To kill two, or three birds with one stone

[Abscate]

[Ride-Fly]

Here is my top primered and ready for paint. I used the whole quart of primer. I added 10% penetrol into the pan and it worked like a charm- no need to tip after brushing it on. I’ll be doing the same for the paint.

Question I have: should I paint the underside white as well? I think it would not look as good with the blue showing whenever I have the top up. I’m likely going to just rattle can the underside with Rustoleum Primer+Paint. Won’t be as nice as the topside but no one will notice it on a galloping horse.

BTW, I got the top painted while at the painter so that it’s better protected from the elements. When I took the luggage top off, it was full of debris and dead leaves. Looked pretty weathered. Now the roof looks nice and spangley! (Yeah except for the bird turd that already got me!!)

[Ride-Fly]

[jimf909]

Neato! Thanks for the follow-up. Will you repaint the original color?

Looking forward to pics. I’ll bet it’s going to look great!
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- Jim

[Ride-Fly]

Update on my repaint and window tinting. Got the paint scheduled for 07May, and will be dropping off the windows on that date as well. I’ve taken off a lot of the external attachments to reduce the amount of taping off required of trim and external parts, such as grills, hook-ups, etc. I’ve even taken off the trim off the edges of the gutters, but I’m not sure that was such a wise move, because it might prove to be difficult to replace them onto the edges. We shall see... I’ve taken the luggage top off and I am glad I did. You can’t tell from the pic, but the paint is in bad shape there. I haven’t decided if I will take off the pop top. I don’t know if it’s worth doing just to get to the metal underneath the top and tent. The paint there is in good shape.

I will be repainting the top myself with all the trim off and sunroof off as well. I’m going with white. What is the best color white for the top? Pastel?

As for window tinting, I think I found the company I’m going with, just haven’t decided which film brand. These guys have Madico Wyncos, which is one of the top rated film brands. The other top brands are SunTek, Solar Guard, Llumar, Lexan, Motoshield, and Huber Optics. Surprisingly, 3M isn’t rated very highly. The brand that I’m thinking of going with is XPel, which wasn’t mentioned in any of the top rated brands, but I think they are fairly new to the tint game. They are a leader in the car paint protection field. The XPel XR, is their top level nano-ceramic tint. I’ve done some research and the “newest” crystalline is the term used by 3M for their top level tint, but it is basically a nano-ceramic as well. It has something like 240 micro thin layers, so is more susceptible to damage. Even pulling off a piece of tape on the film, could alter the film. Anyhow, was wondering if anyone had opinions or experience with XPel, or Madico. Or any of the above-mentioned brands as well.

[benandmj]

I always tint the windows in every car I own almost immediately after acquiring. Has nothing to do with heat or the sun I just like the way it looks. It takes your eyes off the interior and accentuates the lines of the car.

Just about all car ads, in print or video, have the windows tinted black for this reason.

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85 Westfalia Weekender
91 Syncro Westy

[Zeitgeist 13]

It cost me $275 about ten years ago to have my Mercedes wagon tinted. I think wagons and vans were the same amount. I gather that most of the high end tinters use 3M products.

If you have a camper then I'd remove all the curtains and anything that impedes their ability to fully access the windows from all angles. You don't want them using tools on anything but the windows.
_________________
Casey--

'89 Bluestar ALH
'01 Weekender --> full camper
NEAT, no ICE.

[pinetreeporsche]

[shagginwagon83]

Glad you posted this OP as I am considering doing the same thing. I want to get tint done for my Vanagon more for security. On my Isuzu Rodeo I have limo (5%) tint and I love the look of it. However at night it is very hard to see out of when in reverse.
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"Jo Ann" - '83.5 Westfalia EJ22e w/Peloquin

[MsTaboo]

Tinting the windows before install is the best way to get full coverage and best look.
Decent quality tint will hold up fine to glass installation.
Last year I took the rear driver's side window out to install tint that had been poorly applied to a in-place window (because of closet), reinstalling those side windows with the built in vent can be a real pain. No damage to the tint.
Besides, taking the windows out for the paint job gives best results.

As for the degree of tint, that's a personal decision, but less is usually better, but having a dark enough tint to help with privacy is nice.
Here in BC, we're not allowed a dark tint on windscreen or front side windows.

In this picture you can see the edge of the tint on the side window over the sink, the result of tinting the glass in place. If I ever do a complete respray of the van those windows will come out and be tinted before reinstallation.

_________________
Currently:
'90 Syncro Westy 3 knob w/Zetec

The information age has morphed into the age of disinformation and willful ignorance. Agnotology!
When you stir up shit you're bound to get some on yourself.
Resist Kleptocratic Oligarchy (and Idiocracy)!

[70coupyel]

My paint was the same as what you are thinking of doing. The painter removed my windows. Then the windows were sent off to the tinter. The tinter did not want to be responsible for removing the sliding window from inside of the frame. I removed the window myself. These are Westy camper windows.

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6542818&highlight=#6542818

Do your homework and get the window seals in your hand before starting this process. Latch parts too. I did wait a little bit because these seals come from VW Classic(Germany) and then to one of ours North American vendors.
I went with the standard tint. I think it was 30%. Stay away from limo tint.

Think about blackening out your window frames. It's the only thing I wish I did. Check out my picture gallery.
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[Zeitgeist 13]

I would worry about damaging the tint if it were done prior to installation. It can sometimes takes some wrestling to get the seals on and it seems plausible that you'd perhaps lift some of the tint up or scratch it in the process.

I love the look and temp reduction benefits of tint, but driving at night while it's raining can sometimes be nerve wracking and any reduction in visibility just exacerbates that effect.
_________________
Casey--

'89 Bluestar ALH
'01 Weekender --> full camper
NEAT, no ICE.

[kamzcab86]

[djkeev]

[Ride-Fly]

Great info and opinions bubbas!!! The opinions on tinting are pretty polarized. I like the look, and the cooling effects. I also want it for privacy since I often put my bikes inside.

Speaking of bikes, I need to get a hitch mount too and saw the recently resurrected post on the GW mounts. I was thing of going to U-Haul or a 4x4 specialty shop to get that done.

[dobryan]

[PDXWesty]

[vanagonjr]

[Ahwahnee]

I used 3M™ Automotive Window Film Crystalline: https://tinyurl.com/y7freh7w

Excellent heat reduction results, looks darker from the outside but little difference from the inside.

I suspect a lot of the comments that the Vanagon AC isn't up to the job is because people are still driving in a clear-glass greenhouse.

[dobryan]

Definitely go with windows out and new gaskets if you have the money. You will not regret it, especially since there is often rust under the original gaskets that is not showing outside. You want to get rid of that rust..... as well as new seals.
_________________
Dave O
'87 Westy w/ 2010 Subaru EJ25 (Vanaru) and Peloquin TBD

"To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive." Robert Louis Stevenson

MD>Canada>AK>WA>OR>CA>AZ>UT>WY>SD
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=620646

Building a bus for travel in Europe (euroBus)
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=695371

The Western Syncro build
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=746794