Panelvan upper tailgate bubble windows

Hi all, I bought a bubble window for the upper tailgate off evilbay some time ago. My panel beater tried to fit it today but it was almost impossible. The problem is the original glass is slightly curved, the bubble window is completely flat. Is there a trick to fitting the bubble window or has it been made incorrectly?

hi, just looked at mine, it is straight on the edge, i'll try upload some pics to see if yours is the same, you usually fit the window in the rubber first then put it in the t/gate from the rear with a piece of string, hope this helps cheers andrew

Thanks Andrew, if your window was out of the rubber would it lay flat on the floor with bubble side up or does it have a slight bow in it like the original glass?

I've got a blue one I'll check it tomorrow if you like also Glenn, it was in a tailgate and I took it out so I know it fits.

just laid it out, it has a bow like the original glass, will put up pics
(bottom)

(top)

Andrew got me all inspired, just been out to the shed and checked my blue one, it's curved like Andrews I got some bodgey pics if you want to compare it to the red one?

Hey Glenn,

get your panel beater to stick it in the sun for a while or in the painting booth with the bake cycle on.... may find it easier to work with?

Jon

Learning all the time. I thought that the back window was totally flat.

I know this is a long shot but does anyone make bubble window's anymore

Regards Tony.

There's a guy that sells them on ebay occasionally, Simopar on here has made a few of his own also.

i'll check with the people who are where vancraft were, i;m sure they said they still make them but that was 2 years ago,

SMQQTH wrote:Hey Glenn,

get your panel beater to stick it in the sun for a while or in the painting both with the bake cycle.... may find it easier to work with?

Jon

Thanks Jon, the panel beater managed to get it in, he used a heat gun very slowly across the whole surface and clamped it to the original glass to get the shape. It was still pretty difficult to get in but at least it is in for now.

serendipity wrote:i'll check with the people who are where vancraft were, i;m sure they said they still make them but that was 2 years ago,

I would be interested in one if they still make them and have the right curve. I would be looking at the smoked version not a coloured one.

just got back from indesign, the people who were vancraft years ago, have had a few owners but the guy there is going to get the owner to ring me, he thinks they still have the old window moulds packed away in a storeroom, here's hoping cheers

If they get back to you Andrew, maybe we should ask them for a bulk rate? See how many in MV are interested in getting one and go from there. They might help us out, or do we just ask them if we can buy the moulds!

i will certainly be asking those questions, left them a card too and asked them to come have a look

Hi folks,

As Rob mentioned earlier I've made quite a few bubble windows including tailgate windows for my Valiant projects, pentastar side windows, roof bubbles and tailamp bubble covers.

The plan is to pump out some different windows once my Disturbia Van is done (I'm on a July 2011 deadline) which will start with HQ-WB tailgates and HQ-HZ bubble tailamp covers, and then some generic shape windows like teardrops and hearts etc. in all different colours. I just want to trial them myself first to make sure that they will fit ok (I have a HZ upper tailgate here as a tester and a mate has an XC Sundowner for the Falcon upper).

I'll try and put together a how-to thread anyway as they're pretty straight forward to do, but it's just time consuming to get everything set up as far as the air trays and templates go, but once you do that then its plain sailing.











have fun

Simo

Excellent work Simo, I look forward to the progress. Great pictures. Cheers

I think there'll be more than one MVer that'd order bubble windows off you Simo if you started producing them.

i need one without a crack in it

looks like fun mate. good work.

check these guys out.. http://www.cityplastics.com.au/automotive.html

simo when do you think u'll start to make those bubble stuff cause id be keen on taillights 1's i saw them on vandils van look so retro