******* Windblox: Wind Deflector Group Buy *******

Z4rro - surely import duty is payable whether its for re-sale or not? I've certainly paid duty one several occasions on single items from the USA for my own use. Mostly I've been lucky, but now and then I've got caught (and the Royal Mail charge a whacking great handling fee too!)

I can see one big advantage of the perspex Deflector - you can leave it on all the time. But the disadvantages would be the visible straps (give the Aftermarket game away and ruin the look of the roll bars) and that Perspex gets dirty very easily (holds static - attracts dust; shows finger marks) and also scratches badly - so may not look that good for long.

Overall, I think I'd look around for a secondhand BMW one - they do come up now and then for a reasonable price.
 
I'll do some pictures when I get back home tomorrow and post them with both the clear and the straps I put on.

Paying duty depends on what and how you bring it in. For personal use you should be able to get duty offset to the personalduty allowance, a bit like going on holiday really. Bit of a pain but should be ok. the easiest is to get someone you know post it privately or consolidate to a business order. in essence, play the system.

Lots of comments about aesthetics and wind blockers, I guess it depnds on whether you want practicality, a certain level of vanity or poseur value. I just like the fact that I can see out of the rear view mirror as well as with none and that it reduces wind buffeting without looking like blind mans kit car.
 
Hmm, looks liek a bit of a debate goin on here. For what its worth, I bought a couple windscreens from windblox a couple months ago and I haven't had a problem with them at all. Does a very respectible job and doesn't move even at highh speeds. Didn't have to worry about any tarrifs or duties, either.
 
right.... apologies for the ambiguity previously

I said in my post it was a good product, that meant it was well made fitted well and looked good (in my opinion). I was still assessing it overall and said that the rubber strip around the edge was the thing which "didn't work" as i thought it was causing noise rather than stopping it, it turns out i was wrong.

I have found the problem, the wind deflector itself wasn't the thing that was rattling, it was the to be frank the terrible afterthought clear straps that came with it, they were creaking and groaning in the wind. Mostly due to the fact that when they heat up they do indeed become more flexible and by definition looser. I have been to Halford's and bought hook and loop velcro 1.5 inch wide tape and replaced the clear straps completely... guess what no rattle and no creaking it also looks better too! as no unsightly join as with the clear straps.

All is well in my top down world so my advice is don't buy the clear straps its not worth it and the velcro does the job for a fiver! the screen itself gives great visibility looks like it is made for the car and is quite nice from the outside looking in. it is well made and does a great wind deflection job so thumbs up.

Thanks

Mike
 
Gents,
Why not get together as a group and make your own? The materials are not uncommon and not so expensive that you will be out that much if you dont do so well the first time. There is a version a few of us have made that is very similar to the one Roadster solutions sells for $260us. Materials are probably $30-50us total. Once you get the Template right its very simple to make multiple copies and is a great way to spend a day in the garage with friends, some power tools, and a pint. IMHO not really worth the time making to sell but fun to do. Not enough of a market & price point to low for me to spend my spare time in a non-fun manner.

http://www.zpost.com/forums/showthread.php?t=307269
I looked at this post from "WhamZ" (Thanks Bro) and then made my own ( I have the speeding ticket Red Zed4Si at the bottom of the post). I thought it was a fun project.

A few folks believe LEXAN is the superior product. It is if you are worried about stopping bullets and are willing to get min 3/4" thick that would be right, but for scratch resistance and optical clarity Acylic is superior. It is a harder product making it more resistant to scratches. The amount of suface loading at speeds of 130-140 mph or less is well handled by 1/4" acrylic. If I wanted to go that fast on a regular basis, I'd proabably have a Coupe though.

The shield is well seated with a 3 point mount. I have had no vibration or worries about the wind breaker coming loose. I absolutely love what its done for the cruise. The sound of my wife screaming at me when I push the sport button and bury the accelerator has acheived a new defintion of sound quality that was previously missing.

Pretty much all you need in the way of tools are:
1. Jigsaw or Bandsaw
2. Stationary drum or belt sander
3. various grits of sand paper to 120 through 1000 (for smoothing the edges by hand) after you have the shape just right.
4. Orbital polisher and plastic scratch remover of your choice. (I like Meguiars PlastiX)
Materials:
1. 1/4" acyrlic
2. 1/4" Aluminum U channel
3. Thin black felt
4. 3M auto moulding/trim tape (NOT the foam tape) This is similar to a solid putty on a nice roll with a release cover on one side
5. Spray glue (able to bond cloth to metal) something like a contact cement
6. 1/2" wide Auto body moulding trim
7. 2-4" wide painters tape (bigger is better).
8. distilled water
9 microfiber cloth

Pretty much anyone with a little woodworking experience could do this from scratch in a day. Once you have done the first, any additional are cake.
1. The big trick is getting the template just right, working just the BOTTOM and the SIDES thats just a little cut, tape and fit with cardboard first, then transfer that to a foam core poster board. Be sure to account for mounts (I put the PLAIN (no felt attached) mounts in place temporarily (just use some small pieces of the moulding tape) and then test fit the template in them. It should fit the mounts with very little (1/16" to 1/8") side to side slop. The slop will go away when the felt is put inside the mounts. Then draw a 5 foot radius accross the top of the foam core poster board.
2. Other than that BEFORE you cut out the 1/4" Acyrlic, clean it with a little distilled water and a new microfiber cloth, THEN cover the entire surface, both sides, with painters tape.
3. If using a jigsaw put a towel under the acrylic before cutting (careful not to get it caught up in the blade)
4. Draw the outline on the acrylic and cut it out with 1/8" relief.
5. Make sure the table surface of the stationary sander is clean and smooth - if not tape some carboard over it.
5. Use the stationary sander (120 inital and 150 grit final) to dial in the outline. Wipe down the table in between passes, EVERY time. Then polish out the edges with the various grits of hand sandpaper until all the edges are scratch free.
6. Pull the painters tape off. Carfully inspect the acrylic. If you still manage to scratch the acrylic it can be polished out with the orbital and a good plastic polishing compound. I did this anyway.
7. Glue some thin black felt on the inside of the mounts. (I used spray glue on the aluminum, folded the felt over a scrap piece of acrylic and firmly shoved it into the u channel)
8. Apply some 1/2" wide auto moulding to the outsides of the aluminum U channel using the 3M tape again, cut to fit.
9. Put all 3 mounts on the acrylic.
10. Clean the aluminum channel and the points on your Zed where the mounts will end up with rubbing alcohol.
11. Put moulding tape on all 3 mounts but only pull the tape cover off the tape that is for the BOTTOM mount. It will be attached to the Zed first.
12. Carefully put the windbreaker with all three mounts slipped on it into position on your Zed. Keep the bottom mount from contacting at this time.
13. When you like the location of the bottom mount push down firmly on the entire assembly to get the moulding tape to attach.
14. Now move the Assembly back or forward form the top until you have it positioned correctly. Use a fine tip marker to identify where the side mounts will be placed. Test the marker in an inconspicuous location first to make sure it will come off with rubbing alcohol .
15. Now use one hand to hold the bottom mount down and still. Use the other to gently work the acrylic free.
16. Remove both side mounts from the acrylic and attach them where you previously marked.
17. Carfully replace the acrylic into the mounts. Once in push it down firmly.
18. Put in all in place and allow the moulding tape to do its job. THAT means wait 2 days before you put the top down. The glue in that tape needs time to bond.
19. Once in place I have found no need to remove the windbreaker. It can be cleaned in place with distilled water and a microfiber cloth. Top goes up and down very nicely with it in place.
 
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