Hi, does anyone have any direction on installing a see thru deck lid to expose the motor. I've always loved the Ferrari look and it saves me from opening the deck lid during car shows. My motor is always nice and shiny so why not keep it so the world can see. Seems to be time consuming but not too difficult. I'd like to see if anyone has any experience on this from the first cut to installing the Lexan , and if you had any issues after the install. Please let me know and if anyone has pics , add them if possisible. Most likely going to try this before car show season arrives. Thanks
I did a Lexan "window" over the engine on my 86 GT and it was not difficult. Like most others I followed the shape of the bracing on the underside of the deck lid. I drilled a few small holes from the underside just to get a reference of the shape and location. I then made a template that was smaller than the opening by about .125 all the way around and taped it to the top side and used it as a guide to saw out the center. After it was open I used files/sanders and appropriate tools and finished it off to hide the rough edges. The tape prevented any scratches on the painted surface from the saw. Once the opening was finished I used it to make the outline on the Lexan. Lexan scratches easily so leave the protective sheet on it until it is done. To secure it I made six small angle brackets out of a piece of 1/2 inch aluminum angle. I drilled/tapped the top hole and drilled a clearance hole on the side that would make contact with the deck lid. I cut each one at about .250 wide and then used small sheet metel screws to fasten each one to the deck lid making sure that they were placed at the correct depth so the Lexan would be flush when it was installed. The sheet of clear Lexan was placed in position and the threaded holes were transferred and drilled with the proper size for clearance and then they were countersunk so the heads would be flush. I used 10-32 with allen heads. The down side is that the Lexan will become cloudy over time and it can scratch and look terrible. I did mine about 10 years ago and it still looks OK but the newness is gone. Lexan is not cheap and I would not have done it except that I found some scrap pieces that I got for free.
That sounds very similar to what I plan on doing. Do you have any pics underneath the decklid. I love how everything sounds to be counter sunk but would like a visual. I guess just to compare spacing of screws and how it looks when I do decide to raise the deck lid. Thanks for your help and sounds like you did a great job, especially if it still looks good 10 years later. Thanks
I think Skitime did his hood window with glass. I didnt know how lexan would take the heat
Since the rear window has a weird airflow from over the roof, Id think a ton of fumes would be sucked into an open back window. Most vehicles like vans with opening back windows have stickers on the back telling you NOT to drive with those windows open on the highway due to carbon monoxide fumes. There is one on the rear of my Caravan. On town surface roads its prob not a problem because of lower speed. I know some pickup have opening windows and dont know about them...different airflow maybe. I do know trash in a pickup bed just rolls around and around in the airstream in the bed.
[This message has been edited by rogergarrison (edited 02-07-2018).]
Four main issues w/ "Engine under glass:" Glass/plastic expand/shrinks at different rates for heat cycling and any hard joint may fail or plastic may warp over time. Is why Windshield etc have flexible "glue"/tape joints. Color for body may change thermal issues too because dark colors absorbs more heat from Sun. Engine bay can reach 200°F+ easy in slow traffic or at idle. (Car moving >10mph then vents etc moves a lot of air and cools down.) Many plastics can go "yellow" so Make sure UV stable helps. Many Engine parts are Not UV stable and can have problems. Example: Many have Black EVAP cans faded to white w/ older style vents. Most wiring and connectors can turn colors etc too. Rubble/Plastic Hoses and lines don't like UV either. Heat and Ozone can kill them over times but add UV can make even new parts to go very brittle and soon. You likely remove 84-87 screen on bottom of lid... That is a Ground Shield is to reduce RFI from the engine than causes problems for ECM, Radios and more. (88 I'm told have ground in the panel.) Radios can include any Cell and BT devices means can have problems getting/making calls w/ engine running.
Depending where you drive/park... have engine under glass can be a theft/vandal problems.
------------------ Dr. Ian Malcolm: Yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should. (Jurassic Park)
Yes....it is tempered glass. I am looking into re-working it in the near future. I'm not a fan of the install and hope to clean it up a bit (make it more of a flush fit, if possible).
Car moving >10mph then vents etc moves a lot of air and cools down
This is not necessarily always true. When the engine is first started in an air conditioned garage, it takes time for the engine bay temperatures to gradually increase its thermal content. Driving out into the Phoenix summer heat for instance, can in fact heat the temperature up more quickly when you exit the garage. Thus not cooling down, but in fact heating up more rapidly. Also, if you are driving at 10 MPH going with a 10 MPH wind, in essence, there is no airflow in the engine compartment or the vents, other than possible wake turbulence caused by imperfect aerodynamic stability as the vehicle slips through the air stream. Now, a car moving at greater than 40 MPH will induce a drag coefficient that far surpasses one that travels at 10 MPH. In fact it moves 4 times the CFPM of air! This will in effect decrease the radiant amount of heat build up that occurs with a gasoline combustion engine that is in an enclosed engine bay. (Only if it is running however).
There are cases that an elevated temperature can and will occur when a vehicle, especially one that is a darker color, is parked in direct sunlight. This allows the UV radiation that has traveled 93 million miles from our sun, (which is at the center most point of our galaxy). The amount of UV radiation is fortunately reduced significantly by the ozone layer in out upper most atmosphere. (One of the main reasons we use R-12 refrigerant now)
[This message has been edited by JohnWPB (edited 02-08-2018).]
Not to nitpick (but others do me) but I think you meant solar system, not galaxy. Our solar system is way off in one of the arms of our Milky Way galaxy. Also our sun is not in the center of the system since none of the planets are in concentric orbits. All the planets however do revolve around our sun which is just 'sort of' in the center. Just sayin...
" the orbits of the planets in our solar system are elliptical, not circular (or epicyclic), as had previously been believed, and that the Sun is not located at the center of the orbits, but rather at one focus."
If anyone has any pics of the underside of the see through deck lid, much appreciated. Curious to know if I have more than just one option on mounting/ bracketing it in place. Thanks for the input so far everybody.
One thing that I did not see addressed is that if you do use a piece of flat glass it will not be flush around the perimeter as the rear deck has a slight curve to it. You could have the glass bowed by a glass shop if you supplied a template but it may be costly. I only put the Lexan in mine as I was fabricating an aluminum grille to fit in but did not want to leave an open hole in the deck while I was working on the new piece. After I put the Lexan in I lost interest in the aluminum grille and just left it that way.
Yes....it is tempered glass. I am looking into re-working it in the near future. I'm not a fan of the install and hope to clean it up a bit (make it more of a flush fit, if possible).
If you try that I would suggest doing it on a spare trunk lid. There is way too much work on that one. If you can perfect it then try to transfer it to the original one. I had tried several different methods of mounting such as underneath, flush and mounted in automotive window rubber. I also worked with several types of window material. The only thing that met my expectations was glass. Lexan was the worst since scratches would appear as soon as you wash it. Good luck.
------------------ Red 88 GT T-Top 3800 INTERCOOLED SUPERCHARGED
If you try that I would suggest doing it on a spare trunk lid. There is way too much work on that one. If you can perfect it then try to transfer it to the original one. I had tried several different methods of mounting such as underneath, flush and mounted in automotive window rubber. I also worked with several types of window material. The only thing that met my expectations was glass. Lexan was the worst since scratches would appear as soon as you wash it. Good luck.
In all honesty, this is way down on the list of things to do (and I may never actually do anything). I just don't like how raised the glass is in comparison to the decklid. I can see and understand the difficulties of doing it differently though. BTW....I have no interest in using lexan. I like the glass, just wish it sat more flush with the decklid.
One of the pictures I found of your car from back in the day showed it with the glass flush with the decklid (or at least it appeared to be flush). I know that Robert removed the glass to install a new gasket/seal. I sort of assumed he did something different on the install, but I may be mistaken. Do you have any good close-up pictures of the decklid & the glass from when you owned the car? It would help me tremendously.
As a side note....I had a small coolant leak (loose hose) and while I fixed the leak, I haven't refilled it with coolant yet. Did you use something "special" or just your standard green stuff?
In all honesty, this is way down on the list of things to do (and I may never actually do anything). I just don't like how raised the glass is in comparison to the decklid. I can see and understand the difficulties of doing it differently though. BTW....I have no interest in using lexan. I like the glass, just wish it sat more flush with the decklid.
One of the pictures I found of your car from back in the day showed it with the glass flush with the decklid (or at least it appeared to be flush). I know that Robert removed the glass to install a new gasket/seal. I sort of assumed he did something different on the install, but I may be mistaken. Do you have any good close-up pictures of the decklid & the glass from when you owned the car? It would help me tremendously.
As a side note....I had a small coolant leak (loose hose) and while I fixed the leak, I haven't refilled it with coolant yet. Did you use something "special" or just your standard green stuff?
The glass is cut to be about 1/2" larger than the opening. It sets onto the painted surface with windshield adhesive. So flush is not possible with that glass. I am sure Robert would if re-applied the glass the way I had it but might not of done as clean of job I had it.
You might of seen a picture with lexan or plexiglass which I did try flush. Problem with that was heat would warp the lexan out of the adhesive.
Here is an early picture with a rubber gasket. I did not like the bulky look.
Here is an early picture with plexiglass flush mounted with silicone.
Coolant was just green Prestone if I remember correctly.
------------------ Red 88 GT T-Top 3800 INTERCOOLED SUPERCHARGED
SkiTime, what kind of vent is that on the rear deck lid? I ended up going to some car shows towards the end of the season when very hot outside and wouldn't mind a little more engine ventilation. That looks tastefully done like it's supposed to be there. Or if anyone has anything that looks just as good, please share. Thanks
Skitime, not something I would do to my car but it does look really nice.
American Exotic, I would do what was already suggested and find a spare trunk lid and mess with that one. Just in case something goes wrong. For venting others use mustang hood scoops for the rear deck lids. Not many have done a "viewing" are on their deck lids.
[This message has been edited by Spadesluck (edited 11-16-2018).]
SkiTime, what kind of vent is that on the rear deck lid? I ended up going to some car shows towards the end of the season when very hot outside and wouldn't mind a little more engine ventilation. That looks tastefully done like it's supposed to be there. Or if anyone has anything that looks just as good, please share. Thanks
Dave doesn't post here very often as he is out of the Fiero hobby. He certainly is a master craftsman .Last I spoke with him at Carlisle he told me those custom vents were made from piecing together parts from the Fiero side vents. Since they might contain magnesium, they can't be welded but Dave said that he used JB weld to hold them together. I found this hard to believe but that's what he told me. If the side vents are aluminum then I can see sections being braze welded or aluminum soldered together. Dave was a shop teacher at a local school and probably had lots of resources available to do custom work.
------------------ " THE BLACK PARALYZER" -87GT 3800SC Series III engine, custom ZZP /Frozen Boost Intercooler setup, 3.4" Pulley, Northstar TB, LS1 MAF, 3" Spintech/Hedman Exhaust, P-log Manifold, Autolite 104's, MSD wires, Custom CAI, 4T65eHD w. custom axles, Champion Radiator, S10 Brake Booster, HP Tuners VCM Suite. "THE COLUSSUS" 87GT - ALL OUT 3.4L Turbocharged engine, Garrett Hybrid Turbo, MSD ign., modified TH125H " ON THE LOOSE WITHOUT THE JUICE "
[This message has been edited by Dennis LaGrua (edited 11-16-2018).]
If he put that together with JB Weld, WOW, is all I have to say. It was put together extremely well if that is true. It is hard to believe but definately possible. I Did already make the viewing deck lid and I Love it. The reason I'm looking for more venting is I installed one over the roof scoop on the passenger side. The ventilation that I'm losing, I believe will be gained if I install something similar to Skitimes vent. If you look on the underside of the decklid, it almost looks like Pontiac was thinking of installing something in that excact spot. It's a perfect smaller area easy to cut out and modify. The hunt goes on, Thanks.
You could also do this engine under glass conversion.
And this is what the underside of the hatch looks like.
quote
Originally posted by American Exotic:
Hi, does anyone have any direction on installing a see thru deck lid to expose the motor. I've always loved the Ferrari look and it saves me from opening the deck lid during car shows. My motor is always nice and shiny so why not keep it so the world can see. Seems to be time consuming but not too difficult. I'd like to see if anyone has any experience on this from the first cut to installing the Lexan , and if you had any issues after the install. Please let me know and if anyone has pics , add them if possisible. Most likely going to try this before car show season arrives. Thanks
WAY out of my league! That looks like some very custom work and a whole lot of hours to complete. Very sharp, reminds me a little of the Ferrari F12 if you're familiar with that car. Decklid window is complete, still searching for a nice looking vent to install directly behind it. I'm looking at old American Muscle that I can grab ideas from and even newer Exotics. If anyone has any suggestions, please advise.
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