change of spec

as im respraying the landy soon and my csw rear windows have been siliconed shut i was thinking about putting some van sides in.

couple of issues i can see
most people ive spoke to wiv the van sides say visibility is an issue?
but as i drive a transporter van for work i dont see there being an issue unless its different on a 90

how will this affect my insurance as ive changed the specification of the vehicle or wont it

the only other thing i could fink of was a dark window tint,its just to hide the stuff on display from all the thieving little barstewards out there

i was thinking of doing the same but looking at all the people who have it and say noo due to the insurance and visibillity problems but if you look at some of the things you can get for the windows for security and it loks soooo much better than just plain sides although they do look good ! i was looking at buying this for mine SECURITY WINDOW GRILLS

Stylish Window Grills In Black

3 Piece Rear Kit Price £85.10 + £12.77 VAT

2 Piece Side kit £85.10 + £12.77 VAT

5 Piece Kit Price £165.96 + £24.89 VAT

Available With Or Without High Level Brake Light Cut Out

http://simmonites.com/Defender exterior.htm <<thats the site about half way down on te left

It makes it a van so the insurance is more - I didn't realise this till recently but my 90 was down on the DVLA thing as a van still and I said oh nono it has windows (they were added by CharlesY when he owned it) so they said oh it must just be a mistake on the system. Then I was informed that I had been paying more than I needed for the past 5 years!

looks like i will go for the window tint for now then

I'd speak to YOUR insurer first, and see if they do charge more for a van.

I'd have thought a van would be cheaper than a "car" (i.e. with windows) as it would be less nickable (as in, sought after)

I used to have a hard top 90, had it like that for about 9 years then stuck some side windows in it, only mainly for the dog to see out of.
my daily driver (company car) is a shogun SWB 4work, which has blacked out side windows (it's a car-derived-van)

I have no problems driving it (or my 90 when it was a van), like you say, you've just to to be aware that you can't look over your shoulder and see what's coming at a junction.

plain hard top side panels are lighter than those with windows (the glass & frames are pretty heavy!)... depends if you like to keep your truck "light".

plus, tinted glass can still be smashed by wayward branched/scrotes etc.

Personally, i'd swap the sides to plain ones, keep your county spec ones in the garage, then you can swap them back over (1/2 a days work really, just nuts & bolts) when the mood takes you, and you wouldn't have mullered your glass by sticking tint all over it.

I've got van sides with small blind-spot windows - best of both worlds.

how easy are the sides to take out and replace?

does the roof have to be lifted to get the panels in and out?

wiltshire landyman said:

how easy are the sides to take out and replace?

does the roof have to be lifted to get the panels in and out?

Click to expand...

easy enough - just lots of nuts and bolts.
yes.

cool...
might just check wiv lancaster 1st then and see wot they say

diesel_jim said:

and you wouldn't have mullered your glass by sticking tint all over it.

Click to expand...

Peels off pretty easy if no longer required, but can really knacker heated rear window elements.

diesel_jim said:

I'd have thought a van would be cheaper than a "car" (i.e. with windows) as it would be less nickable (as in, sought after)

Click to expand...

Van insurance is on the whole more because it's seen as a work vehicle. You then fall into van man catagory and the price goes up.

If you tell them you're just getting rid of the side windows see what they say - don't mention van sides or anything - see what they say.

wiltshire landyman said:

how easy are the sides to take out and replace?

does the roof have to be lifted to get the panels in and out?

Click to expand...

roof doesn't need to be removed, just raised (at the back) by a few inches, so undo the bolts along the sides (at the top... about 5 or so), each side, and then loosen the ones across the top of the windscreen (or if your screen has the "hinges" instead of the fixed brackets, then undo the inner securing nut things and then allow the screen to tip forward very slightly while you prop the back of the roof up with a broom handle.