I installed it last night and road-tested it today. It is solid clear Plexiglas. It is installed by removing the two clips between the seats and re-installing them with the plexiglas between the clips and the bulkhead. They supply longer phillips heads screws to replace the hex key screws that you take out. There are hooks on the back bottom of the clips that give the screen fairly good stability. There are no holes in the plexiglas other than the holes for the screws and the clips to keep it in place. Therefore at 60 mph+ the plexiglas shakes a little. when you look thru the rear view mirror you are looking completely thru the plexiglas, you do not see the top of the screen. But it looks like the spoiler is shaking. I got used to it pretty quick. The installation is obviously semi-permanent. You can easily remove it with the same effort you installed it with as long as you kept the original screws. But it is a 10 minute job, so don't plan on taking it down when you stop. It is not in the way of anything and actually leans backward at the top of the bulkhead. The top of the plexiglas is curved to match an arc from the top of one rollbar to the other. It looks very nice and doesn't look like an afterthought. It looks much better than the ones I've seen for other roadsters that are straight accross the top.

Now what you were all waiting to hear. How does it work? One poster on this site says that they cut out 80% of the wind. Well they might cut 80% of the wind coming in between the seats, but there is so much buffeting coming from the side that it is difficult to notice a LARGE difference, but you do notice the difference. My wife has shoulder length hair and without the windscreen her hair would blow straight forward. Now it only blows about 30 degrees from vertical. She appreciates it. Before I had the windscreen we tried putting the windows up on long trips(100+ miles) but that didn't help much because the wind still came between the seats. So we tested it with the windows up and with the windscreen and Voila(french for there it is or something like that). the wind it cut significantly. Now before everyone flames me for driving with the windows up in a roadster, that is something I just did for a test to let everyone know what they were getting for ther $250. I have had a 1967 sunbeam alpine, 1969 datsun 2000 roadster and still have a 1981 Fiat 2000 spider. so I love the wind, but all those cars had wing vents(for those of you old enough to know what those were) and on long trips if you cracked them just a bit it would cut the wind from the side enough to make the wind fell less like it was pulling all the hair out of your head after about 3 hours with the top down. so the answer is it is not going to make a great impact on the wind with just the screen(maybe 30%) but it is un-obtrusive and somewhat effective. But if you get one, remember it is plastic! Clean with damp soft cotton and dry with another dry soft cotton(teeshirt). If you use paper towels you will be posting on here trying to find out how to take the scratches out.

Jerry at myroadster.net has ordered 10 of them and should have them in any day now. As soon as I get some pictures taken he is going to post them on his web site and I will post them here as well(i haven't decided on which digital camera to get yet although if I had to decide now it would be the Olympus 765 with 10x optical zoom and 4x digital zoom 4 megapix. It is very compact but in a camera store last weekend a salesman said that minolta and maybe cannon is coming out with competition for the 765, so I am going to wait until this fall)

 

Sounds good. Thanks for the info.

 

Gesundheit Buckeyedad42!

 

I read a Crossfire roadster review last week someplace. The roadster had one of those windscreens. The windscreen was his biggest negative and I think it had to do with glare in the rear view mirror. It might have been in a magazine, "Sports Car International" or something like that, I'm not sure.

 

yes there is a certain amount of glare (actually reflection). But hey go fast enough :wink: and you don't have to worry what is behind you

 

I uploaded pics of the windscreen and two new pics of my roadster on Monday, and modified the title to say that there were now pics. I know they were there because I got a response from bill welch that he had seen them. However on tuesday the pics were gone from my album and the modified post title was back the way it was. they must of had a computer crash and lost the updates between Mondayu and Tuesday. However I have been trying for two days to re-upload the pics but that is not working. I will keep trying. If any one really wants to see the pics I will e-mail directly upon request.

 

No wonder my posts were gone,...and I'm not going crazy - you DID have pics! My fiance thought I'd lost my mind when I told him that there were pictures and that I'd posted/registered for the site! Phew!

 

I'm not really sure what happened. I saw the pics too. We were not alerted of any server crashes, and I certainly didn't delete the pictures or posts. I'm not sure why your picture uploading isn't working either. I'll take a look.

 

Would you please send me pictures of the windscreen for the Crossfire. I make the windscreens for the Cadillac Allante and the Ford Thunderbird and a friend has asked to start making them for the crossfire. Jay Senoff
www.allantewindscreen.com and www.allantewindscreen.com/Tbird.html

My e mail address is asenoff@aol.com

Thanks

 

I can't help but add a note on the window comment . You see folks here in Europe driving with the top down and windows up all the time. I picked up the habit while here in Europe a few years back in my SAAB cabrio (cv). There's a reason...you actually arrive at a destination without looking as if you'd been in a wrestling match. In addition, it tends to be cool here in Germany and you can use the car 30-40% more often, as it was intended, as a result of having the windows up. It simply makes sense. For those out there that don't like the look...don't drive that way. And like the writer I've driven other cabrios i.e. Triumphs, MGs, Saabs, etc. It always cracks me up to see the guy and gal in the Ford Mustang convertible crusing down the road with their hair tied in knots from the wind.

StatueMan



" Now before everyone flames me for driving with the windows up in a roadster, that is something I just did for a test to let everyone know what they were getting for ther $250. I have had a 1967 sunbeam alpine, 1969 datsun 2000 roadster and still have a 1981 Fiat 2000 spider. so I love the wind, but all those cars had wing vents(for those of you old enough to know what those were) and on long trips if you cracked them just a bit it would cut the wind from the side enough to make the wind fell less like it was pulling all the hair out of your head after about 3 hours with the top down. so the answer is it is not going to make a great impact on the wind with just the screen(maybe 30%) but it is un-obtrusive and somewhat effective. " Edited

 

guys/gals, mopar now has one for $145 online that has a stabilizer that attaches to each rollbar that I assume gets rid of the shimmy when looking thru the windscreen thru the rear view mirror. If anyone buys one, please post installation manual and picture of the stabilizers so I might be able to fabricate something that will work on my german windscreen.

http://www.moparsupercenter.com/

 

Now you need to light up that windscreen

https://www.crossfireforum.org/forum...ead.php?t=6437

 

buckeyedad42,

I have the Crossfire Mopar Lexan Windscreen and 4 page Installation Instructions in front of me. (There are no words, just diagrams.) The "stabilizers" are very complex, belt-like structures that go through 2 vertical slots each at the side edges of the windscreen. There is a velcro strap at the back of each for quick release from the roll bars. A plastic base that is fitted to the shape of this center area between the rollbars, holds the lower edge of the windscreen snugly. This requires 4 holes to be drilled into the center area between the rollbars. 4 expanders are included for the screws. After installation, this base remains in place and the windscreen itself easily pops out when the 2 velcro straps are released. They even include a black, fitted, zippered carrying case to hold the windscreen when you don't need it in place. I would guess that fastening it in place and removal should take no more than 10 seconds each. Since the base has 4 slots already present for the screw holes, you really can't mess up the installation. The 2 umbrella holder screws are not involved in this installation at all. I believe that this windscreen will look very attractive after installation, nicer than the Mercedes ones that I have seen. Also, I don't see how any vibration will be present while driving!
The screw holes must be 6.1mm so I will let my Crossfire mechanic install it. I don't have any way to scan this 4 page folder with each page measuring about 8 1/2 X 12 inches.

 

IMHO the Plexi-Glas/Lexan wind screens are not appealing. There is a pic in my album of what I think is a better looking wind screen. I am corresponded with the manufacturer to see if one can be made for the Xfire Roadster.

 

crossfire LTD, before you buy that metal screen windscreen be aware that when you look thru the rear view mirror you will be looking thru the metal screen completely. I imagine it will cut down your visibility a LOT. With my lexan windscreen everything I see thru the rear view mirror is thru the windscreen. As long as you know what to expect that is allright, but it will be like driving a panel truck with only side view mirrors. I have been driving 2 seated small roadsters for 40 years and WE really need to pay attention to what other people around us are doing. With the top down a lot of people never even see us. In my Datsun 2000 ,which really sat quite low and had a small windshield, I was almost run off the road about 4 times in a six month period by people on a two lane each way city highway. And no they weren't trying to get out of the passing lane. They don't do that in Ohio. We have such crappy drivers in Ohio. There will be 30 cars in row going 1 over in the passing lane and two in the right hand lane going 3 under. Drives me nuts. And the police wonder why there is road rage. thank goodness they are finally getting some 3 lane freeways around here. Anyway most of the people in sport utes don't use their side mirrors and they still don't see us when they do. So pay attention. My solution is always go 1-2 MPH faster than everyone else on the road that way it is more difficult for them to run you off the road. And get out of the packs of lemmings and by yourself if you can. I hate to see xfire's crushed.

 

Buckeyedad42,

I agree with you about visibility, but I had a similar one on my Sebring Jxi Convertible. You can see through the wind screen part because it is a mesh material. Very much like that you would find in a screen door, but the material used is much heavier. I did not have any visiblity problems in the Sebring. Hopefully if they can make one for the Xfire Roadster it will fold down the same way it did in the Sebring when the top is up.

 

Buckeyedad42,

I feel your pain and rage. NY drivers are the worst second to none. When I had my Sebring Jxi Ragtop people would try to run me off the road like it was thier job. Many a day my Wife and I came close to getting killed or severely hurt. Then one bright sunny day we were involved in a hit and run accident. We were run off of a 2 lane highway at about 65 mph hit 2 trees and flipped over twice and landed chasis side up with the top down and left for dead. There is a thread on this forum "does your Xfire cause accidents?" take a look at the pics of my Sebring after my wife and I were run off the road with the top down. We were extremely lucky to be able to walk away from this accident with minor injuries.

Now the new problem is that everyone is looking at my Xfire and running into other cars, you just can't win.

 

i remember reading about your accident. Let the forum and I know if you are successful getting the mesh windscreen. I am just curious I imagine on your sebring it folded down behind the seats. where do you envision it folding down on the Xfire. I would be afraid of it scratching the boot cover or bouncing on it .

 

On the Sebring there was a vinyl insert that covered the back seats of the car, and the wind screen folded down and rested on the vinyl insert. That is the problem, where will it fold to, this is the paradox we are now dealing with. I don't want it to scratch the tonnaeu cover. We are toying with the idea of placing it in front of the roadster hoops and........ A) it will fold behind the seat B) or be removable with the use of thumb screws or pressure clips and can be placed in the trunk when not in use. I will keep you posted as to the results.