TR4 rear screen

[Britr6]

I have fibre glass copy of rear screen and I need glass for it. I have read that the standard glass does not fit them vey well, so I was going to make one out of perspex type plastic, has anyone done this. I know revington does supply them but they are over £300. Thanks Brian 

[james christie]

I know folk over here that have successfully taken this kind of problem to the boat world who are used to thermo-forming perspex. They need something from which to copy though.

james

[Motorsport Mickey]

I've cut and fitted Perspex for the rear back light (Surrey( in race cars, It had to be 5/16th (8mm) thick to meet motorsport requirements.

I made a template in paper of the original glass for the shape and transferred it onto a sheet of Perspex and cut it out with a jig saw. You need to spend some time cleaning the cut edge to give a decent surface, then I transferred the Perspex to the rear backlight glass and stuck it in position with tank tape centrally on it, both lengthwise and top to bottom. Then I attacked the Perspex with a hot air gun and it's a bit of a faff, the Perspex refused to mould easily withstanding surprising amounts of heat before it reluctantly accepted shape ...and then it's gone too far.

The second piece of Perspex went better and now having an idea of the quick response required I developed a blow heat and flick the heat gun aside as tested the surface (wear thin non shedding gloves) for heat and resilience and tempted and tucked the Perspex into shape. As you may expect the acute bends in either corner are the worst to shape and the 3 D bends will take patience to achieve. I got one side pretty good and the other not quite as well shaped, so I quickly (not to lose the heat in the Perspex) took the Perspex off the rear backlight glass and carried on heating it and forming it in the corner around a suitable plastic water pipe of suitable dia for the corner, (I'd tried the radii prior to starting) and bending it, but it finished with some distortion in the view through it (not a problem for competition use).  The Perspex fitted ok using a standard windscreen rubber, it's viewable in the thumbnail of the TR4 attached, (not much use to gauge how good it is though). 

If I had the option of paying £300 for a Perspex rear window back in the 80s (not sure they were available) I'd have bought it. 

Mick Richards

Edited May 4, 2023 by Motorsport Mickey

[Britr6]

Thanks for your reply, I think I will have to put some overtime in and go to revington for one. Regards Brian 

[stuart]

You could just go direct to Honeybourne and get one from them. https://www.honeybournemouldings.co.uk/

Stuart.

[Motorsport Mickey]

As Stuart says ...

Honeybourne Rear Screen

HTTR4SURBLFSHardtop TR4-5 Surrey Backlight Frame - Rear Screen - Formed perspex...£125.00

You might have to confirm your own Fibreglass rear backlight is also a Honeybourne and not some other f/glass maker. I'm not sure you could "cross fit" a H/brne glass into a different makers offering.

Mick Richards 

[Nigel C]

I do make the acrylic rear screens for TR3 hard tops (and all sorts of lamp pods etc for racing) as I have a buck but not looked into the same for the Surrey top brigade, at £125 from Honeybourne there's little point...