Who makes dual-curvature laminated glass for custom aerodynamic windshields?

[ennored]

Another very similar thread

[Big Dave]

Old Saab 900s had dual curvature windshields. Probably made by Pilkington.

Saab was and is mostly an aircraft company and thus is quite familiar with double curved canopies.

The old 900s has such a radical plan view curvature that the wipers didn't work worth a hoot. Not an issue on aircraft as the higher wind speed tends to clear windshields of rain and snow but at 50 MPH...not so much.

Such a windshield is not for the one-off types.

Aviation uses a plastic sandwich (acrylic over polycarbonate) for most low-volume aircraft. The acrylic (Plexiglass) is moderately abrasion resistant and polycarbonate (Lexan) is renowned for toughness. This 'sandwich" is much lighter than safety glass. These windshields survive 150 knot bird strikes all the time.

Safety glass is probably beyond the capabilities of most DIYers but plastic is a possibility. Make a wooden form, heat up the sandwich plastic and vacu-form it. Still not for the technically faint of heart.

[Sven7]

Did you discount blow molded/vacuum formed plastic? If I'm not mistaken you can sometimes heat a flat piece of plastic in a shaped frame until it droops the exact amount you'd like. Voila, a windshield.

[aerohead]

It is Metal Crafters,Costa Mesa,California which was mentioned in AUTOWEEK many moons ago,credited with the ability to create complex laminated safety glass.
The tooling for 1980s GTP car windshields is $29,000,so for a one-off windshield your looking at a minimum $32,000 to cover expenses.
If you could use a LOLA GTP windshield,they're $3,000 from Maurader,who builds a race ready LOLA clone.

[serialk11r]

Why do you need double curvature when there is so little separation on the roof? Is that even going to be a measurable gain?

[aerohead]

Originally Posted by serialk11r

Why do you need double curvature when there is so little separation on the roof? Is that even going to be a measurable gain?

We don't have a lot to work with on this one.
The fluids texts do push the convex hemisphere for sub-transonic flow,of which the double curvature shares its heritage.
The velocity/pressure profiles would be sweet.
Many record cars have used them to good effect.
There is a paper from Cal Tech,in 1974,which showed this windshield as the lowest in drag.
R.G.S.White of MIRA's wind tunnel,in his 1968 recipe for a Cd 0.245 car showed this windshield,quantitatively as the lowest drag of all.It's not a lot though in the grand scheme of things.
Hucho infers that we don't see them because of their added expense.
Cheapest I've seen is $3,000.
If we go back to DARKO Technologies wind tunnel,we could take a composite mockup of one,tape it on over an existing glass and measure the difference.
I've considered running my '96 Camaro backlight over the windshield of the T-100 as a bug screen,with an operational wiper.I'd still have the 'actual' laminated safety glass underneath.Vision would be an issue.Bonneville said "not no,but hell no!",otherwise I'd have had it there in 2012.

[Powerstroker]

Hey fellow powerstroker, after alot of searching of the internet, you are the only person known to have done the 3.08 and gear vendor. That is exactly what I am trying to acheive, and I am assuming you used a 9.75" rear from a 2000 f150 to do it. If so, I have found one, a rare bird, and would like to buy it before someone else does. I would really appreciate a few minutes of your time to discuss how you did it or at least, what rear you used, plus I have a few mods I would like to share with you. Please call me at your earliest convienience, Steve 865-389-5560. Thanks