Post #242
Just a quick update before I forget; nothing exciting, so sorry for that.
In my quest for weight saving without losing anything in the way of safety (until I get a roll cage fitted next year, then pretty much every panel can go) I decided to try my best at making a lightweight tailgate for the car. I figure that I can crash in pretty much any way, the steel tailgate is never going to be what saves me.
Knowing how successful these missions normally are, I opted to pick up a second-hand tailgate from Ben (6waysforward) rather than butchering my own. I was tempted to make a joke about having picked it up at a boot sale, but I'm not sure I could have forgiven myself for that.
It's also worth noting at this point that I've borrowed some pretty good scales from work for the weekend, so if I seem suddenly obsessed with weighing everything in sight that's the reason.
Whole lot, 22.4kg. Jeez, that's even more than I expected. Remove the wiper and motor (1.85kg), the spoiler (1.7kg!) and set about removing the glass. Now, I'm determined to do this with the glass in one piece, as I really can't be dealing with clearing up the mess they make when they go; it's not pretty. So, sharp stanley knife in hand I set about cutting away the rubber from the edges. Knowing my own abilities, I'm also fully kitted up with decent gloves and a full face mask. Managed to cut away most of the rubber, then set about prising up a corner.
So, plan B then.
Get rid of the rest of the glass (which by this point just falls away with a touch) and follow round the edges with a Stanley knife cutting away the sealant. Incidentally, I don't suppose there's such thing as a solvent that gets rid of this stuff? Is it just silicone? Pretty sure I had some stuff for getting rid of silicone sealant, but I don't know if this is different stuff. Some time later:
Job done. Kinda. Still need to get rid of some sealant then set about butchering it; the idea is to be able to fit a flat sheet of Lexan in there, so I'll be flattening down some of the flanges in an attempt to make this work. Expect me to be buying up old tailgates left, right and centre.
Job done, and I'm left with a not insignificant amount of broken glass on the floor of the workshop. Not really sure what to do with that, so I'll probably just leave it there and step around it; certainly for the near future anyway.
Anyway it's dark, getting cold and I make that beer o'clock. Laters.
________________________________________
Membership expiring soon, get in contact on
our new little forum project.
phillipm
Posted 21st Sep 2010 at 01:36
its the cheapest option,
