Like Nick (RogueVogue), I'm going to use flat plastic in-fill panels on my truck in the spaces between the space frame tubes. For those I'm going to use HDPE as it has good thermal expansion properties and is very tough (and light weight).

Several panels however want to be transparent (roof, rear window, door tops). I need something which is as scratch resistant as possible as well as being tough.
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(Although this might not look much like a Land Rover - it has some LR in it!)

Polycarbonate, although tough is pretty heavy, expensive and scratches very easily.
Perspex on the other hand is pretty scratch resistant - but shatters into nasty shards a little bit too easily.

I just wondered if any of you have experience of alternatives? what lasts longest before becoming opaque?

TIA

Si

Hi Si
I cant remember what its called but IIRC its quite spendy, how about a double layer of polycarbonate/perspex? you could treat the outer layer (perspex) as sacrificial and replace it when it got too scratched up as its quite cheap? a quick go with a roll of that clear self adhesive plastic stuff (or even sellotape) would help the shattering problem?
Mike

Marguard's good but can be pricey, often used for advertising hoardings and vandal resistant stuff, Kim uses it in the Scooby Batmobile and rates it for workability, toughness and impact resistance
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He's trying to look intelligent, but he's probably just followed though (having driven this thing I can understand why)
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Thanks Jez - that might well be the answer! I wondered what they used on signs & stuff as that seems to fit the bill (no pun....)

That's quite a cool looking truck too - from an indi suspension point of view.

Just have to find a supplier (or a big ad hoarding in the middle of the night! )

Si

Found a datasheet - might be useful to someone in future:

No worries Si hope it works for ya you'd like the batmobile; scooby imprezza drivetrain in a spaceframe - 2 guys can pick it up with Kim in it, its kinda fast

Si, if you find a supplier can you post it up? I shall be needing to do something along those lines soon.

Cheers

Si- I have found Aquarius plastics in Guildford pretty helpful in the past- You may want to give them a call (if you haven't already).

Aquarius Plastics

You could also try

http://www.auto-plas.co.uk/


Ask for Steve (his into offroading) and explain what you need

to veer wildly off topic, have you any more information on that creation or pictures, it looks ace.

Most Rally cars now use Makrolon: http://plastics.bayer.com/plastics/emea/en...e.jsp?lineId=53
I used it in 4mm as replacement screen on my 90ty ages ago and it works, even got it TUEV approved when the car was registered in Germany.
Steff

Kim and his brother knocked up up during a drinking frenzy (holiday in Finnish), they just use it for mucking around and ice racing. I have yet to drive a more lunatic car, its ace

scooby imprezza drivetrain in a spaceframe My dream car although I'd double the weight!

Si, let us know how you get on with this. I was only searching for something similar this morning

slightly off what your asking for but might be helpful when clear plastic(any type) gets scratched use some black colour match type polish on it you'll be suprised, what you thought was so far gone as to be useless can be retrevied to useable again.

mike

margard, lexan and makrolon are trade names for polycarbonate.
I don't know about the coatings but I used hard coated lexan, bought it at a place near RS in gatwick, for race car windows and it was very scratch resistant.

Davis Industrial plastics maybe? I've used Lexan and Makrolon a lot in the past - but it would be lousy for windows - gets scratched up v.quick. Margard seems to be a good option!

Thanks for the Black Colourguard tip - I'll see if it works on my mobile - then welding helmet and the dozen or so similar scratched plastic things I have!

Si

davies industrial plastics, could be. Is all the polycarb you have hardcoated, non hardcoated is soft but the coated stuff is pretty hard
much harder than any other plastic I have come across. I think my Simpson visor has "Lexan" engraved in it, it survived from 1980 till a few years ago
without any scratches..

That seems pretty good.

The other option could be Vulcascot Plastics - I'll check 'em out and report back!

Si