nineteen windshield

[monkey-wrench]

has anyone tried taking the windshield off their nineteen and replacing the curved plexiglass? i have a 78 nineteen that ive owned for a couple of years, ive been gradually making improvements to it. i cant use the hardtop on it because the windshield plexi is so milky you cant see good through it. and, not being what you would call independantly wealthy, i cringe at the thought of what it would cost to have it done professionally. probably more than i gave for the boat! i was looking at some thin sheets of plexi or lexan, they seem pretty flexible and it got me to thinking that maybe it could be a DIY job to restore the windshield. any thoughts, tips? tales of success or horror? anybody's experience would be greatly appreciated. thanks in advance to all.

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: nineteen windshield

Welcome to iboats monkey-wrench. You might try polishing the plexi, it's cheap and just takes some time. Try a spot and in no time you know if the shield has to go or just needs a good cleaning/polishing. Look here for how to do it.

 

[monkey-wrench]

Re: nineteen windshield

thanks for the welcome, GA B. ive been a stalker on this site for a while, i figured it was time to jump in the mix. a little more info, i've tried a little spot with one of those headlight kits, it took the film off the surface, but on close inspection the plastic is filled with bazillions of tiny little cracks, and i dont think i stand any chance of saving the existing windshield. from what ive seen on some of the other posts, the windshield is available still through OEM (incredible!) but i have to be careful as to not blow the budget! and so far i havent found any info on someone attempting to DIY just the plactic in the existing frame. ill probably make the attempt regardless, the way i see it if i do replace the whole thing it has to come off anyways, and what harm in trying? but if i had a choice id rather charge in armed with the collective wisdom of those who have succeeded or failed already. and, yes, i will take a bunch of pictures and document whatever happens.

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: nineteen windshield

Didn't know you tried already. They do become crazed over time. I know Aristocraft still has the side windows, I didn't know about the windshield. I had an AC years ago and the sliding hardtop was a nice feature, Good luck.

 

[ziggy]

Re: nineteen windshield

welcome mr.

i only got opinions as i've not replaced my main windshield.
assuming yer '78 is similar to my '75
if ya got the green tinted windows. i believe the oem part is Plexiglas, #2111 coke bottle green. 1/8'' thick. i make that assumption on the fact that both my side hardtop windows and the center panel have been replaced.

imho, i think i'd price the part out from AristoCraft and go from there. i had shipping issues with my center panel. like ups broke it, twice. i ended up getting a the coke bottle green plexiglas local and cut my own. i don't think i saved hardly anything at the local glass store. granted the green glass was special. maybe clear would be cheaper.

i've no idea how the two main pieces get replaced. i did not remove the whole windshield to R&R the center panel. only one side support.

 

[renojim]

Re: nineteen windshield

Hey Monkey-Wrench
Ziggy's right about the color. I did replace all three windows, did most of it myself and I learned some things.
Aristocraft told me that the windows can be replaced with the frame on the boat. In hindsight probably a better idea. I pulled the whole frame off the boat. When I was removing the Plexi I bent the lower frame. My Plexi was siliconed into the bottom frame. What a pain. First remove the screws or bolts at the top of the two vertical tracks for the center window. At the rear corners where the frame comes to a point there are little set screws that hold a V shaped piece of aluminum in the middle of the frame track. This keeps them together and aligned. I had to drill my set screws out cuz they were rusted. Once these are loose slide the whole upper frame straight back towards the back of the boat. Don't pry the top part of the frame back too much or the V brackets will bend or break.

As for making the windows them selves. The center is a piece of cake. It's just flat Plexi. The corner windows are are a compound curve. They can't be simply bent around a arch. They have to be heated then draped over a mold. I literally spent days forming and shaping a left and a right hand mold. I used 3 heat guns at once but they couldn't get it hot enough. I then tried a torch but you couldn't get the entire sheet hot enough at the same time for it to work. Plus just a little too close and it would bubble and melt. Not good for something you want to look through. Ha Ha. I found out after this attempt that you really need a oven. The Plexi needs to be between like 380 & 400 f and then with ambient air around 75 f you only have 45 seconds to get it out of the oven and draped over the mold. At this point I gave up and had a local plastic company use my molds and do the heating and drapeing.
They turned out awesome but i have to say if Aristocraft is still charging 250$ for all three front windows that is a bargain!

 

[ziggy]

Re: nineteen windshield

They turned out awesome but i have to say if Aristocraft is still chargeing 250$ for all three front windows that is a bargin!

agreed. + ya'd be supporting AristoCraft.
renojim. that looks absolutely great... very nice job.

The center is a piece of cake. It's just flat Plexi.

agreed, though it does have a tab on top and bottom i think that mate with the rail at the top and one on the bottom of the window. + i had trouble getting the top rail to stay (adhere) on the plexiglass. i used 100% silicon first and the rail just fell off the first use. i think i had a bad batch of silicon, but in the end, i used flexset to glue that top rail on... god help me if i ever have to dig the old window out though being that flexset is epoxy..

 

[monkey-wrench]

Re: nineteen windshield

reno-jim, ziggy, thanks for your answers. and nice job on those windshields. i think if i can get them through aristo craft its good money spent. i really appreciate your help, and i think you saved me a whole lot of trouble. i hope mine turns out as nice as yours.

 

[Bamaman1]

Re: nineteen windshield

An option would be to use the headlight polish kits you can get in any auto parts store. They may be satisfactory for your use--and a budget priced alternative.

 

[monkey-wrench]

Re: nineteen windshield

hey bamaman. ya i tried one of those kits before, it took the surface glaze off but once that happened i could see a bunch of tiny cracks throughout. i got ahold of aristocraft and they have the windshields available for 250 bucks. that seems pretty reasonable. i think im gonna just order the new ones.