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Awhile back I saved photos of this amazing wind wings project. I don't know if I found these here or elsewhere on the web. Is that owner active here or can someone tell me more about how this was done?

 

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While I really like these wings and may want to do something similar in the future, my immediate goal is to get a roof formed to my one-off roll cage. I'm wondering if the technology/materials used in these wings might not apply to a roof.

 

Anyone have any advice? thanks.

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...... Is that owner active here or can someone tell me more about how this was done?.....

 

Thanks for the very nice words about my workmanship, guys :)

I only wish my car would still look as spiffy as on the pictures. Oh well, it shows some good use.

 

As for the question how this was done I must say I more or less winged it (I know, silly pun). The stainless tubing frame was bent by hand, partially with a tube bender or carefully drawing over the table edge and it took a while to get both sides symmetrical. I believe I screwed up a piece of tube before getting it right.

 

I used a piece of cardboard frequently to make sure the frame became "devolvable" while shaping, i.e. capable of being covered at all points by a flexed sheet. After that it was rather easy to attach the "glass". First I used 1/16" lexan, a few years later I replaced this (after the Lexan was scratched and beat up) with 0.08" PETG sheet. Cheaper and easier to wrap around the frame.

 

The plastic sheet was clamped to the frame in several places, marked about 1" oversize and cut out with a jig saw, clamped back on, slotted every inch or so with a cutoff disk. Then the protruding tabs heated with a hot air gun and wrapped around the frame tube one by one. That is pretty easy with a leather glove and/or a piece of aluminum bar. The softened plastic freezes in place immediately after touching the steel tube.

Edited by slomove
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thank you sir for the detail. Makes me think I and a very anal/detailed mechanic type friend could give it a go.

 

Are you still planning on your NorCal circuit in a few months? That well planned itinerary and you coming from my home town of Pasadena (a non-sequitur I know) really warms me up to the idea. :cheers:

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Ted, sure, give it a try. There is no magic recipe for such a project just some handiwork, i.e. trial and error. Make sure the steel tube is thin enough (IIRC it was 0.02 or 0.03 wall) or you may have a hard time bending by hand.

 

Yes, the plans for Summer are getting more concrete and I will probably start picking the hotels sometimes soon. Still need to get approval for the PTO but that is probably more a formality. You may know Bill G. with a Superstalker from Glen Ellen who is also interested in the trip.

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In case you meant the black mirrors on my car, there was a thread about that as well (can't find it now). This is my own design, the stem is welded from stainless tubing and the shell is 3-d-printed, then painted with epoxy rattle can paint. There is a plastic sperical bearing held in an aluminum 2-part shaft collar. Below is an exploded image. The glass is nibbled and ground from a large convex aftermarket truck rear view mirror to fit the bezel. If somebody wants to make a copy and has access to a 3-d printer (or by Internet print service) you can PM me for the .stl files.

 

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