by JETMORE » Jun 05, 2012 3:38 pm
i don't get here much these days (1 year old daughter and a 5 year old daughter, need i say more?); I noticed this, and I can ship my windshields for about $50 to most places. And, yes, you can get a transparent rose color. We simply use Gougeon Brothers special clear hardener and add 1% rose pigment, and special "clear lay" fabric. This is the fabric used on restoring old mohogany Chris-Crafts and Penn Yanns to maintain the look of wood, with the durability of fiberglass. Essentially, it is clear, and you cannot see a hint of the fabric. I am a bit of a traditionalist and like to keep the original light tinting from the original early streams and dark tint on the later Pipkorn boats. The Tucker rose colored shields, in my estimation, might look cool, but don't lend any real value to the boat, as this was a Tucker thing, not a Hydrostream or Pipkorn item. I equate it with the Canadian Firebirds that had Chevy motors and not Pontiac. Yes, it was factory, but, historically, is it really as desireble as the Pontiac motor? Just my opinion. It does look cool though.
I don't see the acrylic windshields making a comeback at all. They are too brittle, unrepairable (almost), at the factory many of the shields broke in the process of riveting. Fiberglass is the way to go. It simply is not brittle, and can be repaired if cracked. This is why noone is selling any acrylic ones now, as far as i know. Too many people in a rush not taking careful time to install the windshield. Also, the fiberglass ones we do are only 3 pounds if you do light layup and handle shock a lot better. just some little insite of my own thinking and experience. oh yeah, i tell you what looks really cool, I did a windshield for a guy with a hint of House of Kolor silver metal flake. It looked really slick on a metal flake stream. not a plug really for myself, but couldn't resist to comment on this one. thanks
i don't get here much these days (1 year old daughter and a 5 year old daughter, need i say more?); I noticed this, and I can ship my windshields for about $50 to most places. And, yes, you can get a transparent rose color. We simply use Gougeon Brothers special clear hardener and add 1% rose pigment, and special "clear lay" fabric. This is the fabric used on restoring old mohogany Chris-Crafts and Penn Yanns to maintain the look of wood, with the durability of fiberglass. Essentially, it is clear, and you cannot see a hint of the fabric. I am a bit of a traditionalist and like to keep the original light tinting from the original early streams and dark tint on the later Pipkorn boats. The Tucker rose colored shields, in my estimation, might look cool, but don't lend any real value to the boat, as this was a Tucker thing, not a Hydrostream or Pipkorn item. I equate it with the Canadian Firebirds that had Chevy motors and not Pontiac. Yes, it was factory, but, historically, is it really as desireble as the Pontiac motor? Just my opinion. It does look cool though.
I don't see the acrylic windshields making a comeback at all. They are too brittle, unrepairable (almost), at the factory many of the shields broke in the process of riveting. Fiberglass is the way to go. It simply is not brittle, and can be repaired if cracked. This is why noone is selling any acrylic ones now, as far as i know. Too many people in a rush not taking careful time to install the windshield. Also, the fiberglass ones we do are only 3 pounds if you do light layup and handle shock a lot better. just some little insite of my own thinking and experience. oh yeah, i tell you what looks really cool, I did a windshield for a guy with a hint of House of Kolor silver metal flake. It looked really slick on a metal flake stream. not a plug really for myself, but couldn't resist to comment on this one. thanks