Poster over on Yahoo Sprinter Westfalia Group had their windshield and passenger sliding door and passenger rear window broken. Am posting here as Yahoo Groups is so unfriendly to thumb typing on a smartphone.
A. Windshield.
Lots of postings here and other forums re windshield.
There are slightly different sized-in-height windshields for T1N Sprinters. Should be obvious if wrong size.
Removal may cause damage to paint and result in major rust. Best bet is for windshield to be removed and then frame inspected, patched and primed/painted, etc. See DMWaves thread on repairing windshield frame surround.
https://sprinter-source.com/forum/showthread.php?t=46073&highlight=Windshield
Then have windshield installed.
There are different brands of windshields. I believe original one had tiny Mercedes logos. There may be preferences.
Also, there is a dotted strip at top of windshield. Some installers may provide the glued on rear mirror bracket.
B. Sliding Door Window
The sliding door window consists of the original Sprinter window plus a secondary glued on interior glass pane.
The Sprinter fixed window is held in place by a gasket.
This interior glass pane is smaller than the Sprinter window. There looks like some type of frame or gasket around the interior glass pane. Then the interior pane is adhered to the Sprinter window.
The interior glass pane may possibly be replicated?
There is also some type of black tinting. Note: The glass may actually be tinted versus an aftermarket tint film.
Issue: The Westy shade surround will probably need to be removed for interior access for the window gasket to be installed.
https://sprinter-source.com/forum/showthread.php?t=25514&highlight=Installing+fixed+window
https://sprinter-source.com/forum/showthread.php?t=55166&highlight=Installing+fixed+window
An alternative is to buy a Mercedes slider window for this window. It would not insulate as well but would allow fresh air. Caution must be taken to find the right part number (the slding window for the driver side is NOT the same size as for the sliding door, and care must be taken as other countries have sliding doors on the opposite side, both sides, etc.). OneManVan tracked down a Mercedes slidiing window for the driver side, to replace the awning window.
https://sprinter-source.com/forum/showthread.php?t=55117&highlight=Window+gasketp
There may be issues with the Westfalia shade surround and an alternative Mercedes slider window. Don't know.
Insofar as the tint, a limo blackout tint could be added to cover the entire window (not just as a frame) although these are not as high in heat rejection as some lighter crystalline type tints like 3M, etc., which various Westy owners have added.
Note: Besides the gasketed framed Sprinter full height half slider window, there is an aftermarket bonded window with a smaller openable window insert. Go to this link and look at the red Sprinter.
http://leisurevehiclewindows.co.uk/vehicle-image-gallery/mercedes-van-windows/
C. Passenger Rear Window
This is a Sprinter window with a Westfalia added glass pane glued to window.
The Sprinter fixed window is held in place by a gasket.
The interior pane is adhered to the Sprinter window.
The original tint covers most of the window except for the area above the fridge cabinet.
Issue: To install this Sprinter window, interior access may be needed. The closet cabinet and fridge cabinet may need to be removed so gasket may be pulled into place.
Opportunity: While this window is out, check for any rust. Also, consider adding insulation to the areas one can now reach with the missing window. Might glue some insulation to the cabinets.
The closet cabinet wall facing the window is just nailed in place and may separate from cabinet if too many socks or pushed in the little cubicles. Good time to reinforce.
D. Larger Window Alternatives and Bonded Windows
In Europe, some tourist bus type Sprinters have larger aftermarket fixed windows installed. These windows are glued to the van body (like the newer NCV3 Sprinters) and do not have a gasket around the edges of the windows. These windows reach to the top of the vans where roof is attached (top of sliidng door), and can go wider to the edges of the sliding door and the van body panels.
There are also windows which fit the original window insert areas but are bonded rather than installed with gaskets. These bonded windows might be installed only from the exterior and not need interior access. I think these bonded windows are a cleaner look.
https://www.vanwindowsdirect.co.uk/category/372/MERCEDES-SPRINTER-TO-06
Note:
http://www.sgi-glass.co.uk/products-page/mercedes/sprinter-medium-wheel-base/
A. Windshield.
Lots of postings here and other forums re windshield.
There are slightly different sized-in-height windshields for T1N Sprinters. Should be obvious if wrong size.
Removal may cause damage to paint and result in major rust. Best bet is for windshield to be removed and then frame inspected, patched and primed/painted, etc. See DMWaves thread on repairing windshield frame surround.
https://sprinter-source.com/forum/showthread.php?t=46073&highlight=Windshield
Then have windshield installed.
There are different brands of windshields. I believe original one had tiny Mercedes logos. There may be preferences.
Also, there is a dotted strip at top of windshield. Some installers may provide the glued on rear mirror bracket.
B. Sliding Door Window
The sliding door window consists of the original Sprinter window plus a secondary glued on interior glass pane.
The Sprinter fixed window is held in place by a gasket.
This interior glass pane is smaller than the Sprinter window. There looks like some type of frame or gasket around the interior glass pane. Then the interior pane is adhered to the Sprinter window.
The interior glass pane may possibly be replicated?
There is also some type of black tinting. Note: The glass may actually be tinted versus an aftermarket tint film.
Issue: The Westy shade surround will probably need to be removed for interior access for the window gasket to be installed.
https://sprinter-source.com/forum/showthread.php?t=25514&highlight=Installing+fixed+window
https://sprinter-source.com/forum/showthread.php?t=55166&highlight=Installing+fixed+window
An alternative is to buy a Mercedes slider window for this window. It would not insulate as well but would allow fresh air. Caution must be taken to find the right part number (the slding window for the driver side is NOT the same size as for the sliding door, and care must be taken as other countries have sliding doors on the opposite side, both sides, etc.). OneManVan tracked down a Mercedes slidiing window for the driver side, to replace the awning window.
https://sprinter-source.com/forum/showthread.php?t=55117&highlight=Window+gasketp
There may be issues with the Westfalia shade surround and an alternative Mercedes slider window. Don't know.
Insofar as the tint, a limo blackout tint could be added to cover the entire window (not just as a frame) although these are not as high in heat rejection as some lighter crystalline type tints like 3M, etc., which various Westy owners have added.
Note: Besides the gasketed framed Sprinter full height half slider window, there is an aftermarket bonded window with a smaller openable window insert. Go to this link and look at the red Sprinter.
http://leisurevehiclewindows.co.uk/vehicle-image-gallery/mercedes-van-windows/
C. Passenger Rear Window
This is a Sprinter window with a Westfalia added glass pane glued to window.
The Sprinter fixed window is held in place by a gasket.
The interior pane is adhered to the Sprinter window.
The original tint covers most of the window except for the area above the fridge cabinet.
Issue: To install this Sprinter window, interior access may be needed. The closet cabinet and fridge cabinet may need to be removed so gasket may be pulled into place.
Opportunity: While this window is out, check for any rust. Also, consider adding insulation to the areas one can now reach with the missing window. Might glue some insulation to the cabinets.
The closet cabinet wall facing the window is just nailed in place and may separate from cabinet if too many socks or pushed in the little cubicles. Good time to reinforce.
D. Larger Window Alternatives and Bonded Windows
In Europe, some tourist bus type Sprinters have larger aftermarket fixed windows installed. These windows are glued to the van body (like the newer NCV3 Sprinters) and do not have a gasket around the edges of the windows. These windows reach to the top of the vans where roof is attached (top of sliidng door), and can go wider to the edges of the sliding door and the van body panels.
There are also windows which fit the original window insert areas but are bonded rather than installed with gaskets. These bonded windows might be installed only from the exterior and not need interior access. I think these bonded windows are a cleaner look.
https://www.vanwindowsdirect.co.uk/category/372/MERCEDES-SPRINTER-TO-06
Note:
http://www.sgi-glass.co.uk/products-page/mercedes/sprinter-medium-wheel-base/
Last edited: