The Classic Machinery Network

It seems to be difficult (not just expensive) to get hold of glass for the 3CX Black cab 'doors' at the moment (I'm also missing the whole RH catch/handle mechanism if anyone can help).
I'm wondering if anyone has had a go at making these out of a sheet of polycarbonate/acrylic? I reckon I can measure, cut and even bend (with a bit of practice) a sheet to replicate the glass but I'm wondering if there's a good reason NOT to do this? Whilst even polycarbonate is not all that expensive, I don't want to buy then find there's a big bad reason not to!
-I realise it will probably scratch quite easily but I'm not too worried about that: I mainly want to just keep the rain out.
-I am thinking it may be TOO flexible and not shut tight or push out of line particularly along the length.
- To minimise that I think I'll have to go at least 6mm thick; does anyone know (or can measure for me) the glass thickness? -This is because I probably can't go any thicker than the glass because it will probably foul at the hinge close.

-Any thoughts?

Acrylic is rather prone to cracking, particularly where it chips when drilling. My choice would be polycarbonate.

You can get 'untinted' (or tinted if you want) film that would give you a replaceable surface if/when it got scratched.

Do you have a pic of the handle? There are a few places that offer decent non-oem replacements.

gecko.cx wrote:Acrylic is rather prone to cracking, particularly where it chips when drilling. My choice would be polycarbonate.

You can get 'untinted' (or tinted if you want) film that would give you a replaceable surface if/when it got scratched.

Do you have a pic of the handle? There are a few places that offer decent non-oem replacements.

I created a polycarb door in 6mm for my '87 black cab after the fairly new 'original' glass one slammed and showered me in bits .... worked reasonably well and kept the bulk of the weather out, but was a lot more flexible than glass, so didn't tuck in nicely into the rubbers top and bottom
a suitable wooden wedge in the top of the grab handle dealt with 99% of the top issue and the lower one wasn't a problem as the water ran off and down, when parked and not into the cab .... 100% better than a gaping hole



the polycarb had had a previous life in a bus shelter ... hence the opacity

Could a steel tube be added with suitable rubber washers to stiffen the poly?

I purchased a Black cab 2wd sitemaster similar to Druids one a few years back, If i remember correctly i paid just over £200 for the glass door, There are several versions (the holes are drilled in different positions) When you fit the glass be very careful and if you can fit a wedge of some kind under the glass before you finally tighten everything up and the most important is to check that the glass clears the front of the metal mudgaurd as if it is not adjusted correctly you will break the new one straight away, All of the hinges and pull bars are available on line and at the specialists.

Another critical thing to ensure you have a full compliment of with the glass doors are all of the rubber gaskets front and backside for all of the fittings that touch the glass...if you don't it won't be long before you end up with a million piece glass jigsaw

What a crap idea and presumably why the idea was dropped on Grey cab model.

Yes the Grey cab was a step forward as the doors had frames the only problem is the bottoms of the doors rot out then the lower glass panel falls out! but at least they are easily repairable, You can still pick up the grey door frames but the last ones that noticed were £400 a side without the glass.

non OE glass doors are like hen's teeth these days ...
Kabparts had a container load made some time ago and they'm all gone ...
the grey cab doors were a retrograde step IMHDO ...
rot for a past time as there was very little paint on the multiple composite layers/components that they were assembled from, with a lot of sandwiched parts having none whatsoever

the glass doors were ok if handled carefully ... mine died 'cos I didn't have a strut on it to stop it free swinging .. came down a decent slope with it open and failed to catch it quickly enough to stop it meeting the cab frame - HARD ... own stupid fault