubber finishing flange.
I just went to a regular windshield shop. THEY told me that the only reason that Polycarbonate is not used on cars is that there is big $$ in glass windshields(status quo). Companies like PPG keep congress well oiled.
They told me that Polycarbonate was safer in many ways to glass and that glass chips easier than poly. They were very impressed with Percy's speedglass(I showed them the web site). It has a hardened surface and it will give under a firm impact and bounce back, unlike glass. I really like mine now that I have been driving on the street a bit with it.
The owner of the glass shop told me that eventually cars will start showing up with various types of plastic windows in order to cut the weight of vehicles and help with gas mileage #'s. He said "it is just a matter of time, in some vehicles you could save up to 200lbs".
Let the flaming begin....

[AZReason]

After over a year of one or two track days per month I finally removed my first tear off on my speedglass. It worked! There was only one nick that made it through the first layer to the second. The windshield looked new again. Ony one problem. The adhesive between layers left some stripes that I removed with alcohol and a lot of rubbing. This is most likely due to leaving it on longer than recomended and the Arizona heat. The speedglass and the tearoffs make a great combonation. I get used to the slight distortion quickly every time I drive it.

[sleepe]

Originally Posted by AZReason

After over a year of one or two track days per month I finally removed my first tear off on my speedglass. It worked! There was only one nick that made it through the first layer to the second. The windshield looked new again. Ony one problem. The adhesive between layers left some stripes that I removed with alcohol and a lot of rubbing. This is most likely due to leaving it on longer than recomended and the Arizona heat. The speedglass and the tearoffs make a great combonation. I get used to the slight distortion quickly every time I drive it.

Do you have a closeup picture of the installed speedglass?

I've accrued two rock chips since ownership, so speedglass is in my future.
-Robert

[AZReason]

What pics specificaly?

My plan with the speedglass was to install it the cheapest and easiest way possible (I did all the prep work and paid $70 to have an installer come to my house and install it for me). Then if I like it I would get another one and install it the right way after it got pitted. After install I liked it so much that I purchased the tear offs to protect it. Now I am stuck with the cheesy surround that I had it installed with originally and I am too lazy/cheap to get it done right.

This weekend I will try to get the following pics plus any requests.
Through the windshield, closeups of the tearoff that is on there, installation pics of the cheesy surround the installer used (at my request), the gap I have between the windshield support and the front of the hardtop since I did not use a Lotus surround.

The stock windshield had five stars on it before the sixth hit it took finally cracked it.

[choi0706]

so who has had one for awhile? Wondering how it's holding up..