Louver replacement for quarter window glass
8/27/06, 09:16 AM
#321
We are targeting 30% transmission, but it is a very difficult thing to make an exact answer right now. Although we have tint samples of 30-35% (which makes it 100% legal in most states), the variance of the thickness of the material from the samples we have in the plastic to the thickness it will be when it is molded (it's thicker so it makes it darker) will have to be worked out. So while we are targeting 30-35%, it might be a little darker. I doubt it will come up lighter, but it might go darker by some small amount.
We could custom mix a color to match exactly, but when I inquired, in the volume of plastic we are talking about (1-2 tons) it would almost double our material cost, which then would have to be passed on in a higher price. We (the mold guys and us) are confident we can use an existing color already made to get the effect we are looking for without going to a custom mix.
In any case, the plastic again will be a BASF resin with UV inhibitors in it, and between that and the smoke color, it should last a good, long time.
We could custom mix a color to match exactly, but when I inquired, in the volume of plastic we are talking about (1-2 tons) it would almost double our material cost, which then would have to be passed on in a higher price. We (the mold guys and us) are confident we can use an existing color already made to get the effect we are looking for without going to a custom mix.
In any case, the plastic again will be a BASF resin with UV inhibitors in it, and between that and the smoke color, it should last a good, long time.
8/27/06, 09:33 AM
#322
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Originally Posted by SilverHorseRacing
Here we go guys! Just got back from a wedding that was planned months ago (not mine) and I see we have some takers willing to step up to the plate 
(yes I do wedding photography as well if you need it done at a discount rate - just a hobby for me though - this is the full time thing)
Anyway, on the install - there are no directions writen up yet. The quarter glass might get a pictoral by Wednesday if weather cooperates, but if not, it will have to wait until we get back.
On the flip side of it, I was a service tech for CNC equipment for years, and always had those who were in awe of my ability to actually fix what was broken. I will leave you with this for the evening (it served me well for many years) : If somebody put this thing together, I sure as hell can take it apart and fix it, and put it back together again. So I'm sure installing this is going to be more work than the "stick-on" solutions that exist, but that's part of the point of this product, as it will be worth the work. I can see a lot better in person what this is going to be than what can be conveyed in some shoddy pictures with uncontrolled lighting, and believe me when I say I am even impressed with this. Installing superchargers and cams isn't a ten minute job either, but it seems a lot of us are willing to put in the effort to get the results we are looking for.
(yes I do wedding photography as well if you need it done at a discount rate - just a hobby for me though - this is the full time thing)Anyway, on the install - there are no directions writen up yet. The quarter glass might get a pictoral by Wednesday if weather cooperates, but if not, it will have to wait until we get back.
On the flip side of it, I was a service tech for CNC equipment for years, and always had those who were in awe of my ability to actually fix what was broken. I will leave you with this for the evening (it served me well for many years) : If somebody put this thing together, I sure as hell can take it apart and fix it, and put it back together again. So I'm sure installing this is going to be more work than the "stick-on" solutions that exist, but that's part of the point of this product, as it will be worth the work. I can see a lot better in person what this is going to be than what can be conveyed in some shoddy pictures with uncontrolled lighting, and believe me when I say I am even impressed with this. Installing superchargers and cams isn't a ten minute job either, but it seems a lot of us are willing to put in the effort to get the results we are looking for.
It has been my experience that if problems arise during an install, they are due mainly to 2 reasons.
1. The installer was in a hurry, or
2. The installer didn't know what he was doing.
And if it was at a dealer, I believe the latter.
I don't see this install as any more difficult than installing a Shaker or a rear spoiler.
Whip it on me, baby
I do have one question, though. The pics of the part look pinkish, are the production parts going to be clear, smoked or the same color as on your website?
I thought I had read it was going to be smoked or tinted color.
8/27/06, 09:44 AM
#323
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Based on your pics, the glass/louvers actually install from the outside ?
So there must be a lip behind the glass that it bounds to, is this correct ?
Then using a windshield puller from the inside would work good to seperate the glass from the body/glue. The hard part would be getting it started. A heat gun would help.
As a last resort, a BFH would work
So there must be a lip behind the glass that it bounds to, is this correct ?
Then using a windshield puller from the inside would work good to seperate the glass from the body/glue. The hard part would be getting it started. A heat gun would help.
As a last resort, a BFH would work
8/27/06, 12:19 PM
#324
One of my buddies actually said the BFH would be easiest, but you know if I go and put that in the directions somebody will try and kill themselves with it and sue us for telling them to do it... 
Although it would be fun...
And yes, there is a metal lip behind the glass, just like a windshield. IT attaches the same way, just smaller.
On the tint - remember the red is a design prototype, made from SLA resin (liquid to solid laser-layered ala Star Wars or something to that effect) So our options were white solid resin or this semi-transparent red resin. The production pieces will be tinted polycarbonate - dark smoke color like most window tints.
If the pictures from the original honeycomb panel thread still worked, you'd see the stages we go through to get from napkin sketch to production, and how much you have to ignore in certain stages to keep things moving. We are bringing the honeycomb prototype with us so everyone can see the difference close up between prototype finishes and production finishes, which should ease the concerns for many buyers. (That and the original honeycomb panel was white - which made for some odd looks when it was first done.)
Although it would be fun...
And yes, there is a metal lip behind the glass, just like a windshield. IT attaches the same way, just smaller.
On the tint - remember the red is a design prototype, made from SLA resin (liquid to solid laser-layered ala Star Wars or something to that effect) So our options were white solid resin or this semi-transparent red resin. The production pieces will be tinted polycarbonate - dark smoke color like most window tints.
If the pictures from the original honeycomb panel thread still worked, you'd see the stages we go through to get from napkin sketch to production, and how much you have to ignore in certain stages to keep things moving. We are bringing the honeycomb prototype with us so everyone can see the difference close up between prototype finishes and production finishes, which should ease the concerns for many buyers. (That and the original honeycomb panel was white - which made for some odd looks when it was first done.)
8/27/06, 03:13 PM
#325
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Marcello, waiting to hear about those instructions/pics on removal of the rear quarter glass...I will then pass them to the "glass expert" at the dealer and hopefully he can be enlightened. 
8/28/06, 07:27 AM
#327
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Hey Marcello, I'm in for a set. Got my order in this morning. I would have done it on Saturday, but it was closing time at work, and I didn't have time to get my CC out and get the info sent in. I'm number 69 for these, and I can't wait to get them. Thanks for all the hard work. 
8/28/06, 08:30 AM
#328
Cool guys, keep them coming - and be sure to tell friends on other forums as well - I don't get time to cruise them all, and I know a lot of other people will be interested in this as well, especially at this price.
Pre-order should last at least through September, possibly October as well. It is now in the hands of the mold makers.
Directions as soon as I can will be forthcoming. I fully expect though that it will be after the show. We are working 14 hours a day here trying to get ready, and time just probably isn't going to allow the install. That and now we're possibly going to prepare for a hurricane before leaving
Pre-order should last at least through September, possibly October as well. It is now in the hands of the mold makers.
Directions as soon as I can will be forthcoming. I fully expect though that it will be after the show. We are working 14 hours a day here trying to get ready, and time just probably isn't going to allow the install. That and now we're possibly going to prepare for a hurricane before leaving
8/28/06, 08:31 AM
#329
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Marcello, they look great. Should have been this way from the factory. Maybe Ford will see what you've come up with and want to license them from you. Again, thanks, I can't stress enough how nice they turned out.
8/28/06, 10:34 AM
#331
LOL - Order # 70 overall for the new storefront... not 70 sets of quarter panels - yet... And we're still trying to figure out how it counts orders, because it skips numbers inbetween - guessing it's orders that get to the cart but don't complete.
BUt yes, orders are continuing to come in, and we appreciate it
BUt yes, orders are continuing to come in, and we appreciate it
8/28/06, 12:09 PM
#333
Sure, unless you are a complet hack and use the BFH mentioned earlier, I don't see why not. It's actually pretty sturdy glass, so it should be okay.
All of our pieces we try and make them so if you ever wanted to go back, you could. (Fuel Door, rear medallion, honeycomb, etc). Who knows, in 20 years, the style might be the smooth glass look...
All of our pieces we try and make them so if you ever wanted to go back, you could. (Fuel Door, rear medallion, honeycomb, etc). Who knows, in 20 years, the style might be the smooth glass look...
8/28/06, 12:34 PM
#334
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Originally Posted by SilverHorseRacing
Sure, unless you are a complet hack and use the BFH mentioned earlier, I don't see why not. It's actually pretty sturdy glass, so it should be okay.
All of our pieces we try and make them so if you ever wanted to go back, you could. (Fuel Door, rear medallion, honeycomb, etc). Who knows, in 20 years, the style might be the smooth glass look...
All of our pieces we try and make them so if you ever wanted to go back, you could. (Fuel Door, rear medallion, honeycomb, etc). Who knows, in 20 years, the style might be the smooth glass look...
Hey Marcello, or anyone else for that matter.... I don't know much about painting, and am curious to know how difficult it will be to paint all surfaces except those with a rear facing plane. I know it can be done using masking, but will there be a problem with the edge flaking since it is all 1 piece? Did I describe that well enough? I'd like to paint the louvers to match the body, but still see rearward out those rear facing surfaces.
8/28/06, 02:18 PM
#335
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I just pre-ordered, but do have a question regarding the appearance from the inside of the vehicle. Is there any trim/molding or other dress-up done in order to make them appear as if they belong on the car? I just worry that from the inside they're going to fit/look a little odd.
Thanks,
-danny
Thanks,
-danny
8/28/06, 03:43 PM
#337
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I just got back from one of the top auto window installers in Va Beach and he stated that there is no 100% guarantee that he can remove the rear quarter window without scratching the surrounding paint. He said that they use an electric urethane cutter that is used on the outside of the car and that it has to fit around the glass edge in order to work. He showed me on my Stang (on both driver and passenger side) where the edge of the glass nearly touches or does touch the edge of the painted window frame... he said these are the areas where the paint would most likely be damaged and then would require painting. And in most cases the car would be sent to a body shop where a large part of the rear quarter panel would have to be re-painted in order to blend it in with the rest of the body...
I did ask him if he had the tool which simply heats up the urethane from outside the glass. I figured that he could then push the glass from the inside. He said that the tool heats the glass up to 180 degrees and at that point the glass will most likely break.
So, I don't really see how the glass will come out with breaking it...or saving the glass and ruining the surrounding paint.
Marcello said that he will check this out and post how to do it.
I did ask him if he had the tool which simply heats up the urethane from outside the glass. I figured that he could then push the glass from the inside. He said that the tool heats the glass up to 180 degrees and at that point the glass will most likely break.
So, I don't really see how the glass will come out with breaking it...or saving the glass and ruining the surrounding paint.
Marcello said that he will check this out and post how to do it.
8/28/06, 06:23 PM
#338
There is no trim, but they are desinged to "fill up" the quarter panel opening on the inside, so there wouldn't really be room for trim. If you trimmed it out, I would imagine it would be difficult, if not impossible to see out of. You could mask and paint the inside areas you don't want to see through, but that's only if you are painting the outside. I'll post pictures of the inside mounted once we have it done.
As to R&R of the glass... I don't think the fast "commercial" tools are going to do well in this instance - I think what is going to end up working best is the old wire and two hands sawing it out. I've never owned the tool in question, and unfortunately have had the opportunity to R&R more than my fair share of window glass, be it front, side, or rear. But I do know that using the old tried-and-true method, you can safely get glass out of just about any car if you are careful with it - be it rope or urethane seals.
Unfortunately, it's going to have to wait a few days, with Ernesto bearing straight for us, we are leaving an extra day early so that we aren't caught on the road with the big rig. See everyone who's coming in Alabama!
As to R&R of the glass... I don't think the fast "commercial" tools are going to do well in this instance - I think what is going to end up working best is the old wire and two hands sawing it out. I've never owned the tool in question, and unfortunately have had the opportunity to R&R more than my fair share of window glass, be it front, side, or rear. But I do know that using the old tried-and-true method, you can safely get glass out of just about any car if you are careful with it - be it rope or urethane seals.
Unfortunately, it's going to have to wait a few days, with Ernesto bearing straight for us, we are leaving an extra day early so that we aren't caught on the road with the big rig. See everyone who's coming in Alabama!
8/28/06, 09:17 PM
#340
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redbullet, I had the installer take a look from the backside...he didn't think that was the way to go...but I guess if you take enough of the inside trim out, you just might be able to use that tool...are you going to do it yourself?