Quote:
Originally Posted by Blue Angel
This is how tempered glass parts are done. It gives greater control over the shape of the part.
So does this render it impossible to build your own truck?
I'm not sure whether the DOT has different windshield rules for trucks than they do for cars, but as far as I know if you are building a "kit car" for personal use and not selling it to anyone the rules get pretty soft.
Now if you want to start selling your truck to others at a profit, I think that might be another story.
Based on the look of your scale model, that windshield is HUGE with a very deep profile... I wouldn't be surprised if it wouldn't fit in a traditional windshield production line. For production you may find you need to make it in two pieces, with a seam in the middle. If there's any aero benefit to styling the truck with a sharp leading edge instead of a fully rounded profile, a split windshield would work well.
If you are not thinking ahead to volume production then keeping the single piece design might be possible.
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So does this render it impossible to build your own truck?
No not at all. It just makes it more difficult. But nobody told me it would be easy.
I'm not sure whether the DOT has different windshield rules for trucks than they do for cars, but as far as I know if you are building a "kit car" for personal use and not selling it to anyone the rules get pretty soft.
The BulletTruck was considered a personal "composite vehicle" in the State of CT. And again, the Inspector was looking for that little DOT etched-in emblem, before he approved the build.
Now if you want to start selling your truck to others at a profit, I think that might be another story.
That's exactly what we aspire to do. So we might as well figure out how to have certified windshields with the next-generation prototype.
Based on the look of your scale model, that windshield is HUGE with a very deep profile... I wouldn't be surprised if it wouldn't fit in a traditional windshield production line. For production you may find you need to make it in two pieces, with a seam in the middle. If there's any aero benefit to styling the truck with a sharp leading edge instead of a fully rounded profile, a split windshield would work well.
Agreed. I always figured it would be two piece with a vertical seam down the middle.