Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Maintenance & Servicing Perspex Windstop for Traditionals

This task began after my recent trip to Curborough with MrsW, who felt that it was a bit draughty on the A38. It got me wondering about a conventional mesh Windstop. I'd seen one on a Mog at Curborough and it was mounted low, just above the head restraints. Once home, I looked on "a Mog website" and was surprised to see that they come in at well over £200, and the picture showed it installed quite high. This also requires drilling the inner wing wood to fix.
For a while in Miscellany, there used to be a perspex windstop which fastened to the head restraints with elasticated cords, but I believe this is no longer made. I must admit that I'm not keen on the elasticated solution, but it got me thinking about a perspex shield and a no-drill solution.

First I sourced the Perspex, and in doing so also produced the spare wheel filler which turned out to be a really simple fix.
I had to take a view on the measurements of the windstop, since I was starting from scratch, and this is how the perspex looked when it arrived, complete with protective film both sides.


My first thoughts were to fasten around the head restraint stalks, so I obtained some U bolts which I covered in plastic sleeving. The main disadvantage to this method is that both seats need to be kept level.


Had this worked, it would have been so simple to mass produce. But the U bolts were not long enough. I tried extending but the method of location was too floppy, and the windstop flopped rearwards at 45degrees. So 'Plan A' failed.


Time for a rethink.
I needed a bracket that would locate around the head restraint stalk but that would be non-damaging. I eventually hit on the idea of a perspex bracket. For this I made use of an old number plate by stripping off the backing and cleaning up the plastic. It's a bit rough & ready, but this is a prototype after all.............

This is how the brackets looked after I'd been at them with the Dremel.....


I would have liked to avoid working with stainless steel once again, but anything less would not have looked right. My first pair of angle brackets were scrap. You live & learn. I took a lot more time with the second pair. These are not 100% but are good enough for me..........


Next I added a thin U channel of neoprene - the same profile as used on various other projects. This gives a snug fit around the stalks.....


This is one fitted to the windstop - using stainless dome bolts.


This is how it fits. Note that the fasteners are clear of the leather. At the end of this process I had to add a 1/4 inch strip of neoprene as a spacer between the stalk and the bracket to add a small amount of 'lift'.






More to follow..............................

So after a bit of tweaking to get the angle of the brackets right, this is how it looks from the rear:





Close up:
You'll see that I've slotted two lengths of clear tube where the seatbelts pass under the windstop. I don't think they will rub, it's just a precaution..........


It's almost invisible when fitted........




So all I need to do now is road test it, but not today.
I'll report back if it makes any difference.

Does your design mean that each seat has its own windstopper? This would be very useful if one usually travels with a tonneau cover in place

Not as it is, but it could be made to work by cutting a smaller piece of perspex. The bracket is good enough to support a single seat sheet......

Looks good Dave, looking forward to the results of your road test. I tried one of the 200 quid jobs but never got on with it, couldn't seem to get it adjusted correctly as it was slightly narrower than the car, I finished up breaking one of the plastic brackets.

Steve L.

Dave,
Very nice piece of work, (we wouldn't expect anything else from you of course) I tried similar but could get it to work, too much turbulence Maybe made it too narrow. Hope yours works better. I also tried a contraption with the dreaded mesh (the Audi look) Worked much better, I guess it allows for some equalisation of the pressures, but It is not very pretty. Strictly for long motorway trips. JJW

I'm hoping that the 'forward draft' holds it in place against the head restraints, but you're right that too much turbulence might make it flutter. Then again, the perspex stopper sold through Miscellany was in the same location but held by elasticated straps, so I'm hoping that mine will sit there 'steady as a rock'. I could use an elasticated add-on if necessary for motorway trips - because when I bought my camping mats (garage door insulation) from Blacks, they each came with two black elastic fasteners which are exactly the right size. I just need to find where I stored them in the garage.

Well, I'm just back from the test flight.
All is well. It definitely reduces draft between the seats. There's a bit of shaking, but then the whole car shakes, so it's not obtrusive. It stayed in place and didn't try to drop back.
There were two unexpected outcomes. First, with a low winter sun, there is a lot of reflection, and it was flickering on the car in front and probably dazzling oncoming cars. Maybe I should look at tinting. The other thing is that the top of the perspex appears as a horizontal line across the middle of the rear view mirror, so the bottom half is partially obscured by reflections.
If I could get a satisfactory finish on the bracketry, it would be 'marketable'. But not as it is.......

saw a similar windstopper on a mog in brussels
will post pic end of the week

I've just finished knocking up a sort of half-half tonneau. I was idly gazing at an offcut of Mohair and it dawned on me that I could use it to fill the hole between the hood cover and back of the seats. I didn't have the camera with me but I'll take a photo tomorrow. I think it will reduce draughts in winter. It fixes on the two catches on the rear rail, and two mohair 'straps' onto the hood frame. All will become clear.
If it's too floppy I can line it underneath with neoprene........