TheSamba.com :: View topic - Thing Side Curtains - Re-attaching the vent windows

Wed Nov 19, 2008 9:38 pm

I've found a local upholstery shop that has agreed to replace my windows at a very reasonable price. Thye can't find a way to remove the snap panels that are attached to the old vent windows. I'd rather not leave the old plastic there if I can avoid it. Any ideas on how to remove and re-attatch these two panels?

Thu Nov 20, 2008 7:24 pm

What is a reasonable cost? Most shops get around $40 for replacing a solid side curtain window. Many of them do less than a "nice" job.. Try and get them to sandwich the plastic instead of top stitching.

Thu Nov 20, 2008 10:06 pm

I had 4 side curtains redone by a upholstry shop when I lived in Portland, OR. They charged me like $180 tops. I took an xacto blade and cut out the old yellowed and cracked clear. They just top stiched the new clear vinyl in (I didn't think to ask if they could sandwich them). I even had the 2 fronts done with a flap like the originals w/wire edge and snap. They did a very nice job. This is a much better way to go than the velcro route IMO.

So to answer your question...have them just cut everything out and remake with new flaps.

Have them sew the three sides shown above... top, front and bottom. Don't sew within 5 or 6 inches of the back. This will be the flap. The guys that did mine bent a wire then stiched it at the edge with a black vinyl wrap. The flaps have to be a little bigger than the opening. Then they put snaps at the 2 corners and corresponding snaps on the frame for open and closed. I think I paid like $50 for the fronts and $40 for the rear... It can be done and will work very nicely. I hope this makes some sense... Sorry I don't have any pictures of the side curtains as I sold that car about 10 years ago...before the digital camera age :evil:

Thu Nov 20, 2008 10:15 pm

Thanks for taking the time to sketch it out for me. It looks to me like you took a single front window, and added a fold to it for the vent. Adding snaps around the edge might be a great alternative.

Have you seen how the original vent windows have the snap panels attached to the vent plastic? It allows you to now only snap it closed, but also to snap it open. That's what I was hoping to recreate, and maybe I'll just have to see what another upholstery shop can do.

I'm paying $100 to have all 4 of my windows replaced. It's a local gal that works only with USDOT approved plastic, and does mostly jeep windows.

Fri Nov 21, 2008 7:20 am

$100 is a good price.