Covering Car Windows When Parked

[wackybanjogirl]

Hello all,

So I am getting my car ready to travel and live in for the next few months. It's a two door 2003 chevy monte carlo. I plan on camping as much as possible, but also bought a backseat mattress in case I run into bad weather or wanna stay in the city. Being a two door, the only way to get full privacy when parked is to cover all the windows. I put reflextic up on the rear window, and mini backseat windows. I also have a curtain separating the back from the front, but you can still see some of the "sleeping area" from the side windows. So I am wondering... can I cover the front side windows completely with reflectix while parked or am I likely to draw more unwanted attention that way? Is it actually legal, and does this vary from state to state? The front dashboard window won't be covered completely, as I am just going to use a pre-made sun-cover-shade-thing for that, so you'll be able to see some of the "driving area" from the front window. 

Here's a picture of my make and model to give you a better idea. I am talking about the two biggest windows on the sides. I feel like covering them while parked is illegal, since they provide viewing access to the "driving area", and/or would just draw way too much unwanted attention.

Thanks!!!

 

[WheelEstate USA]

Black foam board from Walmart works well. It sorta "disappears" at night.

 

[SternWake]

No ideas on the legality, but part of reflectix's efficacy is in the low emmisivity of a silver color.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emissivity

basically meaning if you painted one side of the reflectix black and faced it outwards and left the silver side facing inwards, there would still be a significant reduction of radiant heat entering the vehicle from the windows, and the tighter the black surface is to the window itself, the less convective heat can build up and flow into the rest of the vehicle too.

So I would recommend tightly fitting reflectix, the more layers the better, perhaps with some cardboard stiffener that is a press fit, friction fit into the windows. Paint the outside facing part a Flat black of a high heat paint. I used the paint made for barbeque grills and left it in the sun for several hours until I could not smell it anymore. The windows with it simply look darkly tinted, which they are, but only somebody really looking for light passing through the vehicle windows would notice something amiss.

Obviously a reflective surface facing outwards would be more effective, but another layer or two of reflectix would largely mitigate the outward facing silver efficacy compared to the outer layer painted a flat black. I am not sure how well paint sticks to reflectix, my painted panels were black construction paper which faded to purple in a few months, and since that painting have remained flat black for several years now.

The tight fitting portion is important otherwise the almost superheated hot air between black surface and window or even silver surface would find its way to passenger compartment much easier.

Nashua Flexfix tape makes layering reflectix pretty easy, and if you get large enough pieces of uncreased cardboard you can press them to the exteriors of the windows and run your hand around the perimeter to leave indentations in the cardboard and cut it out along those indentations and is should wind up a press fit into the interior of the windows, perhaps some trimming required. Then layer the reflextix to the cardboard in several layers on both sides, rolling some tape mid panel to keep it tight to cardboard and paint the outside surface flat black.

The issue with this method is one cannot roll up the reflectix panels for storage. I've not found this to be an issue in my Van as I can store the panels easily, but in a car you would have to find a place to store them when driving and keep the cardboard from getting creased

My panels I use for this have taken on the curve of my van door pop out windows, but it appears your windows might have more curve in them. My van door windows are tinted dark enough that I left the reflextix silver and it is still visible but not too obvious, but my other conversion van windows are several layers of cardboard painted black facing outwards fitting tightly in the window frame and let no light pass. the inside has some more pleasant curtain material covering them, but I basically have reflectix held to the curtain part and the radiated heat is significantly reduced where the reflectix lies.

 

[wackybanjogirl]

Thanks ya'll! SOme great tips. Depending on the prices, I would like to go with either of these solutions. Although the cardboard seems unnecessary, especially since I do have limited space. Then again, I suppose if I go with the foam I can't roll that up either! So I guess it just comes down to price. Might have some black spray paint lying around somewhere.

 

[WheelEstate USA]

A friend made a cardboard "envelope" taped to the underside of the trunk lid where he stores his window covers.

 

[wackybanjogirl]

A friend made a cardboard "envelope" taped to the underside of the trunk lid where he stores his window covers.

ahh. very creative. will definitely keep that in mind. I also have a little ledge in my backseat between the rear window and backseat, as most regular sized cars and two door cars do, so that also be enough room. I'll figure something out. :idea:

 

[estedrawn]

https://www.dollartree.com/office-s...8-/610c567c567p340885/index.pro?method=search

I found these black poster boards to be quite cost effective. I think that even a little tint in your windows is a tremendous help. 

https://www.walmart.com/search/?query=window tint

As you can see, just it is not too too expensive to add some tint to the inside of your windows. Be careful not to tint the windshield or the side windows too much, but most jurisdictions allow pretty dark tint on rear windows. (Think Limousines).  Once you have a bit of tint, this black poster board will just disappear, you wont be able to see it at all at night, and during the day it will still be hard to tell from a distance.
Another solution I have seen, and which I think works well, and which I am trying out in my car, is the use of a little divider curtain. So baisically, right behind the two front seats, you can hand a black sheet or cloth on a little curtain bar. ake sure the cloth is non reflective, and black, think, matte vs gloss, felt vs vynil ect. This way people passing by see the two front seats empty, and assume the car is empty. If you cover the windshield and the side windows, people passing by in a car or on foot will be unable to decide if the car is empty. By tottally blocking the front windows, you invite suspicion. 

SO...

My MOST STEALTH CAR SLEEPING SET UP WOULD BE THIS: 
1) Put a reflective silver sun screen in the dash for the windshield. ( That is normal, no problem there) 
2) Leave front side passenger and driver windows unblocked (Cops doing a drive by at a distance can quickly determine no one is in the car)
3) Put a matte black fabric curtain between the front and back compartments. (Use improvised curtain rod) 
4) Put 35% black tint in back passenger and rear windows. (This can be removed later if you dont like it, dont worry about making it look perfect) 
5) Use black poster board cut out to shape of the back passenger and rear windows. (Rear window may require taping together two boards, to make it long enough)

If you sleep in the back seat/trunk like I do, you will be set, I have used this method a few times and it made me FEEL stealth, and helped me get some sleep as a result.

-Estedrawn

 

[SUV_RVing]

+1 for black poster board. It's what I use for my rear window and the little porthole side windows. Effective, super cheap and easy to make, and they don't take up a ton of space.

 

[DannyB1954]

You can buy a whole car cover for about $50. Park the car and leave a window rolled down. Put the cover on, then when ready, slide under the cover and jump into the open window. Spray paint your licence # on the rear, ( helps with keeping it yours, and I think LE likes it ).

 

[Gypsy]

Hey! I live in a honda fit so just went through this myself... after researching (extensively!!!) all the various options, I went with reflectix. I've been living out of my car for a month and a half now and couldn't be happier with my choice Definitely would recommend!! I just wrote a whole blog post about how I made my window shades too if you want to check it out: http://journeyingbeyond.net/car-dwelling-reflectix-window-shades/

Good luck and have fun!!

 

[Mobilesport]

Home improvement stores have plexiglass thats tinted black , cut it out to size with a jigsaw and metal blade to make tinted window inserts

 

[mdoverl]

This is my next project for my Prius. Currently I have black clothe cut from the fabric section at Walmart hanging around the car at night. Creating Inserts for my windows at this point is a low priority, but I can't wait until I get started to work on them. This thread had been very inspirational.

 

[estedrawn]

I want to let everybody know an update to this concept of black poster board in the windows. I find that when using the black poster board in the windows, the edges tend to get torn and worn and are not very useful after that. A solution I have found is to use clear packing tape to line the edges. Make sure to line the inside facing the interior not the side that faces out. This reinforces the edges and makes them last longer. I also found it is helpful to put a few strips down the middle to reinforce the center as well. The center of the board can become wrinkled pretty easily, making it more noticeable. I have been using the same set of poster board window shades for several months now. I am thinking a good next step would be to line the inside of the poster board with some of insulating material. As it stands now the poster boards offers almost zero insulation. Though, A good advantage of living in a car as opposed to in a van, is that the inside of the car will warm up with body heat alone. That is assuming you stay active and awake in the car. As you fall asleep the temperature quickly goes back down, so bundle up! The trunk is consistently the coldest part of the car, and that is where i put my feet, so I will have to figure out some kind of solution. I am trying to think of how I can harvest heat from the combustion of the car, I am not sure how to get started, but it is an idea. Maybe heating a brick on the engine, then putting it in a cloth and in a metal pail, and putting it at my feet? I will post a new video soon showing my set up, and how effective the curtain/ black out windows can be!
-Estedrawn

 

[estedrawn]

Here is the video I promised. Please watch it if you get a chance to get on some free wifi. Essentially what it shows is the car with the black posters in the windows. It also shows the curtain i was telling you about. Like everybody's rig, mine is a work in progress, but now that the stealth elements are in I can start soending time in it at least. Here in Pittsburgh it is aweful cold, so not much planned until summer.

 

[DannyB1954]

I think the tint that they used on the front windows and windshield would be way too dark to be legal in most places.

 

[Randy Kencade]

I would not cover my windows at all. It puts you at a disadvantage. You're creating blind spots for yourself.

Things do happen. On 3 separate occasions I've had guys walk up to my car with an attempt to break in. They don't see me because my windows are tinted. As soon as they approach the car and touch the door handle--I lay on the horn like non other and they run off. And if you think for one minute you can shoot someone--you're wrong. The Cops are going to say, why didn't you drive off?

Man, seriously, covering your windows is dangerous. If you're going to sleep in your car, you want to be alert.

 

[highdesertranger]

how can you be alert while sleeping? highdesertranger

 

[Randy Kencade]

how can you be alert while sleeping?  highdesertranger

I live in a big major city so you darn sure better be a lite sleeper. I'm not in a rural area where I don't see people for miles nor am I on a campsite.

You can sleep but be ready. When someone is trying to get in your car, you don't have time to be pulling window covers away,etc...

 

[mdoverl]

My suggestion would be to use reflectix as you mentioned, sprayed paint the side that will go against the Driver and passenger side windows black. That way it looks tinted and appears natural so you don't draw any attention.

 

[Almost There]

I tried the spray painting in black technique on my reflectix and it was horrible. It cracked out almost immediately.

I was doing it to cut down on the glare of the reflectix when parked under those really bright parking lot lights. The reflectix stands out like a neon sign under them.

I haven't tried brush painting them yet but I'd be inclined to use black bristol board cut to match and then glued to the reflectix..a whole lot less time and cheaper too!