We have curtains that we are not happy with in our 4106. We would like to put vertical blinds or shades of somesort that wrap around the front windshield and come back to cover both" D" windows on the sides. Anyone have any suggestions as to a good place to start shopping? Any input would be appreciated! Thanks! Cindy
Cindy why not have a bus nut mfgr you some shades that fit right and work and look real good? He comes on here sometimes but if you want to look him up and contact him off the board, he goes by bill340. He owns Florida Sunscreen and attends a lot of rv and bus rallies thru-out the east coast. He and his wife Brenda do a professional job as they have been at it for about 12 or so years, I think! I know they do them on site (where your coach is) but I think too that they might be able to send them to you wherever you are!
Hope this helps!
Ace
Cindy, I looked at a lot of different possibilities and finally settled on the following. I used them for many years and was extremely pleased with the.
They are called Day-Night shades and drop straight down like Venetian shades. They occupy about two inches of space at the top when fully retracted.
The first (bottom) half drops down with an accordion type draw string so that you can decide how much of the window you want to block. The bottom (day) half is silver on the outside and black on the inside. It is punched full of little holes that block direct sunlight but also let you see out. However, nobody can see in so they provide privacy in the daytime. I used them every day while driving as dropped down about 8-12 inched they provide an excellent sun screen.
The top half does not have the little holes so they provide complete privacy at night. They drop down with the same draw string as the day section.
I had a total of four. Two for the windshield and one for the driver side window and one for the door. The one for the door was mounted above the door to prevent it swinging and banging each time the door was opened.
Richard
Cindy,
I second what Ace said.
I saw Bills & Brendas product at Bussin 2006 and they were awesome.
The ones I saw you could see out but no one could see in.
Very professional work.
I am getting some this year.
Ace, were you talking about the outside or inside? We do want outside, but, currently are looking for inside. Thanks Cindy
Richard, yours sounds kind of like what I am looking for, but, I don't want an open space between two shades up front. Do you think I can get one piece that would cover all of the front windshield and what about the corners of the front windshield? Would there be any gaps? I would want complete privacy. No peep wholes. I like the idea that you can pull them down while driving tho! Also, like the idea of mounting above the door. We have day/night shades on the rest of the coach, but, not up front. Are these pretty much the same thing you think? We also have a custom dash board that sets up higher in front of the driver than the rest of the dash. Do you think that would interfere with this type of blind? Our day night shades on other windows operate with a bar when closed this bar drops down as low as you want. But, if these were installed up front, because of the dash, there would be an open gap at the bottom of the window. Does yours have this same bar? I appreciate your help! Take care!
Cindy
regular old fashioned window shades, and they make great sunvisors when you are driving.
Work?/Play safely Jim
Cindy, do yourself a favor and you'll save money in the long run by just contacting Bill & Brenda Phelan who mfgr the ones you NEED! They frequent the boards on both ends and they do inside AND outside from what I remember. You won't go wrong with them but you will spend more time shopping at the locals and not ending up happy with whatever you get, unless you get it from them!
Ace
ACE: Do you have an email for these folks? I too need inside shades.
Ace, I would like their email address too!
Look under members list for bill 340 for email. He also has a web site listed.
Richard
OK, here are the links:
sunscreenbus@softhome.net
http://www.rvwindshieldcovers.com/
Richard
Dang it Richard.... you stole my commission! :)
Ace
Quote from: Ace on May 07, 2006, 06:53:44 PM
Dang it Richard.... you stole my commission! :)
Ace
Sorry about lthat. I figgured you did not know how to contact them. LOL
Richard
I contacted Bill & Brenda and there answer was as follows. 1. We do not do interior shades. 2. we do windshield covers only and we must have the bus. I asked about the ad on sun shades and cannot they do a MC8 since they must have done others. 1 week later still no answer so I am still looking. maybe I'll learn to sew..
Quote from: BJ on May 14, 2006, 06:17:05 AM
I contacted Bill & Brenda and there answer was as follows. 1. We do not do interior shades. 2. we do windshield covers only and we must have the bus. I asked about the ad on sun shades and cannot they do a MC8 since they must have done others. 1 week later still no answer so I am still looking. maybe I'll learn to sew..
This was kinda what I recalled from meeting them several years ago at an early Arcadia roundup.
I had a set of outside shaded already and never used them. They were just too much a pain in the a$$ as far as I was concerned. They remained in a lower compartment the whole time I had the coach.
I ended up getting the two part shades that you drop down half way and that lets you see out the very tiny holes in the material, but keeps the sun out.
Lowered all the way, they provide complete privacy. Complete as far as I was concerned anyhow. I am not in the habit of running around nude and it would really have been hard for an outsider to get into a position where they could have looked in thru the split between the two windshield shades. Definitely not a concern for the prudish DML or myself. LOL
Richard
Cindy,
Our simple solution on the 4104 is three curtains across the bus just to the rear of the "D" windows. They hang on a fancy decorative rope which fastens to a hook on each side plus two more hooks inside the original overhead luggage rack.
It leaves the driver's area open but we don't use that area anyway when parked.
The rope comes down in the morning and the three curtains are folded and stowed for traveling. Takes about 3 minutes to install or take down.
If you're interested I can send some photos and a sketch of the hook setup.
We are dealers in Day/Night blinds and that is what we use on ours. It was cheep and we installed one on drivers side window, two for the front windshields and one over door glass. This works out great for us as easy to use, always out of the way, and when driving we could also lower part way to keep sun out. Just a thought Jim.
When using the day/night shades on the windshields for sun visors while driving, how do you keep them from swinging and banging the windshield?
What does a single unit like this cost? One that's wide enough to cover one side of the windshield?
I've been wanting to find some spring loaded roll down sun visors like are used on the newer buses that have the metal guide rods along the sides. These seem to be about the best for sun visors and can be used for privacy at night if they're wide enough.
Anyone know where to find some of these at a reasonable price?
Quote from: gumpy on May 15, 2006, 04:52:05 AM
When using the day/night shades on the windshields for sun visors while driving, how do you keep them from swinging and banging the windshield?
Gumpy,
The blinds we had in a conversion van had two parallel strings on each side that acted as a guide for the shade and provided the friction surface for the the partial opening/ shade/privacy. If my old memory serves me I dont think the blinds were connected at the top or bottom so you had the option of privacy low and still see out and let light in at the top or store at bottom or top. The biggest problem I remember was the kids messing up the pleats, or the strings breaking.
NewbeeMC9
QuoteWhen using the day/night shades on the windshields for sun visors while driving, how do you keep them from swinging and banging the windshield?
Mine were mounted a couple of inches away from the windshield, above it. Never had a problem with them swinging and hitting the windshield and making noise. Although I can not remember for sure, I think it was the natural slope of the windshield away from the blinds that prevented this problem. Hmmmm. since it was no problem, how could it have been a problem? Is that called an oxymoron?
Richard
The Day / Night blinds that we have mount on brackets at the top and they have strings that goes down the sides and fasten to the bottom or the sides at the bottom. The top brackes can either mount on the surface or can mount recess into an opening (needs about 1 1/4") I a window is open and blind is down they will sway a little but we have had ours for about 5 years and have not replace anything yet. My wife and I have 9 children so it gets it's share of use. Jim Atnip
Craig I was a little concerned about the swaying of the blinds/shades as well, so what I did was mount them as usuall and I installed a 1 inch piece of wooden angle (trim molding) to each vertical side. The blind/shade is actually behind the one side of the angle as if it were framed, on both sides. The shade slides up and down as needed but never comes outward. You could probably do another piece of molding on the inside sort of like boxing it in! It would be like 2 "L's" back to back.
You can kind of get the idea by going here>
http://groups.msn.com/AceRossiMotorsports/foolsgold2.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=595
If you need better pics or explanation, let me know!
Ace
I've seen them mounted this way on the side windows. Dresses up the window, and seems to work well with the shades.
Did you use this same concept on your windshield?
in reading the latest catalog from camping world I noticed an add for custom made shades for sides and windshielf. they looked pretty good and have a heat/sun blocker on the outside. of course you have to measure and hopefully you got everything correct... :'(
Craig our H-3 has the stock motorized shades that move with a push of a button on the front winshields and they seem to work just fine for now. I don't exactly like the rods that they slide on but for now they work ok. If (when) I get around to finishing the front section, I will probably incorporate the same idea using a larger trim molding. I know others that have done similar and it works ok for them. Some of the higher end coaches I have looked at are starting to do something like this and they look good and finished as well!
Acer.
Ace, I have the same question as gumpy. Did you use the "L" framework on the front windshield as well? Pictures of front windshields with shades (on the inside) would be appreciated from anyone... Please. I purchased some redi-shades, but, seem to have trouble with the gap at the top of the window. I used them in a vertical position. Doesn't seem like that will work without a valance on front windshield as well. I don't want that! So, I put that idea aside. Those power shades sounds interesting. Anyone have a website for them? Any info would be appreciated. Thanks everyone for your help!
Cindy
Cindy here is what I wrote in my last post to Craig aka Gumpy!
"If (when) I get around to finishing the front section, I will probably incorporate the same idea using a larger trim molding"
I have NOT done the front window YET but I will probably do something pretty similar to what I did in the rear BR as I described but only use a larger trim molding. I think whatever you use be it horizontal or vertical, your probably going to find that you WILL need some sort of trim or valance to hide the gaps as the windows are not very sqaure especially the front windshield! FWIW after attending a few bus rallies and rv parks during the evening hours, I don't think I would want the windshield completely closed off because I for one was being snoopy and trying to see what has been done to the inside. When you see a little light on thru the shades you think you can see what the owner has done. NOT! A little gap here and there also won't allow the outside ogglers like me, to see ones naked butt, but it will sure tease them when they are curious as to the conversion! Leave a little gap and let their minds wonder! :)
Ace