Upper Window Glass Tinting/Paint

I have noticed that my upper window glass (Front/Sides) above the main front windows is loosing its tint or the paint is fading. I wish that Marathon had made the solid metal upper panels in their conversions of these buses, but have to work with what we have.

I had a lot of electronics (heat producers) up there that we had removed recently along with the years of sun baking away.

What is the best plan for cleaning this up? Repainting/Tinting this surface, or have any of you come up with ways to remove the glass and replace the panels with a solid paintable surface? Love to know.

Bruce

You can pull the windows and repaint . Dale can walk you thru it.

I once painted the inside of the back windows of a Chevy van black with spray paint. Came out perfect and lasted for as long as I had it.

Do we need to ask what you were doing inside that van that required blacked out windows?:confused:

Get your mind out of the gutter.

It was a 1 Ton with a Tommy-lift on the back that I used for a mobile power wash business I was into for a while.

I was thinking of hauling antiques or other valuables, but you must be thinking of something nasty you dirty old man.

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Originally Posted by Jon Wehrenberg

I was thinking of hauling antiques or other valuables, but you must be thinking of something nasty you dirty old man.

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Just pull the inner rubber seal on the window to pull them out???? Is there more to this, what do you use to seal them back in??? What are the pitfalls here???

Bruce, can you paint the inside of the glass with out pulling the glass? If you are taking the glass out then let me know and I can send you the tools needed to replace it.

You can borrow mine or I can sell you the kit for $25

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Originally Posted by dalej

Bruce, can you paint the inside of the glass with out pulling the glass? If you are taking the glass out then let me know and I can send you the tools needed to replace it.

You can borrow mine or I can sell you the kit for $25

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I will take a better look at the windows when I get back over to San Antonio Fl. next week. I think though that there is, was so much electrical stuff up there that it might, depending on the complexity of taking out the window be easier to take them out and do it on the ground.

If I go the out route, I would really appreciate purchasing the tools.

Has anyone ever taken out windows and preplaced them with a solid metal surface that could be painted from the outside to match the coach like Country Coach and others do??

I have not heard of anyone doing that but it could be done. I would think that if you really wanted to go that way a good body shop could weld or rivet in some panels so you could remove the rubber seals.

You could get the fiberglass cap put on also. I would think that some paint for the glass would be the way to go.

Personally I like the glass up there. It is easier to keep clean than a painted surface. And I have noticed I get a lot of dead bugs up there. The glass you can scrub on hard and not risk scratches, whereas if it was painted you would have to be very careful scrubbing.

I would think a spray paint can from the inside would be pretty easy to do. If you only need to do it once every 10 years it seems like it is not worth making a huge project out of it.

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Originally Posted by dalej

I have not heard of anyone doing that but it could be done. I would think that if you really wanted to go that way a good body shop could weld or rivet in some panels so you could remove the rubber seals.

You could get the fiberglass cap put on also. I would think that some paint for the glass would be the way to go.

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I'll bring a can of paint to the Tn. rally and give it try. I still think that there is a huge amount of stuff up there. I wish a could get some pics over, put don't have the coach now. There is much to take apart from inside to get to everything. I think I will give it try anyway. Also the paint looks like it is peeling and may need to be removed first. The window should come out to do this correctly.

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Originally Posted by Petervs

Personally I like the glass up there. It is easier to keep clean than a painted surface. And I have noticed I get a lot of dead bugs up there. The glass you can scrub on hard and not risk scratches, whereas if it was painted you would have to be very careful scrubbing.

I would think a spray paint can from the inside would be pretty easy to do. If you only need to do it once every 10 years it seems like it is not worth making a huge project out of it.

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Good thoughts, I did find myself scrubbing hard while on my most recent trip.

Bruce, here are three random ideas for you to think about for solutions to your situation.
I don't know for sure if any will work, so you decide.

First, most bugs are acidic in makeup, therefore to remove/neutralize them.
Make up a spray bottle solution of baking soda and water, and spray onto the bug covered area and let sit for a while. Rinse thoroughly with a soft brush, or similar tool while flooding with water.

If you remove your defective window panels for refinishing; Remove the existing paint, and apply the darkest auto window tinting vinyl on the interior surface before replacing the glass.

Or using the same material, and leaving the glass in place apply the film to the outside and trim around by the gasket edge for a perfect fit.

Similar to above but with a different material.
Obtain from a sign shop pieces of vinyl sign material (the color of your choice ) and cut to the size you need and properly apply them to the glass.
I think this would be the best solution and that with proper installation that the panels would last a very long time.
This would be similar to the vinyl pin striping and window decals/signs that bond very well to the parent surface over time. (proper installation is the key)
This seems so easy and cheap that you can hardly pass up trying it. If it fails proceed to the next level of difficulty.

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Originally Posted by JIM CHALOUPKA

Bruce, here are three random ideas for you to think about for solutions to your situation.
I don't know for sure if any will work, so you decide.

First, most bugs are acidic in makeup, therefore to remove/neutralize them.
Make up a spray bottle solution of baking soda and water, and spray onto the bug covered area and let sit for a while. Rinse thoroughly with a soft brush, or similar tool while flooding with water.

If you remove your defective window panels for refinishing; Remove the existing paint, and apply the darkest auto window tinting vinyl on the interior surface before replacing the glass.

Or using the same material, and leaving the glass in place apply the film to the outside and trim around by the gasket edge for a perfect fit.

Similar to above but with a different material.
Obtain from a sign shop pieces of vinyl sign material (the color of your choice ) and cut to the size you need and properly apply them to the glass.
I think this would be the best solution and that with proper installation that the panels would last a very long time.
This would be similar to the vinyl pin striping and window decals/signs that bond very well to the parent surface over time. (proper installation is the key)
This seems so easy and cheap that you can hardly pass up trying it. If it fails proceed to the next level of difficulty.

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Hi Jim,

All good ideas. The material on the inside of the coach now is peeling away, lifting up from the glass surface from heat and time. I think that I will remove the windows, find some type of paint remover??? or solution to get all of the old material off. I like your idea of getting sign material the same color as the coach and cut it out to fit. The challenge here will be to get it ti fit, conform to the shape of the windows. I might actually try and test some paints that match the coach colors first.

I was thinking of a lighted sign that rotated around with various city names on it. might recover some fuel costs this way.

Thanks for the really great ideas, i like the coach color idea best.

Bruce, you could go to a vinyl sign shop. They use computerized cutting machines. give them the dimensions or a template and they will cut it for you.

I feel you could stay 1/16" away from the rubber gasket and still retain the visual effect from eye level that you had 100% coverage.

Go to the sign people and ask for some scraps to play around with, and make some tests. Any color and size pieces, just to see how it goes on for you and how close to the rubber you have to be to please you.

You will be able to remove the vinyl with a hair dryer/heat gun, and razor blade assist.

I like the programmable LED sign Idea of yours'.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by JIM CHALOUPKA

Bruce, you could go to a vinyl sign shop. They use computerized cutting machines. give them the dimensions or a template and they will cut it for you.

I feel you could stay 1/16" away from the rubber gasket and still retain the visual effect from eye level that you had 100% coverage.

Go to the sign people and ask for some scraps to play around with, and make some tests. Any color and size pieces, just to see how it goes on for you and how close to the rubber you have to be to please you.

You will be able to remove the vinyl with a hair dryer/heat gun, and razor blade assist.

I like the programmable LED sign Idea of yours'.

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I think you need a trip to Jupiter to show me how this all comes together. Your absolutely right though about the sign material. It might be the answer.

Thanks Jim.

If you are going to put vinyl on the glass, then is should be a sign stating where you are going. This is a bus, right?
And the sign should say "POG- Pahrump ", or whatever!