Windscreen or Aero Screen

[benadams]

There are 2 tiger supercats on ebay, both nice looking cars and both going for similar money. One has a normal windscreen and one has a an aero screen. What would you lot prefer and why.

Many thanks,

Ben

[dern]

Have had 2 westfields, one with normal screen and one with an aeroscreen. I wouldn't even consider a car with a normal screen again.

Visibility is better imo with a lid than the screen. Get some decent mirror and you're laughing. The updraft from the aeroscreen will clear your visor of water much better than the crap wipers ever will.

Buffeting is less with an aeroscreen than a normal screen unless you fit the sidescreen as well and then it's better but you're boxed in and you've just dramatically reduced your visibility.

Performance is better due to less drag.

Wear a lid and ear plugs as you would on a bike and your hearing will last longer that if you just have a screen.

Waterproof your car's interior, get some waterproof clothes and drill holes in the floor, ditch the screen, the doors and the roof, save all that weight and hassle and never worry about leaks ever again.

Regards,

Mark

[benadams]

so do you have to wear a helmet in the aeroscreen car due to the wind in your face?

[Wacky Racer]

Sorry to disagree wirh dern , but personally, I would never consider a car without a full screen and full weather equipment, owing to the uncertainty of the British climate...(unless you were using it only on the track)

I remember one June about two years ago,, I set off for the Yorkshire dales, the weather was dry and fair, however at Ribblehead the sky darkened and the rain came down like hailstones, (It was bloody cold as well), and I arrived home like a drowned rat....)

Never again....

[dern]

benadams said:

so do you have to wear a helmet in the aeroscreen car due to the wind in your face?

Yes. It also saved my head from being removed when my bonnet came off a couple of weeks ago.

[benadams]

I have to agree with you mate. This is the car i am looking to buy http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dl

Unfortunately it hasnt got any wet weather gear but i presume you can buy these from tiger or at least have them specially made by a hood manufacturer.

This is the other car with the aero screen: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dl

[dern]

Wacky Racer said:

Sorry to disagree wirh dern , but personally, I would never consider a car without a full screen and full weather equipment, owing to the uncertainty of the British climate...(unless you were using it only on the track) I remember one June about two years ago,, I set off for the Yorkshire dales, the weather was dry and fair, however at Ribblehead the sky darkened and the rain came down like hailstones, (It was bloody cold as well), and I arrived home like a drowned rat....) Never again....

Ah, you have to treat it like a bike when packing and take full weather gear with you. I use mine all year round (not as my main transport, that's a bike) and took it to a VW meet before christmas and drove through torrential rain and stayed bone dry

[dern]

It's cheaper and simpler to buy a car with a screen and convert it to an aeroscreen later and then you'll still have the bits to put it back than buy a car with an aeroscreen and then fit a screen, wipers, wiring etc.

My current car came with the aeroscreen fitted but with screen, wipers, doors, roof etc supplied. I intended to refit all the weather gear but after a few weeks decided to give the aeroscreen time as I quite liked it. A few months later I sold all the weather gear and I'd never go back.

Regards,

Mark

PS. Both those cars need proper roll bars installing. Both cars have what look like cosmetic rollbars as neither has any triangulation and will probably fold flat if you roll the car.

[Antony Moxey]

Aeroscreen. I have one on my Tiger S6 and for a start it makes the car look so much more agressive! I find the wind hits my face at the bridge of my nose, so breathing isn't a problem, and up to about 50mph you're OK with just sunglasses on. Above that you really need wraparounds as the wind starts to push the glasses up over your face from around your cheekbones. Wraparounds are good to about 120ish, but once you get to those sorts of speeds you find (or at least I do) that your vision is starting to blur anyway. For normal hooning I don't bother with a crash helmet, and only wear one if I'm intending to drive on either dual carriageways or motorways.

But regardless of which you prefer, it's not the most difficult thing in the world to convert your desired purchase from one to t'other.

[dern]

Antony Moxey said:

I find the wind hits my face at the bridge of my nose, so breathing isn't a problem, and up to about 50mph you're OK with just sunglasses on. Above that you really need wraparounds as the wind starts to push the glasses up over your face from around your cheekbones. Wraparounds are good to about 120ish, but once you get to those sorts of speeds you find (or at least I do) that your vision is starting to blur anyway. For normal hooning I don't bother with a crash helmet, and only wear one if I'm intending to drive on either dual carriageways or motorways.

I have to say that although this is clearly a matter of personal choice a stone in the forehead at 50mph can easily be pretty terminal let alone at 120mph. I've ridden my bike all year round for the last year and while I'd agree that the risks are very low I have been hit it the face by stones on a handful of occasions so it definitely does happen. I won't drive mine out of town (ie above 30mph) without my lid on.

Each to their own though.

Regards,

Mark

PS. If you forget to secure your bonnet and see it start to flap and aren't wearing a lid then duck (if your harnesses will let you)... duck really quickly. Mine came undone and hit me in the forehead when it lifted at 60mph. Wrecked a helmet and gave me a headache which lasted 2 days. My fault obviously but accidents happen.

>> Edited by dern on Friday 17th March 13:29

[samwilliams]

My car (sylva phoenix) has only got an aeroscreen, and I use it as my only form of transport. With regards to head-wear, I just wear goggles and, depending on how cold it is, a face mask (like mountain-biking/skiing kind of thing). If it starts to rain, I put on a pair of waterproof trousers. Not had a problem with getting wet yet, despite driving through pretty heavy rain on a number occassions.

Sam

[benadams]

thanks for all your help guys. I have to say though the post from Dern regarding the role bar is very concerning!!

[dern]

benadams said:

thanks for all your help guys. I have to say though the post from Dern regarding the role bar is very concerning!!

Don't let it concern you just be aware of the risk and change it if you want to. They aren't that expensive. The RAC roll bar I fitted to my westfield was less than 200 quid and the very substantial one that I welded into my locost was 100 quid.

I drove around in my old car for ages with a roll bar like that. I didn't think I'd roll it on the road so I didn't change it. I now have changed the one on my current car (my profile shows the cosmetic bar).

I hope I haven't put you off either car as that wasn't my intention. The best thing about these cars is that they are very flexible and you can (usually cheaply) change anything you want.

Regards,

Mark

>> Edited by dern on Friday 17th March 13:46

[westyman]

I've driven my Westfield for 5 1/2 years with full screen but no weather gear. Would never consider a roof on a 7. Everyone I've spoken to never uses them, leak like a sieve, horrendous visibility, steam up etc etc, the negatives go on and on. Fitted an aeroscreen last week. Let you know how I get on if the rain ever stops. ( and before you say it, I wouldn't choose to be driving in this weather even if I had a roof)

[Antony Moxey]

benadams said:

I have to say though the post from Dern regarding the role bar is very concerning!!

Well it is and it isn't - you just have to weigh up the risk. Of course you cannot say it won't happen, but just how many Sevens are flipped through normal road use (rather than on track days or race series')? Again, I might have just been lucky, but in the three and a bit years I've had my Six on the road (with standard Tiger roll bar), I haven't even come remotely close to flipping it.

Were I to build another, I would more than likely look to fit back and cross bracing, but at the moment I have no plans to do so on the current car.

[Antony Moxey]

benadams said:

There are 2 tiger supercats on ebay, both nice looking cars and both going for similar money. One has a normal windscreen and one has a an aero screen. What would you lot prefer and why.

Having had a better look at each, I'd get the red one and aeroscreen it..

[dern]

Antony Moxey said:

Well it is and it isn't - you just have to weigh up the risk. Of course you cannot say it won't happen, but just how many Sevens are flipped through normal road use (rather than on track days or race series')? Again, I might have just been lucky, but in the three and a bit years I've had my Six on the road (with standard Tiger roll bar), I haven't even come remotely close to flipping it.

Neither have I... someone just showed me a picture of car that had flipped and I instantly jumped into the better safe than sorry camp

I don't wish to appear risk averse, I just think being aware of the issues is the key. I also figured my current car had a fair bit more power and I'd be more likely to bin it if it all went tits up.

Regards,

Mark

[RushV8]

Disagree that side-screens restrict visibility (they often do but due to crap design). I have a Dax Rush 4.6 ltr V8 , and bought the beautifully made sidescreens ...... and then couldn't see out of them since I'm 6' 1 tall. Junked the screen tops and replaced with a 5mm fully perspex top half and have never looked back. As for rain on the windscreen, use a decent quality set of wiper arms, and baldes of the max length you can fit without them fouling each other , then you should be fine (same visibility as an MG midget at least in my experience which is fine on the rare days we have rain in the UK !!!!!).

[Wacky Racer]

RushV8 said:

...which is fine on the rare days we have rain in the UK !!!!!).

[dern]

Wacky Racer said:

RushV8 said: ...which is fine on the rare days we have rain in the UK !!!!!).

True, I rode my bike all winter and only got rained on 2 or 3 times... having said that the next few months get pretty damp.