Hi folks I'm looking at a panel van with the intention of putting windows in to make a camper/day van conversion. not sure if I'd do just the middle section/slider or also do the rear quarter which currently have vent slits cut in and a rain cowel of a diy nature. ive out windows in a t5 before but obviously on a type2 it's a little different. is there a conversion glass and seal kit or it's there some supplier that has better gear than others to do this? move read about flat and curved glass but not sure if either are readily available ? many comments welcomed
Don't? 1) Unconverted panel vans are quite a rarity. 2) Conversion windows leak. 3) you won't find new glass. 4) the inside is a nightmare to make look good with un-joined skins 5) converted sliders are left exceedingly weak around the window. 6) It's a hassle you just don't need!
I disagree with the above, they made MILLIONS of vans none of them are actually rare , if you need windows panel van glass isn’t that hard to come by. They don’t leak fitted properly It’s not a hassle it’s no different to any job that needs doing Converted sliders with the over sized glass are weak at the top, easy enough to reinforce when fitting Ps I’m not a panel van conversion hater
It wouldn’t bother me either way, I’ve had plenty of vehicles and will have lots more , window designs fairly low down on my list of things that matter
So you say, but you've never had one have you? You choose factory/Westfalia every time. I know you don't want to offend any possible customers so I'll leave it there
all points taken on board..... i have considered no windows and just replacing the slider door with a window one... tough decision when a decent van is available, especially when price is good too..... a factory window bus in same condition is twice the price..... i dont want a "traditional " camper interior as i wouldnt use it and prefare the space, just a full width R&Rbed will do....nowt else..... but point taken on single skin tricky aspects....
Depends what the op wants to achieve . I’ve seen some nicely done panel vans with fibreglass interior trims to tidy up the window surrounds. They do tend to be crusty around the windows due to water ingress so clearly a problem or just done badly in the first instance. seen a number of panels with just a window on the sliding door, or a kombi/bus door fitted. Might be a bit oppressive inside.
I'm definitely a snob on this aspect. I appreciate a lot of people including owners don't even know what they have. Some probably like the curved glass too.
I’m not sure where I stand on this these days… I certainly used to be in the snob camp, but nowadays, the gap in prices from a panel van, to a panel van conversion, does make it tempting! And as has been mentioned, half the folk that have bought a camper, have no idea what they have anyway, so does it really matter? (can you tell I’m thinking of converting my panel…again..)