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MG MGA - Sports Windscreen

I have just fitted a sports windscreen as supplied by Bob West.

It is slightly more swept than the the original screen and is 10 inches tall, compared to the 13 inch normal screen. The windscreen wipers also fit without any alteration. Bob also had a 6 inch version, but advised against it for my general road use. I found no more windblast across my face and round my neck than with the standard screen.

I am sure you all have your own opinions, but I am delighted with it. The initial road test felt as if I had a supercharger fitted. The better aerodynamics were immediately apparent. You don't realise how much airflow resistance there is with the original screen until you bolt one of these on.

The canopy is now totally redundant, so I may well remove it and the side screens to save weight and just keep my umbrella for the traffic lights!

Steve

Steve Gyles

Steve, looks great, but somehow don't think it would be very legal here in Australia...the lack of full side support is the first thing that our authorities would knock back (we have some of the most toughest and old fashioned rules in the western world). Also, I guess that its a perspex or similar material is it?..another no no!
Gary Lock

I thought you were getting a SC from the compensation from being rear-ended last year.....
dominic clancy

Dominic

That was the masterplan until Wifey spotted the cheque!

Steve
Steve Gyles

Wow, that looks sweet! How much?
D.M. Black

You must have good contacts Steve, the new Sports Screen seems to have stopped it raining all the time.
Malcolm Asquith

D.M.

It cost an arm and a leg. In fact it may have been a cheaper option to buy Lehman's! I have yet to pay Bob for it. When I went over to his works to collect it he was down at the Goodwood meeting with the Le Mans MGA he was commissioned to rebuild. I think the windscreen cost is high because all the metalwork is new build, not adapted old screen supports and channeling. Obviously the screen is also a new moulding. I may let you know the full cost later today. It's actually a combined birthday and Christmas present from the family.



Malcolm

It may have stopped the rain. However, it has restarted my mystery hydraulic leak, caused a leak to the thermostat housing, plus an oil leak - large drops of oil all down the drive as I drove back in from the test drive! And that was all on one trip.

Steve
Steve Gyles

I have just spoken with Bob. He appeared to have an amazing time at Goodwood with the original EX car. There must now be many thousands of photos of it being posted on the web and printed in magazines.

Back to this thread, the stanchions on my screen are recast from the original Auster stanchions used by the EX cars. They are more raked than standard stanchions. The bottom rail and shortened side rails are from standard screens and so are now in shortish supply. The screen is perspex and shaped to the original Auster design. My whole windscreen is identical in looks to that fitted to the original EX car Bob displayed at Goodwood. The 6 inch and 10 inch perspex screens are interchangeable and cost £150 + VAT.

Now for the killer. The entire windscreen costs £550 + VAT.

Steve
Steve Gyles

WOW! Steve you will certainly get a reputation as a "boy racer" with that. 'They' would lock us up if we did that in Aus.
At that price I could fly to the UK!
Very envious, Barry
BM Gannon

Hi Steve (pimp my ride) Gyles, have you got blue lights underneath and when are you fitting the hydrolics to make it bounce up and down lol


Gordon
g c pugh

Thought you might like a photo of the sports windscreen on EX182/38 at the Goodwood Revival Meeting. Photo courtesy of Bob West

Steve

Steve Gyles

Can you use wipers on a Perspex screen without covering it with scratches or are they only there for the MOT test?

If you can remove them you should improve the streamlining further and save weight!!

Malcolm
Malcolm Asquith

Hi Steve I expected a quick and cutting repost to my comment


gordon
g c pugh

Malcolm

They have not scratched yet, there again, I have not used them for more than 2 test sweeps! Small scratches should polish out of perspex. I have coated the screen with Rain Away (RainX?), so it is likely that any rain will travel very fast up the screen and all over me. That is why, even with the old screen, I carry a towel and put it across my lap when it rains. I have had a lot of my colleagues commenting how sleek the car now looks. Some photo angles do not give it full credit.

Gordon: Sorry, I missed the 10 second rule for a witty reponse. You have posted so little lately, that my 'Pugh response' brain compartment has hibernated!

Steve
Steve Gyles

To the Aussie guys out there, yes and no regarding the legalities of a perspex screen. The ADRs state that all windscreens (note I say windscreens and not wind deflectors here) must be made of an approved material and these are clearly stated in the ADR which also lists alternative overseas standards such as the USA one. However one option in the USA Standard which if you read carefully does allow for certain types of aircraft grade plastics! This material is in fact readily available in Australia! Now for the wind deflector bit. If a car (such as an MGA) has a perspex wind deflector (which say for arguments sake just happens to be a full body width deflector of say 6-10 inches high) fitted and this just happens to be located forward of the driver then as I have discovered no one is quite sure what to do (including Qld Transport). You see a number of older classic open cars never had tops or windscreens at all but did have aero screens, so what if the car is registered as such but with a deflector...a bit dicy but arguable...especially if you do fit a really small aero screen between it and the perspex deflector (which just happens to be permanently folded down)
Mark Mathiesen

I am no expert on glass Vs perspex. Why should perspex/polycarbonates be a no no in Oz, but glass ok? My flying helmet visors (one clear, one darkened) were made of thin polycarbonate and capable of sustaining a bird impacting through the glass windscreen at about 500mph. It happened a number of times in our RAF, though fortunately not to me. But the synthetic visors stayed intact saving the pilots eyesights/lives, whereas the glass windshields shattered.

The persex screen on mye car is 8.5mm thick. It's probably less likely to shatter than an equivalent glass shield. What is the issue?

Steve
Steve Gyles

Hmm. I cut down some stock frame pieces and installed a Perspex screen (lower than yours, but for race use). Think it cost me about $50 total. I'm sure anyone could do the same. I must say that the price you were charged seems .....high!

Bill Spohn

Fitted a Moss mirror to the stanchion. Quite a nice bit of kit.

Steve

Steve Gyles

Hi Steve, Looks really good - but still saving up for the 5 speed kit - cheers Cam
Cam Cunningham

This thread was discussed between 21/09/2008 and 30/09/2008

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