WINDSHIELD BRACING
Every year, Big Red goes a little faster. During the rebuild, Tim suggested that it was time to install some windshield bracing to keep pressure on the back side of the windshield at speed. Big Red always has run a glass windshield, and will continue to do so. The braces keep the windshield safely in place when RJ is pedaling Big Red to speeds over 250 mph.
Tim and Dave did the preliminary layout and figured out the best way to attach the braces. When RJ stopped by, Dave showed him what they were doing, and gave him an idea of what he’ll see when he’s driving Big Red. Tim measures where the braces will be located. They will straddle the access panel for the brake and clutch master-cylinder reservoir cover, while attempting to stay out of RJ’s line of sight.
Dave tacked the face strip to the aluminum windshield brace and Tim lined it up for mounting. He protected the dash panel and the end of the brace with green tape
to reduce the chances of scratching the dash. Only a quarter-inch of the dash pad needed to be trimmed to clear the powdercoated windshield braces. Also visible is the 1/8-inch high-density foam pad that makes contact with the windshield.
Mounting tabs were attached to the front of the rollcage. From the side, you can see that the braces are three inches thick. From RJ’s point of view, the left support doesn’t obstruct much vision. The right brace does impede his vision a little bit more. Tim says that he typically designs the braces to be turned at an angle to improve the driver’s visibility, but they look strange from everyone else’s perspective. He added that the braces aren’t necessary for hill climbs, but the decision was made to leave them for all types of racing.
