Review: Windbaffle

[treynor]

OK, I know everyone's sick of the advertising for this product. This isn't an ad, however, it's a user review from yours truly. Bob was good enough to send me one of the Wind Baffles to try out, and I dutifully strapped it on Liz's SRT/10 and took it for an extended drive (I know, I know, it's a tough job but someone has to do it). Feedback follows:

First off, the Windbaffle is a piece of clear polycarbonate which is shaped to fit between (and partially overlap) the rear roll hoops behind the driver and passenger seat. It comes with four sturdy velcro-like straps which are used to secure it to the rollbar, and a tether cord which loops around the passenger seat support to keep it from blowing away should the velco fail.

Installation was a cinch, taking less than 5 minutes. Removing the baffle takes under 1 minute. When in place, the velcro straps are the giveaway that this is not a factory piece, but since they're black and match the roll bar, they are obvious only when you're looking for them.

Behind the wheel, the wind baffle is unnoticeable unless the sun is setting in front of you, in which case there are a couple of angles from which the light reflects off the baffle. Otherwise, it does not interfere with vision at all.

Under way, the baffle works as advertised. With the windows up and top down, the cabin is draft-free and quiet up to 40 MPH. Even at 60 there is barely any breeze noticeable, and I drove in cold weather (OK, California cold, ~55F) without turning on the heater for the first 30 minutes because there was no wind chill. By 80 MPH the wind inside has picked up a bit, and by 100 it's quite noticeable; still, the effect is one of removing ~20 mph from travel velocity in terms of noise and wind.

I tried some coast-down testing with a G-tech, with inconclusive results. It's probable that the baffle does reduce drag given the lower noise / draft results, but I have nothing concrete to demonstrate this.

All in all, the baffle is a nice addition to the SRT, and I plan to leave it installed permanently.

 

[cstegall]

Thanks for the headsup Ben. I will try one on mine as well.

Clark

 

[Newport Viper]

I want to see one blow off and start slapping the car, while the safety cord holds it!

 

[Viperfreak2]

Polycarbonate = plexiglass. $2.50 at popular home improvement stores. Yeah yeah, all the cutting and R&D! Plus the Velcro! Just my opinion.

 

[pauljkopick]

Ben thanks for your time & opinion on the baffle. Bob is also sending me one on a trial basis.Cant beat that try it, dont like it, send it back. Did you happen to try it with windows down?

 

[GR8_ASP]

polycarbonate is not Plexiglass. Plexiglass is acrylic and very sensitive to scratches. Polycarbonate has a much harder surface and resists scratches. Some of the newer lightweight, thin glasses are polycarbonate. This is the same material as VMania uses for their RT/10 windows. Polycarbonate also has a much higher melting temperature. Forming it requires a temperature that would make acrylic into a smouldering glob of goo.

Polycarbonate is not free of all ills. Keep petrochemicals away from it as the material will crystalize in the presence of hydrocarbons when stressed.

 

[kenvw]

Good review - bought one to try out and for $140 (VCA discount) not a bad deal. Wish the unit was thicker for a more solid feel and look.
Ken

 

[Dawg2Snake]

I bought a wind baffle, and I don't use it. It does work - less wind buffeting your head, etc. But I found the reflections - both day and night - quite annoying. It also snagged the latch to the top whenever the top was raised or lowered. When approaching the car while parked and top down, it looked too cheesy for my tastes I guess it looks like what it is - a piece of plastic velcro'd to the back of my $85k car. I decided that I bought a convertable for a reason - wind! So... I no longer use mine.

 

[SRTim]

Jim,

If you would be interested in selling your wind baffle, shoot me an e-mail at [email protected]

Thanks,
Tim

 

[Mike Brunton]

polycarbonate is not Plexiglass. Plexiglass is acrylic and very sensitive to scratches. Polycarbonate has a much harder surface and resists scratches. Some of the newer lightweight, thin glasses are polycarbonate. This is the same material as VMania uses for their RT/10 windows. Polycarbonate also has a much higher melting temperature. Forming it requires a temperature that would make acrylic into a smouldering glob of goo.

Polycarbonate is not free of all ills. Keep petrochemicals away from it as the material will crystalize in the presence of hydrocarbons when stressed.

Actually that's not true. Don't mean to offend, but Plexiglass, Lucite, Lexan, Perspex, etc, are just brand names for various stuff. Lexan is polycarbonate, the others are polyacrelate (acrylic).

The part you are wrong about is that acrylic is susceptible to scratches - it isn't. Lexan is - in a BIG way! Acrylic is a lot more brittle and will shatter and split, whereas polycarbonate can be practically bent in half before it breaks.

Acrylic reflects more light, is harder, is more resistant to scratches, and often has better optics (clearer, less distortion). Lexan is what they use in bulletproof glass and racecar windows. It scratches like a biotch - the stuff will scratch even just cleaning it with soap/water and a rag. The best stuff IMO to use on a wind baffle would be polycarbonate with scratch resitant coating.

I guess the guy has a patent on the thing - good for him. It's probably $10 in materials if you DIY. There is always value in getting a finished part, though... although I don't know what he sells it for.

 

[HiYoSilver]

Thanks Jim and Mike,
Reflections off the Windbaffle panel are rarely seen or any problem.
The latch on the top should be in the closed position, it then glides over the top of the panel and will not damage either surface.
The WB is essentially invisible, it has a polished edge all around like an expensive glass top table.
The Velcro cinch straps are black and blend-in with the rollbars and by using the soft side against the
rollbar it will not scuff.
The panel is MR-coated Lexan - an expensive mar resistant Lexan that is nearly 5 times as expensive as you
quoted. It is unbreakable and will outlast our Vipers.
The Viper Baffles are quality manufactured for us by a company working with the NASA Space program for since the 1960's.
It is proudly designed, patented and constucted in the good old USA!! Not like the truely "cheesy" crap made for some "European" cars that are a screen like mesh that look like your wife used nylon stockings that block your rear view and barely works (its porous) by Windstop in Germany.
Guess you can tell I am proud of my Viper and proud of the Viper "Windbaffle". It really makes a great car better and more enjoyable. Just trying to share.
Dr. Bob

 

[HiYoSilver]

By the way Ken, a thicker panel functions no better, weighs much more is much more expensive and looks the same. We have done that before and can customize make a thicker one if you really want.
The WB also comes with a security tether to lock the panel if you desire.
If you really want to get "wind-blown" again the panel fits neatly in the trunk taking up nil space.
Truly the mark up is very small especially with the VCA pricing.

 

[kenvw]

Bob,
What thickness can you supply and would you trade it in on a new wind baffle never used ?
Ken

 

[Jay Herbert]

polycarbonate is not Plexiglass. Plexiglass is acrylic and very sensitive to scratches. Polycarbonate has a much harder surface and resists scratches. Some of the newer lightweight, thin glasses are polycarbonate. This is the same material as VMania uses for their RT/10 windows. Polycarbonate also has a much higher melting temperature. Forming it requires a temperature that would make acrylic into a smouldering glob of goo.

Polycarbonate is not free of all ills. Keep petrochemicals away from it as the material will crystalize in the presence of hydrocarbons when stressed.

Actually that's not true. Don't mean to offend, but Plexiglass, Lucite, Lexan, Perspex, etc, are just brand names for various stuff. Lexan is polycarbonate, the others are polyacrelate (acrylic).

The part you are wrong about is that acrylic is susceptible to scratches - it isn't. Lexan is - in a BIG way! Acrylic is a lot more brittle and will shatter and split, whereas polycarbonate can be practically bent in half before it breaks.

Acrylic reflects more light, is harder, is more resistant to scratches, and often has better optics (clearer, less distortion). Lexan is what they use in bulletproof glass and racecar windows. It scratches like a biotch - the stuff will scratch even just cleaning it with soap/water and a rag. The best stuff IMO to use on a wind baffle would be polycarbonate with scratch resitant coating.

I guess the guy has a patent on the thing - good for him. It's probably $10 in materials if you DIY. There is always value in getting a finished part, though... although I don't know what he sells it for.

One nice thing about polycarbonate (Lexan is GE's polycarbonate brand... I used to work for GE Plastics) is that it is TOUGH stuff. as you say "..can be practically bent in half before it breaks." I treat my VMania windows with kid gloves, because uncoated polycarbonate certainly scratches, but, many products exist to polish out scratches from poycarbonate... so scratches are cetainly repairable. Polycarbonate is certianly way more expensive then acrylic.

We use polycarbonate for safety guards on our automated equipment and it is also used for safety windows in our machine tools... it works as any of our operators who have misloaded a 20lb casting can attest.... when at 5000 rpm, the casting comes flying out of the chuck and smacks the window. The window survives (scratched ), but the steel chuck jaws and tool holders are usually not so lucky. Polycarbonate is the "right stuff".

 

[HiYoSilver]

Yes Ken. We can make a panel as thick as you would like +/-. The proper Windbaffle comes 1/8 inch thick. What would you like 3/16" or 1/4" ? I will price it out for you and exchange the one you have but (there usually is a but) it will be non-refundable as any custom order would be. Let me know.
Be aware it will be substantially heavier and minimally more rigid since all panels are strapped to the rollbars in six locations are rigidly fixed in place.
Note the faster you go the more the WB panel is blown IN toward the cockpit based on the higher BACK-DRAFT pressure pushing the Windbaffle FORWARD. Thickness will not effect the function. Thanks, Bob

 

[kenvw]

Bob,
Almost had a hernia picking up this 1/8" Lexan (lol) but I think I can handle the 1/4" version. Please price. Also will the rubber edging fit unto a 1/4" WB or will you have to use a larger molding?
ken

 

[Mike Brunton]

Thanks Jim and Mike,
Reflections off the Windbaffle panel are rarely seen or any problem.
The latch on the top should be in the closed position, it then glides over the top of the panel and will not damage either surface.
The WB is essentially invisible, it has a polished edge all around like an expensive glass top table.
The Velcro cinch straps are black and blend-in with the rollbars and by using the soft side against the
rollbar it will not scuff.
The panel is MR-coated Lexan - an expensive mar resistant Lexan that is nearly 5 times as expensive as you
quoted. It is unbreakable and will outlast our Vipers.
The Viper Baffles are quality manufactured for us by a company working with the NASA Space program for since the 1960's.
It is proudly designed, patented and constucted in the good old USA!! Not like the truely "cheesy" crap made for some "European" cars that are a screen like mesh that look like your wife used nylon stockings that block your rear view and barely works (its porous) by Windstop in Germany.
Guess you can tell I am proud of my Viper and proud of the Viper "Windbaffle". It really makes a great car better and more enjoyable. Just trying to share.
Dr. Bob

Hi Bob,

Thanks for the correction regarding the material you use. I didn't mean to sound like I was belittling the product or that you were overcharging. I'm *intimitely* familiar with the cost of doing busines

The price I mentioned was for "normal" lexan in bulk. Certainly the high-quality stuff you use goes for a premium. I talked to Acrilex a while back about purchasing acrylic, lucite and lexan in bulk, and I needed the anti-reflection anti-scratch stuff and it DOES get pricy - and quick!

I don't know how Bob cuts the stuff, but you will find if you try to make your own, that you will not get a very good quality cut, IMO. Many plastics are "flame polished" which is basically taking a hugely hot flame and quickly "zapping" the edge, producing a crystal clear finish. Try to do it yourself and you will come up short. Bob probably uses a pattern and laser cuts the stuff, or routes it and has the edges polished. Not easy to do on your own... and how much is your time worth?? Gotta consider that.


Regarding the price of sale vs. the price of parts. There is a story about a machinist who quits his job to retire. One day the assembly line breaks and nobody can fix it. It's costing the company millions per week to be down! They call in all sorts of consultants and they just can't get it working. The machinist is called and he comes in... spends a couple of hours looking the machines over, then puts a screw in one machine, and everything is up and running again. The machinst sends a bill for $100k to the CEO, who promptly calls him asking him for justification of such a high price. The machinists breakdown of the bill was

1 screw - $0.10
Knowing where to put it - $99,999.90

I love that story!

 

[HiYoSilver]

Great story Mike - I enjoyed it.
Ken, Yes we can make up a "Custom" 1/4 inch Viper Baffle for about $50 more than the standard 1/8 inch VB Panel. I am looking into the oversize edging material.
Let me know.
By the way, the MR-Lexan does come up to 1/2 inch thickness, which makes it nearly AK-47 proof!!
Hopefully no one needs this!! Bob

 

[kenvw]

Bob,
Thanks for the thicker version of the windbaffle. The 1/4" thickness made this unit look more like it belonged with the vehicle verses the original one which is half the thickness. I am very pleased with the look and and am sure it will function as well as the thinner version. Saying all that I can understand that many view this item as being a cheesey add on. However, when taking the wife out this feature does enhance the joy of open roof driving. Anyway thanks for the modified unit as I am well pleased.
Ken

 

[HiYoSilver]

Ken- I just got back from a comfortable ride here in NY at 38 degrees!!
We hope you get to enjoy many "topdown rides" even with the cooler temps and with less wind noise/turbulence. Functionally the thicker panel works the same as your 1/4 inch panel. However we are considering making the Viper Windbaffle in other thicknesses as an option. The invisible nature of the transparent Lexan material will make it unobtrusive as you use the SRT more and more. Many thanks for your suggestion Ken. We are glad we could accommodate you.
If anyone else wants a thicker panel 3/16" or 1/4" we can arrange this on a custom made basis. Happy Motoring and Have a Great New Year!! Bob

 

[HiYoSilver]

Glad to announce that the Viper Windbaffle WILL be available in 3/16 inch thickness on a regular basis.

 

[kenvw]

Good move Bob - I think those who get the baffle will be happier with the thicker version.

 

[VOI9 ASP]

I would agree 100% with Treynor. Bob sent one out to our club to try out and I noticed a great improvement. I'm sure this product will sell well once spring and summer arrive.

Thanks Bob for a great product!

 

[HiYoSilver]

Thank you very much Sir Fang. I would appreciate feedback on acceleration times with and without the WB, it seems to improve coast down times.
You guys have the great weather now. We have 9 degrees with a windchill of minus 15 to 20. And snow on the way!! Can anyone invent a Startrek transporter for me and my Viper, please??
By the way see Supplier Specials for more info. Thanks again, Dr. Bob

 

[VOI9 ASP]

We are stuck around 40+/- for the past few days. Not ready for top down just yet. As soon as the weather permits, I will continue to test it out.

 

[SoFlaSRT]

Does anyone know which mounting is more effective, in front of the hoops or behind? In front definately looks better but doesn't sit flush on the bottom that way.

 

[HiYoSilver]

Hi SoFla, The Windbaffle behind the rollbars is the easiest and since it runs straight across and the panel is transparent. (PS-The labels on the panel can be removed easily if you want.)
A baffle for the front of the rollbars will be released shortly. It has a more complex shape to allow for the multiple contours along the front of hoops.
Both are inobtursive since it can barely be seen, especially if you are moving, but even at rest. Any feedback from Wind Baffle will be appreciated.

 

[HiYoSilver]

Windbaffle owners that is!