adding a new window where one has never been before?

[silver suz]

Has anyone ever afdded a window I'm thinking about the small oval one. Is this reasonably possible to do? I'm interested in making a comfortable living place not on preservation. silver suz

[Hidalgo]

This is a custom made caravel, that has the best setup I have ever seen.
You can see the oval window on the door.

[Stefrobrts]

I've been wondering the same thing. I would like to add a porthole window to the door someday like I've seen on some of the customs, or a small rectangular one, maybe one matching the kitchen window. I wonder what a window unit looks like when it has been removed from a trailer. I'm sure someone around here must have pics.

[Hidalgo]

This has a rare dinnette and the kitchen counter perpendicular to the street wall. This divides the bed in the rear, from the feeding area in the front.

[Stefrobrts]

That is really unique. So where's the bathroom, because in all the Caravels I've seen it is in the back? I think this must be a Pacer or Bambi with Caravel badges (not that there's anything wrong with that), as I don't think they made any Caravels with the door in a door unless the owner added that as well.

[Hidalgo]

Custom ordered, it is truly a Caravel with specific request for the oval and the interior setup.
I am trying to downsize a couple of pics to show the rear.

[Hidalgo]

Interior

[Hidalgo]

Rear. Bed to right, rest to left.

[Hidalgo]

Pardon the Huge TV, but Joe spends a lot of his time in this trailer.......since the divorce that is!

[silver suz]

So you think the actual airstream factory put the window in? It almost looks like a marine window adaption. Nice trailer!

But has anyone actually put in a window by themselves? Is this a useless idea or way out in left field as far as being able to do it? I want one of the small long oval windows that open with a screen. supposedly there is a good airstream junk yard south of Fort Worth , TX, near Waco. silver suz

Hey I dont want to make this trailer make-over TOO easy for my guys!!! silver suz

[smily]

This is how Airstreams are made. The windows are added to the shell post Shell production.

But, I have never seen what a vista view that opens. You referring to a vista view are'nt you?

Smily

[silver suz]

In the new '04 airstream brochure, there are pictures of several small windows, like the international CCD. I'm not sure if the horizontally long oval window in the kitchen opens or not. the top kitchen sink window looks like it does. They also show some small windows in the back bedroom area that might open or not. the new safari shows smaller longitudinal windows in the bed area that definately look like they open. I am just going by the color pictures in the brochure. the accompaning architectural drawings dont indicate if a window opens or not. Poor drafting skills. Also there is a new configuration (as a choice) of upper and lower bunks in the back and it seemed there were small openable windows for the upper and lower bunks. I have a '71 31' sov. and want to put the double bunks in back and would like ventilation for both bunks. thanks silver suz

[Janets Husband]

I have also wished to add windows such as the vista views.
I am thinking the actual process of adding a window would require the installation of some sort of reinforced framing at the window penetration in the skin. Maybe a simple aluminum "U or Box" riveted between the inner and outer skin?
Has anyone actually done this before?
Does anyone know of a source for the windows and trim for such a project?

[Stefrobrts]

I was just in a CCD this weekend, and was surprised to see that it looks to me like the kitchen windows don't open. I thought that was odd, because I open my kitchen windows for ventilation all the time, and I think that's pretty handy when I'm burning dinner! We'll have to get the opinion of someone who owns one, but they looked permanently closed to me.

[thenewkid64]

All of the little oblong windows in the newer coaches are fixed windows. The windows that are larger than 12 X12 open.

The window has little or no framing around it other than the frame around the window on the outside and any additional inside trim that is used to finish the opening in the inner skin.

The frame and window glass structurally replace the skin that is cut out of the shell. At least to my way of thinking the solid window would not require any additional ribs around it. Some of the larger windows seem to connect to ribs.

[59toaster]

Originally posted by Janet's Husband
I have also wished to add windows such as the vista views.
I am thinking the actual process of adding a window would require the installation of some sort of reinforced framing at the window penetration in the skin. Maybe a simple aluminum "U or Box" riveted between the inner and outer skin?
Has anyone actually done this before?
Does anyone know of a source for the windows and trim for such a project?

The windows are only fastend from the outside on the 50's and early 60's. They have a C channel to form the window opening and then simply riveted in from the outside. From the isie they have a simple L peice that forms the window garish but it provide on structural value at all.

I can get a picture if needed. I still have the walls out of our coach.

[silver suz]

Where would we find such windows? Could the person going to the st. Louis area airstream graveyard, keep an eye out for us? Can anyone thing of where else to look? My husband says that the marine porthole I found is too heavy. We are down to the outside walls so now is the time to add. Thanks, everyone, silversuz

[bredlo]

Well, obvioiusly any other Airstream (or SOB, for that matter) window will be perfectly suited to be a donor window. I'm thinking specifically of Craig Dorsey of Vintage Vacations, who was interviewed on on the show "RV Today".

He said that for actor Billy Campbell's custom 50's Silver Streak trailer, he added like 6 or 8 skylights throughout, by cutting down curved 70's Airstream windows to be long and thin. The effect was almost like the ceiling of a yacht's cabin, small rectangular skylights with rounded edges. It's something I'd like to do with our Globe Trotter as well - we'll see.

As we progress, I'm considering the porthole-in-the-door idea as well, which Dorsey also installed on a '61 Globe Trotter recently. That one is pictured on his site, and perhaps he'd tell you where he found it. I like it because it has frosted glass, removing the need for a tiny curtain in order to get privacy.