Canopy Dimensions

[maguromic]

Does anybody know where I can get the dimensions to the rear portion of a F-16 canopy?

[1212FBGS]

Dan Hostetler has one on his roadster

[JackD]

The majic of the PM has brought you Dan's phone number.

[Sumner]

The majic of the PM has brought you Dan's phone number.

Dan has a phone   I thought he had a can attached to the end of a string  ,

Sum

[maguromic]

Kent and Jack thanks for the info!  I am looking for a canopy design for my roadster as well, and Jack, no mater what people say you are still OK in my book!!!

[JackD]

"People say
 People play
 Be sure not to take any of it to serious
 After all, it jest gets in the way."   (me)

[1212FBGS]

why didnt you say you wanted a canopy...sheesh.....call todd... http://www.toddscanopies.com/ 
kent

[Rex Schimmer]

Just a question: Aren't these canopies made from plexiglass? not Lexan. Per the rule book canopies have to be made from Lexan and I can tell you not many people can do that. Steve Nelson has a pile of "trys" that several suppliers have provide him and they look good until you look thru them at the angle that the driver of Steve's lakester would look at then you get sea sick!! Most of the canopy fabricators do plexiglass and don't want to mess with Lexan. Steve has a fabricator making him a canopy from Ballistic plexiglas right now and he is requesting a change in the lexan only rule.

Rex

[JackD]

A rule without suitable enforcement is like whistling at a girl in the dark.
Whoever was able to certify the difference at an event?

[Sumner]

...................... Per the rule book canopies have to be made from Lexan and I can tell you not many people can do that.......................right now and he is requesting a change in the lexan only rule. Rex

Rex I'm not sure that is the rule as the rule seems to leave some wiggle room:

All non-stock windows and windshields shall be made of shatter resistant plastic, such as polycarbonate (Lexan), and provide 120 deg..................

shatter resistant.............not necessarily  shatter proof
such as polycarbonate............... note the words "such as"

So the main thing I see there is that it is suppose to be "shatter resistant".............how resistant, who knows.  Is Plexiglass shatter resistant at all??

c ya,

Sum

[Blue]

So the main thing I see there is that it is suppose to be "shatter resistant".............how resistant, who knows.  Is Plexiglass shatter resistant at all??

Plexiglas (acrylic) is shatter "resistant" when new, but can easily become brittle with UV exposure, temperature cycles, and age.  Lexan can take a much bigger hit from heavier and sharper objects for a given thickness.  It is also more resistant to aging effects.  Lexan is less forgiving in the forming process, often resulting in waves in the finished product that render it useless.

Stretched acrylic and stretched Lexan are even better.  If the material is stretched a specific amount at a carefully controlled temperature along the stress axis (fore and aft for canopies) then the resulting canopy will be 20 to 100% stronger with respect to impact.  The military uses this.  For really trick armor-piercing-bullet-resistant viewports on weapons pods, they use sapphire.

$$$

[Rick Byrnes]

Canopy design can be done so a single flat peice of Polycarbonate may be used.  The angle of the canopy is not as laid back, but as my aero guy has said a number of times the difference between mine and more angle is insignificant.

Two different aero engineers have given the same analysis.
SO, Lexan (Trade mark) can be done safely and with some purity of vision.

Rick

[Sumner]

Canopy design can be done so a single flat piece of Polycarbonate may be used.  The angle of the canopy is not as laid back, but as my aero guy has said a number of times the difference between mine and more angle is insignificant.

Two different aero engineers have given the same analysis.
SO, Lexan (Trade mark) can be done safely and with some purity of vision.

Rick

I agree about the lay-back thing.  I use to think that was best, but now think a more rounded teardrop shape like you have is better, especially if you are trying to send the air down the sides of the car which would also seem to help if you have an air inlet above the canopy as that would then be cleaner air.

Do you have any closeups of the area where the canopy meets the body and would you also talk a little about how you attached the canopy in that area to the body.  I've looked at different methods and would like to hear what you did and how you feel about it aero wise.

Thanks,

Sum

[Glen]

On the Mickey Thompson Challenger streamliner had adapted a I believe 2" X 6" rectangle glass plate at the bottom lower part of the canopy to get rid of distortion through the plexiglas.Somewhere I have a picture of it.

[Rick Byrnes]

Sum
I don't have any close up photos, but will get some early next week.  Rear end work is progressing and I need to refit body panels.  Most of the body parts are in "COLD" storage in my trailer at the storage lot.  Not far away but just enough that I don't go there on a daily basis.  Plus it's almost 0 degrees F and I'm inside doing computer and office stuff....