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Wed Nov 23, 2011 6:13 pm

Can anybody out there measure their curtain rods for a 59-up bus.
Just made some curtains and want to make a curtain rod to the originals.
Need the measurements to each bend point.

Is anybody able to help me out with this, or could point me in the right direction to score at least 1 good side window rod and 1 good rear window rod to be used as a templet?

Thanks
Mikey

Thu Nov 24, 2011 2:20 pm

Hmm, problem is that early Westies used a mini-bungee cord setup, and later a screwed on top/bottom metal flat rod.

Added to that the 1959-1963 bus has a small rear hatch, while the 1964-67 has the wide rear hatch. So that measurement is different.

Plus it would depend on if you are talking about Westfalia (which model?) or even one of the thousand or more after market campers made. Some used rods, some long spring, some ropes, etc...

If you are just building an interior for a previously non-camper bus, just making the curtains at least 1" larger than the windows should work.

Thu Nov 24, 2011 3:22 pm

I will be using a bungee to hold the curtain on the bottom and a half inch flat aluminum bar bent to look and function as the curtain rods with that have the S bend in the middle.

Mikey

Sat Nov 26, 2011 10:16 am

Again not enough info. Westfalia, aftermarket camper, or just adding this to your bus?
If one of the first two then you will probably need exact measurements if restoring. If the latter, then just make the curtains cover the windows.

Sat Nov 26, 2011 10:34 am

Total length is - 20 7/8"
Curtain area - 19 3/4"

Sat Nov 26, 2011 8:17 pm

74 Cosa wrote:

Total length is - 20 7/8"
Curtain area - 19 3/4"

Thanks 74 cosa

Tue Apr 09, 2013 11:59 am

My curtain rods on the long wall (driver side) and inside the closet are 21" overall. They project away from the wall just 9/16".
The curtain rods on the cargo doors are half an inch longer. Because there is no room on the doors to mount the curtain rod above the window frame, Westfalia screwed them in lower, over the fake wood garnish. Consequently these rods must project outward 13/16" in order to clear the garnish.
The hole centers vary by bus as these were lined up and screwed into place by hand.

Inside the closet, the curtain rod is right up against the roof of the closet. If for some reason the closet is not placed on top of the wood flooring, it will sit too low and interfere with the curtain rod.

The information on the curtain rods for the rear hatch, along with the little doohickey that supports the center of the upper rod, is in another thread.

Tue Apr 09, 2013 12:05 pm

Thanks for these pics Major. My SO-42 did not come with a curtain rod in the closet and when I put one in there it seemed odd that it was all the way against the cabinet top as you mentioned. My closet is on top of the OG floor so I'm guessing it's just a very tight fit to get curtains on that rod?

Tue Apr 09, 2013 12:29 pm

srfndoc wrote: Thanks for these pics Major. My SO-42 did not come with a curtain rod in the closet and when I put one in there it seemed odd that it was all the way against the cabinet top as you mentioned. My closet is on top of the OG floor so I'm guessing it's just a very tight fit to get curtains on that rod?

I have not sewn my curtains yet so the rods are not in the bus. That said, I agree with you that it looks to be a very tight fit. I do intend to keep mine closed all the time anyway but it does seem like they could have mounted it a bit lower.

Here is another old photo I just found showing the holes without the closet in place.