Re: [A/S] Vista View windows

[ericj@xxxxxxxxxxxx]

Hi Roger and all,

I saved a thread that I started back in July on this same subject.  Here's part of
it.  Dean used a tinting or reflective film on the exterior of his windows and had
good luck.  With the film on the exterior I believe this would take care of the
appearance problem.  This is the method I will try first before I start drilling
out all those rivets.  Both panes of my  Vista View windows are glass.  I had a
reply from someone with a 1973 trailer and the inside pane was plastic.  Airstream
must have switched from plastic to glass somewhere in-between there.  Here's a
kinda long copy of that previous thread.  I hope you find this useful.

Eric
#9497
76 International 25'


Eric,

I installed the reflective film on the outside
to hide the cloudy from casual inspection.
Inside I can still see the cloudy effect though.
One of these days we will all figure a way to
repair this problem. The AS folks just should
not have put the film between the glasses.

Dean Sale

Hi Dean,
>
> Can you tell me more about the reflective film.  This sounds like a real
> option.  What is it called?  Where might one be able to find it?
>
> Thanks,
> Eric
> #9497

Eric,

I already had some left over from some years
ago when I put it on the inside of the windows of
my 69 AS.  I bought it at a plastic center in San Antonio.
There are two films together from the factory. I cleaned
the outside of the vista vue windows with Windex and
then used single edge razor blades to clean again. The
surface has to be absolutely clean. Then you have a
spray bottle with about a pint of water and about
one half teaspoon of Ivory dish soap to spray on the
glass. The film is separated from the backing Mylar and
it just slides into place. Next there is squeegee work to
get all of the air bubbles out from between the reflectorized
film and the glass. If you mess it up it needs to be removed
that same day.  Just do it again until it is right. After it is installed
just razor the edges to fit and squeegee again. Helps to have a
cloth to pick up the moisture around the edges.

There is an aside here. If you install larger areas as in the
windows of the AS then you can use the clear Mylar
backing as a clear film (has no sticky) to place over the
screen door. I just use clear packing tape. Helps cure
claustrophobia and lets nosy folks look in.

The stuff came with better instructions than this.

You have likely seen the stuff installed in cars.  Folks
try to put it on compound curves. I will not fit in a dish
or the back window of a car. Works ok with the single
curve ov the vista vue.

The stuff came in several colors silver, gray, bluish,
and brownish. I think it was about two bucks a running
foot about 30 inches wide. That was eight or so years ago.

Still on the '69 and still applied ok a few months ago on
the '79.

Others may have a better way.

Hope this helps.

Dean