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Talk to me about windscreens, wipers and heaters
Guinness - 26/9/20 at 10:29 AM

The bike engine has gone, and the MX5 engine is half in.

I've acquired a windscreen, that fits the Indy scuttle. However it's an ex Westfield one, so comes with cast brackets that don't quite fit the Indy scuttle.
Thinking of buying the flat plate brackets instead. Anyway, any hints, or tips on the following would be appreciated.

What angle does the screen go at, or do you just rely on the bottom of the bracket being level?

Has anyone found an alternative to the landrover type wiper motor, tube and wiper boxes? Does the wiper motor fix to the scuttle or the chassis? Any hints on locations for the wiper boxes? Most cars seem to have them equally spaced either side of the centre line but wondering if that means the middle is double wiped, and the driver side is wiped less? Are they going 180 degrees?

Final question for now, is about demisting the screen. Will two vents be OK, or are more better?

Cheers


Mr Whippy - 26/9/20 at 11:44 AM

Classic vw beetle wiper motors are a good choice as they are a complete unit, easy to fit and worked with a similar size windscreen. That's what I have to fit to my car, but after the IVA. As for the windscreen, it's location is often based in the hood and or sidescreen shape if you plan to use those. As for the landy wiper system it's noisy, full of play and very crude though quite easy to adapt to different cars, plus the motor can be located in the engine bay. But it's still clunky.


theconrodkid - 26/9/20 at 12:56 PM

I had a screen on my first build, it was very windy, misted up in the rain and the wipers were worse than useless, my second and third just had a wind deflector, less windy and any rain gets blown over the top....my 2p worth


BenB - 26/9/20 at 01:29 PM

Re demisting I suspect the issue isn't so much one or two vents just getting enough demist power. In my experience it's the bit directly of front of the driver that needs demisting the most . The screen is quite vertical so it does create a negative pressure behind it which can cause really quite significant misting while driving which isn't a great thing.


Guinness - 26/9/20 at 01:38 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Mr Whippy
Classic vw beetle wiper motors are a good choice as they are a complete unit, easy to fit and worked with a similar size windscreen. That's what I have to fit to my car, but after the IVA. As for the windscreen, it's location is often based in the hood and or sidescreen shape if you plan to use those. As for the landy wiper system it's noisy, full of play and very crude though quite easy to adapt to different cars, plus the motor can be located in the engine bay. But it's still clunky.


I'd seen a classic beetle system, and thought it might be a suitable alternative. Do you have any photos of it mid installation?

I don't think I'll buy factory weather gear, there's a lad over the back of me who does custom work.


steve m - 26/9/20 at 02:00 PM

I dumped the heater in my 7 as it did nothing,
The wiper system was a modified 1970,s Mini unit tubes and wiper gearboxs, with the smallest blades and arms i could buy !
You need to alter the throw in the motor box, its easy!
The system worked enough for mot standards, but in reality the system was poor

Also, as said, the bufforting was awful,

What worked better was Rainex, inside and out, as that dispersed the rain, and stopped misting inside

steve

[Edited on 26/9/20 by steve m]


roadrunner - 26/9/20 at 02:36 PM

As Conrod says.
I fitted one after it passed IVA.
Didn't keep it long as the buffeting was terrible.


Dingz - 26/9/20 at 04:36 PM

Deflectors (elephant ears) either side of the screen reduce the buffeting loads.


SteveWalker - 26/9/20 at 06:13 PM

Deflectors make a huge difference - I discovered this by experimenting, after a passenger complained that she couldn't breath on the motorway, while I was having no problem. The first experiment was for her to hold her arms in front of her as if holding a steering wheel ... that turned out to be why I could breath fine!


rusty nuts - 26/9/20 at 07:00 PM

quote:
Originally posted by SteveWalker
Deflectors make a huge difference - I discovered this by experimenting, after a passenger complained that she couldn't breath on the motorway, while I was having no problem. The first experiment was for her to hold her arms in front of her as if holding a steering wheel ... that turned out to be why I could breath fine!


That’s interesting, my wife always says she can’t breathe in my car when I don’t have a problem, I always put it down to me being used to breathing at terminal velocity!


40inches - 26/9/20 at 08:25 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Dingz
Deflectors (elephant ears) either side of the screen reduce the buffeting loads.

They do One of the best things that I did.
No buffeting below around 80MPH
Description
Description

After that I fitted a rear screen, very comfy at any speed Description
Description


[Edited on 26-9-20 by 40inches]


Guinness - 27/9/20 at 10:26 AM

quote:
Originally posted by 40inches
quote:
Originally posted by Dingz
Deflectors (elephant ears) either side of the screen reduce the buffeting loads.

They do One of the best things that I did.
No buffeting below around 80MPH
Description
Description

After that I fitted a rear screen, very comfy at any speed Description
Description


[Edited on 26-9-20 by 40inches]


Thanks all, Rainex is a good shout, used to use in on my visor.

And I'll definitely be fitting side screens or ears, and possibly a rear screen too.

40inches, where did you get the external rubber trim from? I'm a bit confused by all the different profiles!


40inches - 27/9/20 at 10:46 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Guinness
quote:
Originally posted by 40inches
quote:
Originally posted by Dingz
Deflectors (elephant ears) either side of the screen reduce the buffeting loads.

They do One of the best things that I did.
No buffeting below around 80MPH
Description
Description

After that I fitted a rear screen, very comfy at any speed Description
Description


[Edited on 26-9-20 by 40inches]


Thanks all, Rainex is a good shout, used to use in on my visor.

And I'll definitely be fitting side screens or ears, and possibly a rear screen too.

40inches, where did you get the external rubber trim from? I'm a bit confused by all the different profiles!


It is a H trim with the bottom leave cut off, bonded to the bottom and front of the frame.
The black ally screws are to keep the ends in place as it sets
H Trim from Woolies Link
I made some side doors, with these and the deflectors Motorway speeds are not a problem
Description
Description


[Edited on 27-9-20 by 40inches]


Guinness - 7/11/20 at 04:18 PM

Lockdown2 strikes!

I've bought a pair of book style screen brackets, but want to get the angle of the screen right.

Do you just put the bottom of the triangle on horizontal to the floor // chassis rail?


mccsp - 8/11/20 at 09:30 AM

Hi,

I have a Luego Velocity. I am using a Westfield screen and cast brackets with integrated wing mirrors. I am also using the Westfield doors with elbow bulge. The doors were a late addition after using the plastic deflectors. I had to make sure the deflectors were pushed a long way out or I still got buffetted.

When I fitted the doors I adjusted the screen angle to fit better. I also have the Westfield fibreglass trim piece at the bottom of the windscreen and wipers fitted. I am very happy with the fit and finish.


mccsp - 8/11/20 at 09:32 AM

Couple of pics in my archive before changing angle and fitting wipers and doors. If I get a chance later I will try and post some updated pics


sebastiaan - 8/11/20 at 11:55 AM

My experience: kept it simple with a mini heater box, two demister slots on top of the scuttle and mini wipers. Demister and heater worked a treat. Wipers less so, but acceptable given the fact you could not drive fast in the rain anyway without the car trying to kill you all the time.


scudderfish - 8/11/20 at 02:43 PM

quote:
Originally posted by 40inches
quote:
Originally posted by Dingz
Deflectors (elephant ears) either side of the screen reduce the buffeting loads.

They do One of the best things that I did.
No buffeting below around 80MPH
Description
Description

[Edited on 26-9-20 by 40inches]


What hinges are those and how do you stop the screens flapping?

Regards,
David


SJ - 8/11/20 at 04:45 PM

As others have said, if you fit a windscreen you need side screens. My car is very comfy at motorway speeds with both. Don't bother with aero screens as they do nothing.

Mini wipers are easy, but for wipers to have any real purpose you need a roof because water gets on the inside of the screen. I'm in the process of fitting a micro heater / demister. Hopefully will be powerful enough.


40inches - 8/11/20 at 06:30 PM

quote:
Originally posted by scudderfish
quote:
Originally posted by 40inches
quote:
Originally posted by Dingz
Deflectors (elephant ears) either side of the screen reduce the buffeting loads.

They do One of the best things that I did.
No buffeting below around 80MPH
Description
Description

[Edited on 26-9-20 by 40inches]


What hinges are those and how do you stop the screens flapping?

Regards,
David


Hinges from Amazon and used a thin tiewrap around one of the hinges.
Do a search for 50mm lift off hinge on Amazon.

[Edited on 8-11-20 by 40inches]


David Jenkins - 9/11/20 at 09:09 AM

I go into some detail on my website about how I fitted my windscreen - LINKY

The biggest lesson I learned was that it would have been far easier to fit at the time I built the scuttle, rather than several years afterwards...

My screen now has 'elephant ears', made of polycarbonate sheet, cut and folded into shape and bolted to the windscreen brackets (I started off by making patterns in stiff card to check size and shape). They are not adjustable, but fortunately my guess worked out OK. I could have adjusted the bend in the metal tabs if it had turned out wrong.

They do help to reduce buffeting a huge amount. They are shown in this photo, although they're not very easy to see.

Wind deflector
Wind deflector


mangogrooveworkshop - 9/11/20 at 11:30 AM

I have uprights for sale