For my reference I reposted the best Skitime window pics I could find:
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Originally posted by skitime:
OK let me continue with my story. Another modification I did was adding lighting to the engine. I know this is not a performance item but Vonnie and I enjoy going to a lot of cruise-ins all summer. (It does create a shadow free engine trouble light) Many cars have lights to show off their car and I wanted to bring more attention to mine. We find these lights are like a candle to a moth in attracting people over to the car. I had learned about cold cathode tubes from another yet unfinished Fiero modification. (Keeping it under my hat for now). I decided to use this lighting system for the engine. The tubes use low 12-volt power draw and were designed for lighting laptops screens and image scanners. I did not want the lights to be intrusive or very visible when not being used. I experimented with placing lights in a lot of different locations. One of the problems was the light could be visible while driving at night and being seen through the rear view window. I finally decided to recess the lights into the trunk lid itself. I had to make all the pieces for the light fixture including the rear reflectors and lens. It was perfect and the lighting effect is awesome. The only way I can describe it was looking at a engine in an aquarium. This effect is nearly impossible to photograph. The flash will kill the effect but no flash fools the camera. So just believe me it is much better than the pictures can show.
[This message has been edited by skitime (edited 02-11-2003).]
It may be difficult (I realize it is hard to photoshop "transparent") but could someone attempt photoshopping the glass engine cover being larger? (maybe covering the grill area)
I don't see how you could possibly make the window larger. SkiTime's cover fit directly into the portion of the decklid that resides between the structural portions of the decklid. If you cut it larger, you would be cutting into the actual pieces that hold the decklid together. Eventually - likely the first or second time you open and close the decklid - it would bow up and completely destroy itself.
SkiTime's window mod is literally the definitive version of the mod - a window over the engine, with a center vent. About the only thing one could do is maybe cut further back towards the taillights, but you wouldn't be able to see much since there's a large structural bar in between where the window and the vent is on SkiTime's mod. Any window gain would be negilable.
I think Antuzzi here on the forum has done a version of the mod on a silver GT he once owned. I remember seeing a pic of it, but I remember it not being as "clean" (no offense on build quality) as SkiTime's was. It had actual bolts securing it to the decklid. SkiTime's is very well thought out with the window-style trim around it to cover how it's secured. There's also another forum member - and he's owned a WHOLE lot of Fieros (like over 150 of them) that has a VERY clean black chop top with the window mod. And now I have completely and utterly forgot his screen handle
[This message has been edited by Fiero84Freak (edited 10-15-2012).]
Mine kept blowing out so I riveted the ****er down. It looked ok but I spent several weeks making it perfect before paint then ended up ditching the idea. I have no clue how skitime got his to stay down above 100mph.
Mine kept blowing out so I riveted the ****er down. It looked ok but I spent several weeks making it perfect before paint then ended up ditching the idea. I have no clue how skitime got his to stay down above 100mph.
Just a thought (and it may not be a coherent one), maybe it is the extra vents Skytimes used on his. They may have let just enough additional air pressure out...
Antuzzi did you use simple plexi glass or actual tempered glass? Plexi is likely going to be too flimsy to remain in place. IIRC SkiTime had an actual glass shop cut a tempered piece. It can be expensive to have it done, but the glass will weigh enough to stay in place. Local glass shops can cut a piece if you have a template (what the plexi is good for) and it can run around $50-$100 depending on whom you take it to. Expect a few days for turnaround.
87antuzzi, it looks like yours is bigger than Skitime's. What did you do with the bar that crosses the window?
for others: I thought about leaving the bar in place under the window, and putting a tint with a gradient on the glass above it if necesary, or replacing it with a thinner bar that does the same thing.
Similar to this in concept, but the bracing would be part of the decklid, and probably not a full X-brace. If Lambo can do it in a tasteful manner, then it should work on a Fiero.
I see threads of some people upgrading factory Gallardo decklid glass to Lexan to either save weight, or because glass shatters if you wash your car when the engine is still hot. Shattered Gallardo deck lid glass ^Great HowTo
This concept was covered in my history thread. Reading this thread I saw some mistakes by some. I had learned a lot about auto glass when I created the removable rear window. The glass panel was installed from the top not the bottom. I think I covered much of this in the history tread but I did go through several development stages as shown on the above pictures which was shown in the above pictures. I first tried lexan. I was very disappointed by how easily it scratched from even careful washing. Then I tried a product that has real glass covering the lexan. It solved the scratching problem but is was extremely heat sensitive and would warp too much. Then I tried a rubber gasket with the glass covered lexan. That solved the warping problem but the appearance was objectionable to me. I finally found a old timer glass guy by chance at a restaurant. When I found out what his trade was, I had a million questions. He solved the problem. He had a technique to create tempered glass that could be curved. The Fiero trunk lid is not flat. It curves about a 1/4 inch from center to side. He created the piece for me that is on the car to this day. It is only glued to the painted surface. Hope this helps.
------------------ Red 88 GT T-Top 3800 INTERCOOLED SUPERCHARGED
