Sun visor extenders

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mister p
Joined: Wed 29 Apr, 2015 19:53
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Sun visor extenders

Post by mister p »

Has any one tried extending their sun visors to act as a wind deflector to push the air up and over the occupants?
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Southernboy
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Re: Sun visor extenders

Post by Southernboy »

You would need a well engineered "wing" to do that... If you have noticed, the predominant airflow in the cockpit is from behind with the roof down... To generate a smooth airflow over the top of the windscreen to fully eliminate the wind blast requires a plane which will not disrupt the air into a turbulence once it clears the windscreen. That is why fitting the OEM or other wind deflector to the roll hoops cuts out 80% of the wind issue. and if you have one and drive with the windows up it is reduced even more. Extending the sun visors won't do much to reduce wind blast and may add to general wind noise.
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mister p
Joined: Wed 29 Apr, 2015 19:53
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Re: Sun visor extenders

Post by mister p »

Thanks for the reply.I did drive a z3 with a deflector in place and I still got wind blasted . I've fitted after market roll hoops to my car so no chance of a deflector .I just wondered if anyone had tried it.
littlefeller
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Re: Sun visor extenders

Post by littlefeller »

its part of the fun of driving topless :lol:
Mike Fishwick
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Re: Sun visor extenders

Post by Mike Fishwick »

The OEM mesh wind blocker is very good, and gives a large reduction in buffeting. Being mesh, it allows a proportion of air to pass throughit, so 'filling' the cockpit area and increasing tis effect. You could get a nice lady to make one to fit your after-market bars.

Of course, if you have shiny bars you prbably do not want to cover them up, but a perspex wind blocker is better than nothing. It depends on whether you prefer fashion or function. After a 600 mile run I know which I prefer . . .
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Althulas
Joined: Fri 13 Feb, 2009 00:55
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Re: Sun visor extenders

Post by Althulas »

I can sympathise with this although I use the OEM mesh blocker I still get a lot of buffeting on my forehead which can lead to headaches after longer journeys. I was thinking about his after driving back from Somerset on Saturday had a nice drive back but with a headache by the time I got back and was thinking of some kind of front deflector to divert the wind over my head.
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peter2b
Joined: Sat 01 Nov, 2014 18:47
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Re: Sun visor extenders

Post by peter2b »

I took swmbo on a 100 mile first run out In my z3 yesterday, I have a plastic rear deflector behind the roll bars the only draft she unnoticed was on the top of her head but she said a hat would stop that
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Althulas
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Re: Sun visor extenders

Post by Althulas »

It would mess my hair up a hat I suppose I'll ask my mother if she has a head scarf spare :D
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Southernboy
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Re: Sun visor extenders

Post by Southernboy »

doesn't your seat motor lowering mechanism work..... :D
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BladeRunner919
Joined: Fri 17 Feb, 2012 20:18
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Re: Sun visor extenders

Post by BladeRunner919 »

Southernboy wrote:doesn't your seat motor lowering mechanism work..... :D
It's his head that's too high, not his backside! :D
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Southernboy
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Re: Sun visor extenders

Post by Southernboy »

one of those "detached" sorts is he.... :lol:
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bertiejaffa
Joined: Fri 26 Jul, 2013 09:28
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Re: Sun visor extenders

Post by bertiejaffa »

:D
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Althulas
Joined: Fri 13 Feb, 2009 00:55
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Re: Sun visor extenders

Post by Althulas »

Would be nice if the seat did go lower lower but still gives me a good feeling every time the suns out, top down and some country lanes to cruise can't beat it.
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DC
Joined: Tue 15 Sep, 2009 17:31
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Re: Sun visor extenders

Post by DC »

If you don't have a passenger, dropping just the passenger side window removes the draught from the driver. Sounds weird but it works.
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Smartbear
Joined: Wed 29 Jan, 2014 19:46
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Re: Sun visor extenders

Post by Smartbear »

my smart roadster had some small plastic aerofoils just above the windscreen which helped to move the swirling air over your head, from memory they were pretty small & discreet.;
regards
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BladeRunner919
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Re: Sun visor extenders

Post by BladeRunner919 »

Smartbear wrote:my smart roadster had some small plastic aerofoils just above the windscreen which helped to move the swirling air over your head, from memory they were pretty small & discreet.;
regards
Indeed - my friend has one, and I was looking at them recently. They're very similar in profile to the small stick-on boot spoilers that some of us have on the Z3 (this sort of thing http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-Z3-SPOILE ... 20b7d4c93a) but only a few inches wide. I had wondered about trying a bit of plastic with a similar profile just above the windscreen, just as an experiment. And yes, I realise that the aerofoils on the Smart would have been developed in a wind tunnel rather than just stuck on by someone, but I'm up for a non-scientific experiment.
Mugs
Joined: Wed 07 Aug, 2013 01:26
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Re: Sun visor extenders

Post by Mugs »

Smartbear wrote:my smart roadster had some small plastic aerofoils just above the windscreen which helped to move the swirling air over your head, from memory they were pretty small & discreet.;
regards
they seem to work well. i got a shotgun ride in a smart roadster with my work mate at a track day and at 80mph it had very little buffeting.
i did, however, feel the front end was starting to lift a bit more than i was comfortable with and he joked that the little aerofoils were to stop the car from taking off :lol:
i love the sound of the turbo flutter you get with those when you let off. sort of reminds me of the sound a skyline makes on let off. :D
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lightning
Joined: Tue 27 Nov, 2007 08:15
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Re: Sun visor extenders

Post by lightning »

A wing at the top of the windscreen does work, if you can't use the mesh rear deflector.

But it looks a bit silly. Have you seen the Mercedes convertibles with the wing fitted? Sunny day, driver and passenger with a coat on, windows up, wing deflector extended above windscreen, rear deflector fitted behind seats.....why bother, just leave the hardtop on lol
littlefeller
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Re: Sun visor extenders

Post by littlefeller »

exactly, its called wind in your hair for a reason (if you still have some). I fully understand if your on a long drive it might get abit much, just pull over and put the roof up. there that's better, then after a while you can stop again and put it back down :lol:
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Southernboy
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Re: Sun visor extenders

Post by Southernboy »

The main discomfort is the wind in one's ears... and a simple remedy is to use ear plugs if you're doing a long trip and want the roof down. Yes, you won't hear the music as clearly, or the terrified screams from the passenger seat, but you will be a lot more comfortable... :wink:
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Althulas
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Re: Sun visor extenders

Post by Althulas »

It's just the discomfort after a distance on my forehead and the following headaches that get me that any long distances I have to do in stages with the top up and down which I hate doing.
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Southernboy
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Re: Sun visor extenders

Post by Southernboy »

.........did you ever wear a sweat band in the 70's....... :D
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Gazza
Joined: Tue 04 Oct, 2005 20:58
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Re: Sun visor extenders

Post by Gazza »

Take a couple of headache pills before starting off :D

I always have both windows down. try experimenting with the windows at different heights.
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Althulas
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Re: Sun visor extenders

Post by Althulas »

Proberly just need to slow down a bit, only problem being in a hurry to commute home from North Somerset to North Oxfordshire and taking the A303 and A34 can tax my licence at times.
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peter2b
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Re: Sun visor extenders

Post by peter2b »

I found if im only doing about 50mph no problem but at 70+ i get a lot of buffing and noise ( not swmbo)to over come these i turn up the voluum on the cd player and wear a hat
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Southernboy
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Re: Sun visor extenders

Post by Southernboy »

If you are determined to have a wind deflector at the top of the windscreen, PM me...I have the solution to your requirement.... :wink:
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BladeRunner919
Joined: Fri 17 Feb, 2012 20:18
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Re: Sun visor extenders

Post by BladeRunner919 »

Southernboy wrote:If you are determined to have a wind deflector at the top of the windscreen, PM me...I have the solution to your requirement.... :wink:
Do share!!
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Southernboy
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Re: Sun visor extenders

Post by Southernboy »

I have a very simple design solution for a fitting which will be removable, but when fitted will provide a deflector. Very cheap and easy to fabricate... in fact, shouldn't take more than an hour to knock out...
if you want the recipe... PM me..I'll give it to you.
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littlefeller
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Re: Sun visor extenders

Post by littlefeller »

spotted at the weekend, circled in red. not sure if something this small could actually make a difference, I will make one out of plasticeen and give it a try (without then with and see)

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Re: Sun visor extenders

Post by littlefeller »

tried this last night, though mine were a little larger, I must admit I was sceptical that these would make any difference at all. I tried the photo one first, then I elongated it and tried again, the result - flipinek it does actually work (though only directly on top of the head) elongated it on next run and yes it extended it to my whole head but still getting reduced buffeting around the ears. I now have a plastcine stain on my new windscreen :evil: but for the interests of z evolution it was ok. must have looked real odd as I drove along making adjustments to it, but even with just your hand over the top you can feel that having something there does change the amount of wind in the cockpit.
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Southernboy
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Re: Sun visor extenders

Post by Southernboy »

I assume from the picture, you don't have a mesh or other wind deflector at the back, which would reduce the wind further.
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littlefeller
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Re: Sun visor extenders

Post by littlefeller »

no I haven't, I like the windy bit 8-)
ARoosterinaRoadster
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Re: Sun visor extenders

Post by ARoosterinaRoadster »

littlefeller wrote:its part of the fun of driving topless :lol:
Hi littlegella. My 1960's DA (Ducks Arse) rear hair style gets to look more like a pair of busted seagulls wings even with my mesh deflector in position and the windows up.

That said - at regular road speeds of up-to about 50mph I can drive with the windows down with little or no displacement of my ageing/greying hair.

I have taken to wearing a Leather Australian Bushman's/Cowboy Hat whilst driving with the hood down. Even on the motorway and at slightly OTT speeds it is not an issue with "Lift-Off" albeit I have made and fitted a lanyard with a sliding lock as a "Belt & Braces" job for those really heavy and blustery crosswind days.
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Althulas
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Re: Sun visor extenders

Post by Althulas »

I love those bushman styled hats but alas I look a right tit in hats.
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BladeRunner919
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Re: Sun visor extenders

Post by BladeRunner919 »

Althulas wrote:I love those bushman styled hats but alas I look a right tit in hats.
What about a hair net? :lol:
ARoosterinaRoadster
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Re: Sun visor extenders

Post by ARoosterinaRoadster »

BladeRunner919 wrote:
Althulas wrote:I love those bushman styled hats but alas I look a right tit in hats.
What about a hair net? :lol:
Hi BladeRunner. I didn't nor suggest that I had enough hair for a hair net :) :lol: . I am beginning to feel and see the effects of being nearly 70 yrs young and have more hair on my face and the back of my head than on the top.

That said - :idea: I have contemplated growing a Willie Nelson and hanging it out of the back of my BMW baseball cap and driving with gay abandon and no back-draught protection so that it flows in the air like a real ponies tail.

I tried driving with my head/hair shoved into the rear wind deflector net but driving whilst looking at the clouds is not a way of encouraging pensioner premiums on my motor car policy.
Happiness is a well kept Z3 and preferably running with the hood down - weather permitting.
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