Has anyone replaced their hatch with lexan? Mine exploded on friday and I'm considering this over some glass guy doing the replacement. Is it a major PITA or easy enough with some patience? How do I remove the remaining broken glass that is glued into the frame? will a little heat do it? I had saved a web page for apex performance for lexan porsche windows but now cant find it. any one know a good supplier of lexan? Thanks Dave

 

<a href="http://www.gt-racing.com" target="_blank">http://www.gt-racing.com</a> makes a drop in replacement rear hatch glass that is made out of lexan.

 

What were you doing when it exploded?

 

One thing to keep in mind is that the lexan is not a forever fix. The Sun WILL UV attack it. Then there are scratches from cleaning and the rest of life's curve *****.

So get lexan that has good UV protection on it and store the car out of the Sun as much as possible and maybe you can get it to last more than a few years.

Ever looked at the composite plastic headlights on newer cars? That milked opaque and scratched look is what awaits the lexan hatch. Heck, bulb manufacturers had to start applying UV filters on the bulbs because they were killing the composite lexan plastic so fast.

 

Peckster, I was closing it with one hand placed right around the middle, firmly but not slamming it by any means, usually I use two hands one over each latch but I had something in one hand at the time.It REALLY made a huge mess,scratched the paint on the rear quarters, zillions of tiny pieces in the gravel part of my driveway, I'm sure I'll be vacuuming glass shards for a long time to come. Iceshark, I wasn't aware the sun would ruin it real fast, although in my case I only drive the car on nice days, or around 3000 mi. a year so maybe I'd get some time out of it. I've had good results polishing plastic with meguiars cleaner/wax, seems to remove haze and small scratches well. I've never tried it on UV damage though. Anyway if anyone has installed one of these, any help with this decision would be appreciated, Thanks, Dave

 

I hear you have to finish those hatches with a custom gasket, much like when you attach a 924 Turbo nose piece to a 951, or the seams will show. Be sure to use a harder compound that will take paint. But maybe I'm wrong.

Thaddeus

 

once.. i managed to close the hatch so only the right side pin went in and the left side stayed up.. (had a box in the hatch that stopped it from coming down because of the wiper motor) .. that was tricky to open.. wow.. gotta be careful with these frail pieces of crap that we call Porsches <img src="graemlins/c.gif" border="0" alt="[ouch]" />

 

Lexan is a great product, just don't expect more than it can deliver and UV is a weak point. An inch thick of it will stop a .357 slug dead in its tracks - I tried it out with some left over scrap. Neighbor kid wondered what that loud noise was from my garage.

 

Anyone know if it would be possible (or rather, affordable) to install a defroster to a Lexan rear hatch? Might not be totally necessary, but it would at least make it look more normal- IF that matters to you...

Thanks,
Robby

 

YO!!

 

its not too tough to remove... if you have no sunroof the two access holes are apparent near the front of the glass on the roof/headliner. if you do it is probably underneath the sunroof mechanism access panel... either way its four bolts that hold the hinges that hold the frame. shouldnt be too much of a pita... i have a glass i could sell you... and you could stick your frame and spoiler on it. sorry to hear about the window, and i hope you can get it fixed soon <img src="graemlins/burnout.gif" border="0" alt="[burnout]" />

 

ERau, How do I stick the frame on it? thats the part I don't know about.

 

There are old detailed threads on this, either here or on the 944 turbo forum. Let me know if you can't find one, I might have saved one somewhere for when I can't put mine off.

 

I did a search on any board I could think of before posting, and didn't find anything. So if you do have a way to find old posts that would be appreciated. <img src="graemlins/burnout.gif" border="0" alt="[burnout]" />

 

If it's a dedicated track car lexan is great.
But a real problem is scratch resistance.
If a wiper blade so much as passes over it you are left with permanent scratches.
I would NEVER consider a lexan windshield for this reason, a rear hatch I would expect to be UV and scratch damaged after a short time.
FWIW... <img src="graemlins/burnout.gif" border="0" alt="[burnout]" />