Where to find replacement window?

[ilovemyvan]

Hi guys, me again, I'm still on cloud nine <img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle"><br><br>The van we bought last weekend is a 2003 &nbsp;Ford&nbsp;E 150&nbsp;with 150,000 miles. It's&nbsp;running very good. I'm taking it in&nbsp;tomorrow to have new front brake put in, replace the transmission fluid and change a few hoses. That should be all she needs for quite a while.<br><br><img style="left: 0px; top: 64px; width: 512px; height: 384px; -ms-interpolation-mode: bicubic;" class="bbc_img" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-...AAAAAExHM/iubvBonBw1w/s512/100_4660.JPG?gl=US" rel="lightbox"><br><br>On the above picture you will notice that the rear bottom window is now cardboard and dock tape. We also would like to replace the passenger seat base for a swiveling base. We called around to the scrap yard in our area but none have these parts. Does anyone know of&nbsp;a good source for these parts?<br><br>Thank you for your help.<br><br>Take good care of yourselves.<br><br>Nicole

 

[bk2valve]

Nicole, have you done some searching for RV windows online? if not try searching RV supply stores like PPL RV, etc. I seem to be able to find anything I want online...just doing some patient searching using any different combination of words and terms....try Ebay as well.<br>bri

 

[MrNoodly]

Was there a secret pact, signed in blood, between all the van conversion companies that forces them to use those windows? And the fender flare/running boards? Those were cool back in the '80s, dudes. Same for the graphics. Or maybe the van conversion people are being extorted by the big window/fender flare/running board/graphics/velour makers. Do they have photos of van conversion guys having sex with goats? Really<em> ugly</em> goats?

 

[Ricekila]

1 - yellow pages in your area for van conversion shops -<BR><BR>2 - junk yards -<BR><BR>3 - inter web - cragslist - etc.<BR><BR>4 - search news papers / car parts ad's<BR><BR>5 - report back when you find one ---<BR><BR>6 - auto glass shop -- bring your wallet<BR><BR>P / S -- if its flat --- home-depot - cut your own lexan -

 

[psytechguy]

LOL!

Yeah, what's up with the "Wall 'O Windows" and the stupid fender flares and running boards?

I've been looking for a pretty bare cargo van that doesn't have picture windows, plus doesn't have seats/metal shelves/lifts/etc. that I'd have to remove and dispose of. Seems like the barer the van the higher the price, around these parts anyway!

 

[ilovemyvan]

Bk2valve and Ricekila, I appreciate your suggestions, all very good.&nbsp; I somehow thought there was a "go-to" place. Home Depot's lexan certainly deserve a look.<br><br>Thanks a bunch guys.<br><br>Nicole<br><br><br>

 

[MrNoodly]

...plus doesn't have seats/metal shelves/lifts/etc. that I'd have to remove and dispose of.

<br><br>Sell for scrap metal.&nbsp;<img src="/images/boards/smilies/biggrin.gif" class="emoticon bbc_img">

 

[VJG1977]

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;">I did a quick web search and came up with these 2 sites.</span></span></p><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.discountvantruck.com/vanconversionvanwindows/cvn92fordvanwindows.htm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;">discountvantruck.com</span></a></span></p><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://uniqueconceptsusa.com/catalog/item/530" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;">uniqueconceptsusa.com</span></a><br><br>Good Luck</span></p>

 

[She_websitetoolbox_import3114]

Thanks&nbsp;VJG1977 I was following this post as I need a window also .....actually the little screens&nbsp;that go into the windows.&nbsp;

 

[ilovemyvan]

Thanks for the info VJG1977. This will be&nbsp;a good place to go to if I don't find what I'm looking for in a scrap yard somewhere. I read on this site about people changing the base&nbsp;of the passenger's captain chair so it would swivel. I'm intrigue as to where they were able to find such a thing. I'll spend more time online and I'm sure I'll come up with something.<br><br>MrNoodly, you&nbsp; made me laugh because my first van was a cargo van and I pretty much felt about it the way you feel about conversion van. Each it's own darling.

 

[MrNoodly]

Seat swivel bases:<br><br>http://www.discountvantruck.com/rvvanseatbases/rvvanseatbases.htm

 

[ilovemyvan]

I'm not sure what's wrong with the previous message. Let's try again:<br><br>MrNoodly, Excellent.<br><br>Thanks a bunch.

 

[She_websitetoolbox_import3114]

Weird how did you do that? It scrolls all the way down!!

 

[ilovemyvan]

<p>No Clue!</p>

 

[twokniveskatie]

Fixed

 

[wrcsixeight]

There are a couple different makers of the conversion van windows. &nbsp;Ideally you want the same one as you have taken out as they do vary in shape and size a bit. So making sure the replacement is the same is important. &nbsp;Many measurements must be taken, can't just go by pictures or general shape.<br><br>The interior panels must be removed to remove the dozens of bolts/screws that pull the window tight to the exterior via an internal frame.<br><br>The screens are mounted in the window frames just like in homes. &nbsp;No special screen need be acquired.<br><br>I backed my screens with chickenwire to &nbsp;make it more difficult for thieves to bust in, or my feet to rip the screens from inside.<br><br>I broke my sliding window. &nbsp;I replaced it with some smoked acrylic I got from Amazon. &nbsp;I left off the stock locking mechanism, but the window slides open and closed as originally designed.<br><br> &nbsp;Lexan is polycarbonate. &nbsp;Plexiglass is acrylic. &nbsp;Lexan is more impact resistant, but scratches easier. &nbsp;Acrylic is still stronger than glass and is more scratch resistant and UV resistant than polycarbonite.<br><br>Fixing this window will not be easy for the non handy types. &nbsp;Just ripping out the interior enough for a full window replacement could frustrate most, and a repair shop will be rubbing their greedy paws together with dollar signs in their eyes. &nbsp;Inserting new glass or acrylic or lexan into the non moving portion of the lower window and getting it to reseal would be a big challenge. &nbsp; Glass shops would legally need to use ANSI approved &nbsp;tempered glass. The sliding window is much easier to replace, but still takes some skills.&nbsp;<br><br>If you don't care about appearance or functionality of the sliding window, then you can glue some Smoked acrylic or lexan to the outside of the window, or can just do this as a temporary fix until you find a junkyard van with the same exact window to replace yours.<br><br>If you go this route, buy new foam weatherstripping for between the window frame and van body. &nbsp;Do not rely on caulk alone or you will be pulling the window again to clean the caulk off and then using the weatherstripping. &nbsp;The different expansion and contraction rates of the aluminum window frame and steel body will compromise caulk, as will as body flex.<br><br>Good luck.<br><br>&nbsp;

 

[ilovemyvan]

Let's try this again:<br><br>Thank you ever so much wrcsixeight for the very informative post. We'll have to keep&nbsp;a lot of details in mind while doing the work. John is very handy and me moderately so if we take our time we should be able to do it. I think the difficulty will be in finding a used window and swivel base for the chair. I guess I was a bit naive, I thought there was a huge scrap yard out there where you could find anything you needed. It didn't take long on the internet to realise that&nbsp;it would that a little more efforts. If worse come to worse we can always buy&nbsp;them new.<br><br>I have a question for you. Does Ford only use one window maker for their conversion van? If I was to order a t-slider driver side window for a 2003 Van,&nbsp;is it safe to 'assume' it will be the same size as the one we have now?<br><br>Thank you very much for taking the time to write your post, it is very helpful.<br><br>Blue Skies<br><br>Nicole&nbsp;<br><br>

 

[MrNoodly]

Ford (or Chevy or Dodge) doesn't do the conversions. Third party companies do. Each one uses various suppliers — which ever ones gave them the best deals at the time. On some of the older conversion vans, a company supplying windows and such might have gone out of business, or been bought by a competitor. Or they might have outsourced the parts to someone else who changed the specs a little.

 

[bk2valve]

<span style="font-size: large;">There are places around like the "Gamblers RV Supply" in Quartzsite, AZ that have a lot of surplus parts for RVs...I think they buy up lots of parts and sell them...</span><br><br><span style="font-size: large;">Gamblers does not have a website but their number is </span><span style="font-family: Book Antiqua,Times New Roman,Times;"><span style="font-size: large;">(928) 927-5966.</span><br><br><span style="font-size: large;">I am not sure how you can find them but hopefully a bit of searching will turn some up....<br>bri</span><br></span>

 

[bk2valve]

Him and nick, if you go back in and edit the post that is drooling letters it may get rid of them...<br>Bri