window replacement panels

[Lcavalletti]

I havent found any solution that is affordable or "plug and play" no one makes the panel, that you can just bolt on. It has to be fabricated, i was quoted 2200 from my local sheet metal shop, then you have to paint it. All in it was too expensive. Sadly we are stuck with these greenhouses.

[Vanimal]

I will be doing this within the next few month.i have a local shop that can jet cut these. They did some side panels for my Jeep.
What I am not sure is if there is any curvature to the windows.i will be doing rt and lt an possibly both small end windows as well. I will mount Etrac for carrying ...whatever.

[1der]

Curvature?? It is compound curved. Very evident top to bottom. Fore-aft the window is pretty straight until the rear three to six inches where it curves. This is what makes the metal approach so hard.

[Vanimal]

Thanks for the pic, I had not been able to check the profile. Right now I am focused on swapping out the SF Dana 60 with a FF 60 replacement I picked up for a few hundred$. I'm waiting on the new 4.30 R & P from Yukon gear. I had the warranty and Yukon is a stand up company standing by their warranty.
I don't see the window panels being an issue. I will press some radius bends where needed as I did on my Jeep body panels.

[shenrie]

Originally Posted by Twoxentrix

shenrie,
You shared it on the LAST post in this Thread (I remember because I visited the site when you shared and was unable to locate the panels - probably just me though)
https://www.sportsmobileforum.com/fo...ack-21146.html

To get any info about anything I had to call, and even at that it wasn’t easy to find people within the organization that knew about all the different things they offer. Once I found out their prices I quit inquiring.

[dirtanddogfur]

I noticed the curve. I was considering a composite panel. Maybe CNC cut ribs that match the curvature and using that as the mold.
I need to track down some donor windows.

[motovan_mn]

If the concern is letting in light/heat, what about vinyl wrapping the exterior surface of the window?

[dirtanddogfur]

For me, it is two fold. I would like to put in a smaller window that actually opens and be able to mount things to the inside/outside.

This may be a non factor on the large, driver side window. It may end up being a total PITA and I just deal with what I have.

[IanF]

I'm still undecided. For now, I'll probably go the black-tint and insulate path and just leave them in place. In an odd way, they help make the van more inconspicuous.

If I'm ever in the position to do a Cummins/Allison swap (& maybe 4x4 conversion) to my van, I'll want to do a +08 front end conversion, so in that case I'll look for a donor cargo van and cut out and swap sheet metal, since if I do the engine swap, it'll be part of a much larger tear-down, restoration and rebuild project where the body is stripped and removed from the chassis.

[dirtanddogfur]

Looks like these are composite.



https://flarespace.com/products/ford...41863702446278


Not sure I want the full flare but that is the idea. Replace those huge windows with a panel you can install a smaller window in.


edit: just realized this was posted earlier. Need to keep better track of which forum I am commenting in . . . . .