Christopher Cassidy's
Do it yourself VW Thing Windows
You are visitor number:

Written by Christopher J. Cassidy, with NO Guarantees (of course). Written March 20, 1997. First built sometime around 1990. Yes my windows are still in place with no fix's yet (Knock on Wood). These are shareware instructions, if you use them please send me $5.00 U.S. dollars. This covers ALL the e-mail questions you can send and when Things get really sticky phone calls. The bad humor is all free.

NOTICE: You must have my permission to use all or part of these instructions such as they are.

My e-mail address is: chris@cassidy-online.com

Materials from Home Depot to make FOUR windows:
-0.25" Aluminum c-channel (Four 84" sections)
-Acrylic sheet (1/10" X 4' X 6') (the cheap stuff)
-Felt circles (package of 1/4") -Epoxy 50/50 mix, 15 minute cure (4)
-Spring clamps small (12)
-Paper cups medium (4)
-Popsicle sticks (4)
-Sand paper (one sheet of 80 grit).
-Acetone (one quart)
-Paper towels (one roll, two if you are messy like me)
-VW Thing Windows (4).
-Tube of clear silicone (1)
-Security window clamps (4)
-Sheet of plywood 1/4" X 36" X 18" (1)
-Nails (two dozen)
-Table saw with carbide blade, friend with table saw or the Home Depot buy it and return it Program.

Procedure:
-Cut c-channel to size using table saw (see dimension below).
-Make fixture for holding c-channel while welding. This involves the plywood and nails. Layout the cut c-channel on the plywood and use the nails to hold it in place.
-Weld c-channel together. Cost can be greatly reduced here if you have a friend that will work for beer. Just give him the beer after the welding!
-Cut out the clear vinyl from the window frame. Then remove all of the thread sticking out of the frame. I got my wife to do this by explaining that this was a project we could do together (like she bought that). This is a good time to fill any small holes or rips with silicone.
-Sand the sides that will be glued together on the window frame and the c-channel.
-Wipe both sanded sides with Acetone.
-Mix one container of the epoxy in the paper cup using the Popsicle stick. Just keep the kids with sticky Popsicle fingers away.
-Apply the epoxy to both the window frame and the c-channel using just enough to lightly coat each side.
-Using the spring clamps, clamp the c-channel to the window frame, use as many clamps as possible, and have a lot of paper towels on hand.
-Yes, let the 15 minute epoxy dry at least two hours.
-Cut out the Acrylic so that it is 1/8" shorter and one inch wider then the inside of the c-channel frame.
-Now from the square end of the Acrylic window, cut 6 inches off. This will do two things: One, it enables you to flex the Acrylic windows (now two) so they will fit into the c-channel frame, and Two, it gives you sliding windows.

NOTE: For the front windows the smaller sliding Acrylic window must be on the inside of the slanted window for everything to work properly. This will keep out the wind and rain. Reverse them for the back windows.

-Since the Acrylic window started out one inch wider, it will now over lap one inch. At the over lap put a couple of felt circles.
-Now using the silicone, glue in the front half of the slanted Acrylic window, remembering that the other half of the Acrylic window needs to slide forward in order to open.
-Use the security window clamp on the inside of the window to lock the window open and closed.
-Repeat for each window.

Dimensions: Lengths of c-channel:
-Top horizontal section 18-7/8"
-Bottom horizontal section 25-7/8"
-Vertical section 13-3/4"
-Slanted section 15-1/2"

Degrees of inside angles of c-channel:
-Top horizontal section and vertical section 90 degrees.
-Bottom horizontal section and vertical section 90 degrees.
-Top horizontal section and slanted section 116 degrees.
-Bottom horizontal section and slanted section 64 degrees.
 

A sample PICTURE of my finished window.

BACK TO MAIN PAGE