@@Gonzo.S.Thompson Yeah, "as many as possible" definitely takes into count the viability, and I would say a twin-cam engine with it's valve covers transparent would be really cool to see, albeit no idea what kind of mess the oil system would make inside of it, could be more of a splash show than mechanics showoff. Wonder what's the highest temperature polymers that can be made transparent now...
Analog Dude mostly it's just a flat head engine with a slab of thick glass. But I have seen the clutch cover on a dirt bike replaced with a plastic and it worked great. I think they could do well with this approach but some parts just can't be replaced like that. Transparent aluminum engine block would be absolutely amazing!!!
Already did that in the USA it's in my 71 Datsun pickup 4.1liter GMC engine(valve cover, dizzy cap, rotor bug, carb adapter/riser, oil hoses, and water hoses are all clear. Used polycarbonate (258°F form temp) and some other stuff. Looks cool and vacuum advance is neat in the dark watching the sparks grow.
Proud Of The Unpopular thats a real thing though, it’s called stacking tolerance. If something is machined too precisely it often won’t work, even if it should on paper.
Just ordered few tire valve covers that have leds, It suppose to light up when wheel is rotating. Still havent got my packet so i'l be seeing how good those are for such low price (probably utter crap and dont know if batteries can be replaced, but after lolling or one breaks i can take it apart and see how its designed so i can make my own better. Then again lighting just the wheel well would be smarter to be honest and none of those are actually legal on road here, so cant do much with them.
Yeah, that was the same thing I immediately thought. lol first thought was lighted plexi with etching, then my brain wandered off into infinity mirror land ;P of course, if you could manage to power an infinity mirror, then you could probably leave a metal structure behind it (for normal wheel support) and just have the *illusion* of transparent wheels. then again... what's the fun of illusions when you can have fully transparent wheels? lol Actually... I wonder if laminating several layers of acrylic with some sort of high heat transparent epoxy could bring up structural rigidity... okay, I'm thinking too much about this; run awaaaay, run awaaaay!
Eh. In a serious application heat transfer from the brakes could be mitigated by using a specialized material for the wheel spacer. Carbon Fiber would be a good choice.
Wow they looked so legit. Really wish we could have seen them in action I imagine they needed to be a bit thicker to do anything substantial without breaking
I was just thinking that garage 54 has gotten way upscale.... Nice shop, accurate measurements....and new tools, I miss the old run down garage and things put together and I cringe when it all comes together....
Ganiscol my brother holds the patent on clear wheels. The only reason its not being manufactured is because plexi glass wont work. And the material that does work will cost up to 100k for a set.
Eduardo Espinoza solar roads in all tests were absolutely destroyed because they can’t hold the weight of a car without breaking, also they were highly reflective meaning that they were very dangerous
love the way the young lad trying to drill the holes by trying to line up and drill through the plexiglass and next scene older guy came over and flip it and went through the hole on the back so was already line up for you something little bit of wisdom gifted to the young guy.
UberLummox wouldn't surprise me if they actually used polycarbonate, but are just saying Plexiglas, because that's kind of become a generic catch-all term for clear plastic.
That is the COOLEST wheels Iv ever seen, those would be the sickest thing out there if they would hold up and be safe...I would buy a set in a heart beat!!!
Totally awesome! Though, I think that the brake rotors will eventually melt the plexiglass, due to the material being plastic. Maybe some kind of heat resistant clear polymer material will end that heat problem if you were to actually go into production with this idea. Never the less, your shows are really informative, and interesting to watch! Really enjoy your alls approach at doing things. Great ideas!!!
It does look really cool. I'm just really nervous about the lateral strength lol. Would look even better if you could do something to clean up the look of that spacer and the brakes. Can't wait to see an update.
Very gentle driving with such powerful car on plexi rims, incredible control over a bump also!! Maybe install the blinking turn indicators behind the wheels, or exist already?!
Wow Garage 54, you guys are Brave. I would try it out on a not so nice car.... But you might be onto something. Plexiglas and Acrylic are Brittle under pressure and will crack and / or Break. Lexan is Flexible, and super strong. A few layers of Lexan would make this safe and completely viable. IMO
I wanted to see more of that thing too. Looks like they bolted the rear end directly to the end of the transmission tail shaft judging by the over all length if it.
A file and your spin balancer used as a lathe will trim that nicely. This is a interesting idea shine some led lights on the wheel and its a floating car
Bolt both wheels on the rear of the car and go for a drive. See how well they hold up on the rear before you build some for the front. If they can't handle the rear, then they definitely won't handle cornering on the front! I'd really like to know how well they hold up!
