MW, how much weight do you think you saved? I'm thinking 30lbs or so. Did you notice much difference in the behavior of the car?
Honestly the vintage airplane headgear comment was kind of a joke and a full-face helmet is absolutely a part of the plan. Also, this is a raw canyon machine, not a cruiser and I'll be avoiding highways for the most part. I might take it out to El Mirage for some fun, but there's nothing to hit of be hit with out there.
But back to the legality, I leave in California and am subject to the laws of said state so I hit up the DMV website and found this:
26700. (a) Except as provided in subdivision (b), a passenger vehicle, other than a motorcycle, and every bus, motortruck or truck tractor, and every firetruck, fire engine or other fire apparatus, whether publicly or privately owned, shall be equipped with an adequate windshield.
(b) Subdivision (a) does not apply to any vehicle issued identification plates pursuant to Section 5004 which was not required to be equipped with a windshield at the time it was first sold or registered under the laws of this state, another state, or foreign jurisdiction.
So basically, I would love someone more legally minded than myself to find a way to say a Brooklands-esque screen is "adequate" or that there is some other place that NA Miatas were sold that didn't require them to have a windshield at the time. Being that there are states without laws requiring windshields even at the present time, I feel like this must be possible.
As far as the rollover possibilities, I can't imagine the existing window frame provides much support, if any, in such an event so I wouldn't be terribly concerned with replacing it. If I were to take the car to the track, a roll cage would go in and I might even try out some aero-shaped foam.
