Fitting Side Windows to a Defender 90.

I've just bought my first Land Rover, a Defender 90, 300 Tdi. Now, to put
the finishing touches to it, I want to fit sliding windows. I would have
bought one with them already fitted if I could have found one before this
particular beauty came on the scene. However, before I go ahead and start
hacking lumps off my pride and joy, some advice please. Is it a viable
project? What problems will I encounter? Should I leave well and good alone?
It's taken me ages to convince her indoors that we should have a Defender as
a second car so if I make a 'Pigs Ear' of this I will never hear the last of
it.
Regards,
Brom.

Brom Hi,

it is really straightforward to fit them.
You will just need to make a good template using thick carton paper. Using
this template you will mark the openings for the windows on both sides. Best
way to do the template is to copy it from another Defender with factory
fitted windows.
Be careful though this template will only work OK if you fit genuine LR
sliding windows.

You can also use pattern ones but make sure they are decent quality so that
they will not let water in (as if the genuine one do that.....) and are
similarly sized. Paddocks is selling aftermarket ones supposedly of the
same size as the factory ones I think.

Buy the best panel cutter you can in order to do the job properly and
remember to mask everything properly before you start cutting bits away.

Take care
Pantelis

"Brom" <blackwidow(at)REMOVETHISfireflyuk.net> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I've just bought my first Land Rover, a Defender 90, 300 Tdi. Now, to put
> the finishing touches to it, I want to fit sliding windows. I would have
> bought one with them already fitted if I could have found one before this
> particular beauty came on the scene. However, before I go ahead and start
> hacking lumps off my pride and joy, some advice please. Is it a viable
> project? What problems will I encounter? Should I leave well and good
alone?
> It's taken me ages to convince her indoors that we should have a Defender
as
> a second car so if I make a 'Pigs Ear' of this I will never hear the last
of
> it.
> Regards,
> Brom.
>
>

On or around Mon, 6 Dec 2004 07:43:45 +0200, "Pantelis Giamarellos"
<[email protected]> enlightened us thusly:

>Brom Hi,
>
>it is really straightforward to fit them.
>You will just need to make a good template using thick carton paper. Using
>this template you will mark the openings for the windows on both sides. Best
>way to do the template is to copy it from another Defender with factory
>fitted windows.
>Be careful though this template will only work OK if you fit genuine LR
>sliding windows.
>
>You can also use pattern ones but make sure they are decent quality so that
>they will not let water in (as if the genuine one do that.....) and are
>similarly sized. Paddocks is selling aftermarket ones supposedly of the
>same size as the factory ones I think.
>
>Buy the best panel cutter you can in order to do the job properly and
>remember to mask everything properly before you start cutting bits away.
>

and remember the old Carpenter's adage: measure twice, cut once, not the
other way around!

one of the mags did this mod using aftermarket windows a while back, and
didn't report any problems as I recall. Critical to get the hole right,
though.

So Austin Shackles was, like

> > and remember the old Carpenter's adage: measure twice, cut once, not
> the other way around!

Absolutely.

>
> one of the mags did this mod using aftermarket windows a while back,
> and didn't report any problems as I recall. Critical to get the hole
> right, though.

Got mine from BLRS, I think. Easy to fit (half a day for the pair) and
never leaked or rattled, a bit over £100. I was well pleased. To add to
what has been said:
I used a template made from cardboard for marking out. Easiest way is to
draw closely round the window frame, then measure the rebate in the frame
and mark a line the rebate depth + 1mm inside the outline for the cut line.
You want a hole in the body just a gnat's whisker smaller than the window.
Use a felt pen for marking the bodywork.
A good jigsaw with a fine blade will cut the metal easily - just watch for
the stiffeners inside. Drill a 10mm hole INSIDE the line to start the blade
off. Go slow and finish off with a fine file if necessary.
Mask the outside of the panel well before cutting - the jigsaw sole WILL
mark the paint if you don't. I didn't, and it did.
Use dum dum to get a good seal - it's awkward to work with but does the job.

Good luck - it's a modification well worth doing. Exit from side roads with
confidence!


--

Rich

Pas d'elle yeux Rhone que nous