Question for the people that know. Has anyone ever tried to get windows put into the side of a panel van ? (type 2 one). Just looking at a van but want to have a few windows in it. I know that I can change the side doors for ones with windows in them, but what about the other side of the van?

I looked at a similar hassle years ago, had the standard windows in my Kombi and wanted to put some big sliders in. It was impossible to find 'modern' VW sliding windows and went to caravan / off-road outlets pricing windows, which were expensive. I don't think the actual fitting was too exy.

I remember paying $50 back in the late 80's for labour to fit a sunroof, so I reckon it wouldn't be that painful for a professional to do a similar job fitting windows. I reckon buy the windows from a wrecker and then hit up a few places for quotes, if you supply the windows I reckon they won't charge too much. Good luck.

Surely it would be much more involved than a sunroof, because the panel needs to have that "recess" bend for side windows. Retro-fitted sunroofs don't have that.

Heh Penguin....i'm having the same trouble at the moment as my splitty was a panelvan & already had the windows cut in when i bought it.One of the side windows did open but had a massive ghastly wooden frame on it.I'm now at the stage where most of the body work is done but am having a hard time finding some windows.This is what the van looked like when i got it,only one window opened,all the others were just solid glass.

Drivers side........

Then i saw these windows at Valla & thought theyd be perfect but as theres no frame work inside it would make it to hard to attach these.........

So its back to the drawing board so to speak & i think now i'll leave all the smaller ones solid & try & find a slider of some sort for the long one.I'll keep you posted on how i get on.:thumb

the best thing to do is to just find a sliding door (i assuming it's a bay window kombi) and putting that on. please don't go cutting holes in a perfectly good panel. Find a mircobus if you want that. Panels never look good with after market windows either.

Sorry if that sounded negative, it's just the best option for everyone. Coz once you cut a whole in the side of a panel, you can never get the steel right again if you want to re fill it later, it stays wavy for ever.

Each to their own!!I think my bus will look great once its done.....original windows or not.Better to save a bus & do what you want than to have it rot away I say!

sorry splitty chick. i didn't mean to bag ya car out. dealing with period mods is one thing. your right about better to stop a split rotting.

i just don't think putting windows in panels now is a good option. in fact it's one of my pet hates. sorry bout that, that's just the way I see it. afterall there are plenty of buses with windows already so it makes more sense to me to just find one of those.

good luck with your resto, I am sure you'll make it look good.

I didn't put the windows in mine,it was like that when i got it so i'm just going to look after her & shes gunna look great.As i said each to their own,thats what makes this big wide world go round the fact that we all have different opinions!!

They do look a bit n.q.r. though, retrofitted windows. There was a pic in ... I think the spotters forum, "castlemaine" would be a good search, and "bargain kombis". There were two busses, bays, a yellow and a blue. One, I think it was the blue one, had windows retrofitted. Looked a little strange. Nope, it was the yellow one, I found the thread (link below).

Then again, if you've already got "ghastly wooden frame[s]", then go for it, I mean, if it's cut up, yeah sure, better to save it than let it rot away.

Ah, here's the link:
http://www.aussieveedubbers.com/forum/viewthread.php?tid=13059 

Yeah,
I have been trying to get one with windows, but am now looking at a panel. I know I can drop a pair of doors in it with windows, but was trying to figure out how to get light into the back half from both sides rather than have a cave. Will look this weekend at the action day and talk to a few people as well.
Cheers
all.