Pixelchrome
Active member
- Joined
- Jul 11, 2018
- Messages
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Hi All;
Here's the mod I did to give me great ventilation while keeping the Children of Satan (aka mosquitoes) banished from my vehicle.
My Toyota Matrix has a double hatch - the full hatch opens, but also the glass window on the rear hatch opens.
What I did was cover over the window hatch with bug screen I got at a fabric store. (It was super cheap compared to buying screen at Home Depot etc)
I first cut the material to fit the opening, and let some extra on the bottom.
Around the entire edge, I sewed on a 1/4" strip of industrial adhesive velcro.
And I put the other half of strip on the hatch where the netting attaches.
(I used adhesive backed velco because it made sewing it onto the netting so much easier.
However, I had to put a strip of duct tape over it to keep it from sticking to the rubber hatch seal.)
The screen is also held securely place when the hatch is closed since it is sandwiched between the hatch and the rubber sealant strip.
At the bottom edge, I continued the velcro on the door plastic.
Tip: first clean the plastic with acetone or alcohol to get the velcro to stick properly.
One final addition was sewing in a zipper.
This allows me to push the hatch window open - and also to wedge a wooden block in between the glass and hatch to adjust how much ventilation I want.
(It also allows me to pull the window locked in an emergency.)
I used to have bug netting over one of the side windows, but the rear hatch can let in much more air that flows right over my face since I sleep with my head at that end.
Also, the hatch serves as a rain reflector so I can keep it open even when it pours.
Cheers!
Pxl
Here's the mod I did to give me great ventilation while keeping the Children of Satan (aka mosquitoes) banished from my vehicle.
My Toyota Matrix has a double hatch - the full hatch opens, but also the glass window on the rear hatch opens.
What I did was cover over the window hatch with bug screen I got at a fabric store. (It was super cheap compared to buying screen at Home Depot etc)
I first cut the material to fit the opening, and let some extra on the bottom.
Around the entire edge, I sewed on a 1/4" strip of industrial adhesive velcro.
And I put the other half of strip on the hatch where the netting attaches.
(I used adhesive backed velco because it made sewing it onto the netting so much easier.
However, I had to put a strip of duct tape over it to keep it from sticking to the rubber hatch seal.)
The screen is also held securely place when the hatch is closed since it is sandwiched between the hatch and the rubber sealant strip.
At the bottom edge, I continued the velcro on the door plastic.
Tip: first clean the plastic with acetone or alcohol to get the velcro to stick properly.
One final addition was sewing in a zipper.
This allows me to push the hatch window open - and also to wedge a wooden block in between the glass and hatch to adjust how much ventilation I want.
(It also allows me to pull the window locked in an emergency.)
I used to have bug netting over one of the side windows, but the rear hatch can let in much more air that flows right over my face since I sleep with my head at that end.
Also, the hatch serves as a rain reflector so I can keep it open even when it pours.
Cheers!
Pxl
