Back Window Blow Out !! True or False ??

[saevans]

I have had my 02 Tuscan S a couple of months now - and a few people (who dont own TVR'S) have told me that if I drive the car with both windows down the back window will blow out !! Is this true ?

[J_S_G]

If you take the roof panel out, yes. If you don't it shouldn't. However, I've had a very good view of seeing it happen to the Tusc in front of me at "reasonable speed".

[dickkark]

happened to me driving car home from dealers in manchester just after purchase
at enthusiastic speed.
scarey stuff!had the roof on but it seems they didn`t fit the window in the clips properly, luckily no panel damage,its fitted permanently now.

[saevans]

Thanks for the replies, I think I might stick to either all of it off or air con !!

[ChelseaTractor]

J_S_G said:

If you take the roof panel out, yes.

Shouldn't that "yes" be "maybe"?

I have driven mine at speed with no troubles what so ever and i'm sure you will find a lot of other owners with no issues.

Just make sure it's fitted properly and pushed right up into the gap.

Edited by ChelseaTractor on Friday 7th July 17:59

[Cerbyt]

J_S_G said:

If you take the roof panel out, yes. If you don't it shouldn't. However, I've had a very good view of seeing it happen to the Tusc in front of me at "reasonable speed".

I slightly disagree. I've had mine (02 Tuscan S) up to 150mph with roof off windows down and rear window stayed put. However in my defence I never take the rear window out so the catches are probably not worn!

[b2tus]

Have driven hundreds of miles at legal limit with targa top in boot and rear window in. I do keep the side windows up at high speed though. No probs at all but as others say, make sure the clips are "biting" properly.

[anonymous-user]

b2tus said:

Have driven hundreds of miles at legal limit with targa top in boot and rear window in. I do keep the side windows up at high speed though. No probs at all but as others say, make sure the clips are "biting" properly.

Likewise. I have driven v rapidly with roof off and back window in. It's buffety as hell but the window stayed firmly put.

Lst summer in France I took to driving around with the roof on and the rear window out and the windows down. Got a lovely through draft without getting sunburnt.

[jamessim]

[quote=b2tus]Have driven hundreds of miles at legal limit with targa top in boot and rear window in. I do keep the side windows up at high speed though. No probs at all but as others say, make sure the clips are "biting" properly.

Ditto,
Just back from France where the temperatures were 30ish, at times the rear screen was in with roof off and speeds in excess of 3 figures with no probs, but I was thinking and concerned that the clips would not vibrate loose etc, and cause the screen to drop.
Once again it's others posting these happenings that makes you think about it, what we'll never know, is did they properly secure the clips in the first place?

Regards,

James Sim.

[J_S_G]

jamessim said:

Once again it's others posting these happenings that makes you think about it, what we'll never know, is did they properly secure the clips in the first place?

Krusty had this happen to him and, from memory, was quite adamant his screen was attached firmly. I'm pretty sure TVR themselves advised not to do this (seem to remember something about it in my manual, for that matter).

Simple test, really, put the rear screen in, do the catches up on the inside, get in the car and punch it hard (or stick a block against it and hit the block hard). If the catches hold, great. If not, don't do it again. Given that the screen DOES bend, the overlap with the catches/roofline IS small, and the buffeting of wind at 150MPH IS substantial, personal opinion would be it's only a matter of time before it blows out/puts enough (repeated) pressure on the catch for it to give. Think the catch design/fitment/amount of surface area in terms of overlap on later cars was slightly better, though...

[b2tus]

James
Were you at Classic Le Mans?

[topcat2005]

About 4 months ago my rear screen blew out whilst the roof was on. Was going quiet fast when it happened and lets just say the seat needed cleaning after. Ordered a new screen from tvr power and found it slightly bigger than the previous one. Apparantly all rear screens before 2002 (I think) where of the smaller variety. The new screen fits a lot better and I actually leave it in now, even with the roof off.

[pete]

The post 2002 screens have the bottom edge much extended compared to earlier versions, so it fits about 1" under the boot lid. On mine the clips really only provide side-to-side location; the main force holding the bottom of window in place is from the edge of the closed boot.

Pete

[dickkark]

I think you will find it`s actually vaccum that pulls out the screen as with certain triumph models in the early seventies,
there probably is not a lot of air pressure against the rear screen when travelling at speed as most of it is blown up over the roof or around it and the small amount of wind rush that does get in would not be enough alone to push it out.
have also had rear screen of mini come out a few years ago with all windows shut.

[jamessim]

[quote=b2tus]James
Were you at Classic Le Mans?
Hi Brent,
Yes I was, fantastic weekend, a Tuscan very similar to yours drove past us as we were parking up on the Saturday morning "we were parked in the blanq zone" but I never seen it afterwards.
We stayed in Laval and left the track at @ 9.00pm on the Sat and returned @ 10 on the Sunday, I enjoy my creature comforts too much to rough it for the weekend.
I did see a bunch of guys from the Northants club and spoke to a guy called Eddie in the stand on Sunday.

regards,

James.

[ley79]

I'm new to Tuscan ownership, got myself an 02 and fingers crossed it's a good one with help from the downloaded PH buyers guide and lots of trawling through other posts on here - you are an informed and helpful bunch of enthusiasts! I also called a certain David Batty who serviced it for the previous owner - very helpful chap.

One of my rear screen clips looks like the "thread" is pretty much done for, I've been searching ebay for for some new ones, does anyone know where I can order some off the web? Secondly one of my key fobs is dead, is this a simple case of replacing a watch type battery or does the thing have to be rebooted with the right codes etc? On this note I'd be very grateful if someone could let me in on the emergency entry procedure in case the other one dies on me in the meantime?

Finally where exactly should the windscreen spray emerge from, the motor works but I can't see any abvious hole in the tubing, should it just come out around the end of the tube where there's a nail type plug - these are quite rusty?

Thanks in advance

[b2tus]

Hi James
Superb weekend - just finished downloading 400 photos onto my PC. USB lead almost melted as indeed I did on Saturday afternoon.
Stayed at a real grotty motel - don't laugh as it was called Mr Bed. Luckily didn't spend much time there. I didn't see any other Crystal Topaz Tuscans - saw an Imperial Blue and a silver one so guess it was mine you saw. You probably heard the Carbon Cans - what great noise!!
Parked up most of the time in Le Bleu car park near to the entrance by start of the main straight. Ended up on Friday night in one of the restaurants in Arnage and on Saturday night, found a Lebanese restaurant down town and then went out to see the night racing. Managed to navigate ourselves around the road blocks to the end of the Mulsanne straight. Great fun but absolutely knackered on Sunday. Like you, miss my creature comforts.
Are you coming over to the Revival Meeting at Goodwood on 1/2/3 September?

[jamessim]

Hi Brent,
Will miss Goodwood as we will be travelling to Scotland on the Monday evening, we've already booked the ferry, should've put a bit more thought into it and we could have had the weekend there.
The good thing about it is, that we are moving to the UK on that date for a year whilst our daughter commences university at St Andrews,it's a motherly thing, my wifes apron strings are being tugged as she thinks that our daughter will not survive on her own! she is very clever but has no common sense so I think she's probably right.
Anyway it gives me the ideal opportunity to really increase my mileage and make it to some get-togethers.
I don't know if it's normal for parents to take a year out when their kids go to uni as we will be leaving the three older ones here?

Regards,

James.

[krusty]

As James said my screen came out under hard acceleration with the windows up. It was definately in place correctly but when the new one arrived the was a noticeable difference in thickness and size. A much 'snugger' fit and there was a lip adjacent to the clip positions increasing the size. I've heard lots of stories of the early ones going.
Personally I preffered taking the rear screen out, leaving the roof on and driving with the windows down. You get the wind without the sun.....

[BlackBison]

I have never taken out the back window even once since I bought my tuscan, and I have done very high speeds (120+ ) with no blowouts. I guess some cars have a tighter fit than others.