Windshield Shade and Cockpit Curtains

Section for discussion of Chinook interior and appliance issues, repair or installation.
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kdarling
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Windshield Shade and Cockpit Curtains

Post by kdarling »

My Chinook didn't come with cockpit window blockers, only a curtain across the back of the front seats.

I've always been curious about the silver grey pleated retractable sun shade made by dashdesigns.com (http://www.dashdesigns.com/p-37139-the- ... shade.html), and recently bought one via eBay since it included shipping:
image.jpeg
The Ford van version is 25" tall. Last night I installed the 3M taped brackets and today I clipped on the elastic retracted shade to the passenger side brackets:
sunshade_closed.jpg
You're supposed to open the shade over the mirror, but my mirror is custom and there's room to go behind it:
sunshade.jpg
I like it. Takes up almost no room when retracted, but pulls out easily, covers the windshield nicely, and looks like it belongs in the Chinook, color wise.

I have a feeling that it will soon get extra wrinkled. We'll see how long it lasts. Internet reviews are pretty good.
Last edited by kdarling on July 6th, 2017, 12:24 am, edited 5 times in total.
1994 Concourse dinette, Ford 7.5L (460 V8)
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kdarling
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Re: Windshield Shade and Cocpit Curtains

Post by kdarling »

For the front side windows, I had bought some inexpensive elastic car curtains from China last winter.
image.jpeg
They're well made, with sewn in black plastic ball pins that fit into the upper bendable metal, and lower straight plastic, tracks. You attach the tracks to the door frame, and slide the ball pins in via openings near the front.

However, I already knew that the included tape did not stick much to the upper door frame at all ;)

So today I tried installing the passenger side upper frame with three tiny screws at the middle and ends. That worked fairly well, but darn it's an inch or so short of covering it all, because of the upper curve taking up length. The bottom track was perfect. Maybe I can extend the top rail.
curtain.jpg
And here's both shade and curtain from outside:
sunshade_outside.jpg
Stll a work in progress...
1994 Concourse dinette, Ford 7.5L (460 V8)
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kdarling
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Re: Windshield Shade and Cockpit Curtains

Post by kdarling »

I also have one of those big white external covers that wraps around the windshield and is held on by the rear of both front doors. But somehow I dislike the idea of not being able to drive off without having to go outside, so I prefer internal arrangements.

What did a Chinook normally come with for front and rear? Snap on curtains or ?

What other shades and curtains and blockers have any of y'all used (or made)?

For instance, I suspect that in much hotter and colder regions, something far more insulated is called for.

Thanks!
Kev
1994 Concourse dinette, Ford 7.5L (460 V8)
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SMan
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Re: Windshield Shade and Cockpit Curtains

Post by SMan »

Ours came with the fabric curtain that snaps around the cab above the front window and doors. It matches the upholstery fabric. I do have one of those white vinyl ones for the outside like you and like it when I stay in one place longer and especially in the winter.
Steve aka SMan
2004 Premier V10
pdemarest
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Re: Windshield Shade and Cockpit Curtains

Post by pdemarest »

I bought some window shades from Weathertech http://www.weathertech.com/techshade/ - fairly thick and designed specifically to fit the E-series vans. Its silver on one side and black on the other so you can use it to reflect heat in summer and retain cabin heat in winter. Unfortunately they don't make shades for the side windows and through some ordering mix-up they sent me two front window shields. Never got around to returning the 2nd shade and have found it fits pretty well on the window over the sofa in my Premier.

Like the idea of the accordion shade. Kev - does it do a good job of reflecting heat?
Paul Demarest
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Blue~Go
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Re: Windshield Shade and Cockpit Curtains

Post by Blue~Go »

I'm with you on the outside shade. My buddy has one made of Phifertex type mesh that wraps around and hooks on the doors, like you described, and since he uses it all the time I got one made for my Chinook in blue. But... ahem... I have never once used it. Yet, anyway. What I do use all the time two friction fit Reflectix panels for the side cab windows (they go on the inside), and a similar material regular sunshade for the front (folds up, made to go on inside of windows of cars, etc.).

My Chinook came with the following:

1) A looong snap-on curtain that went from the B pillar almost in the living room around the side windows, across the windshield, and then the other side window and back to the other B-pillar. (But I typically prefer to just block off the cab so that's stored away.)

2) A matching curtain for the rear door, which is just a flat panel of the same fabric as the one in #1 (sort of a blue velvet type fabric in my case), with two snaps in the upper corners that snap to a carpeted board type dealie that is sort of a header for the doorway.

3) Then of course the day/night shades for the two living room windows (but I've changed to zingable curtains).
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Scott
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Re: Windshield Shade and Cockpit Curtains

Post by Scott »

I use a standard interior windshield shade, and the cab windows are heavilly tinted so I don't do anything with those. So the cab treatment is a 2 second affair. Then there are curtains covering the coach windows; I've tried various materials for those with various pros/cons. A chunk of ridgid foam insulation sometimes goes in the skylight. My Chinook came with the same sanp-on curtains that Blue and Steve mentioned; a little one that snaps over the entry door window, then a large wrap around deal for the cab, which I find way too tedious and never use.

Regarding the tint on the cab windows.... The rig came with the windows tinted, and they're quite dark. It's great for effortless privacy and sun blockage, but I've never really gotten accustomed to the way they reduce visibility to the mirrors. If I'm dealing with a tight spot, it's basically mandatory that I roll down the windows to be able to see the mirrors well enough. There are temptations to peel the stuff off, then make reflective inserts for camping..... but then there's no sun protection while driving. Hmm.
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kdarling
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Re: Windshield Shade and Cockpit Curtains

Post by kdarling »

Thank you very much gentleman. I always wondered, as mine came with an old snap cloth for the rear window, but I used frosted glass spray to put a pattern on that window instead.

Normally I'd be fine with just the thermal/sound curtains I put up between the cab and the coach along a flexible plastic track, but if our teen daughter goes camping with us, I think I'd rig up one one of those cab hammocks for her so she'd have her own space. In which case I'd need curtains up front.

Does anyone offhand have a photo of their stock Chinook wraparound curtain installed up front?
pdemarest wrote:Like the idea of the accordion shade. Kev - does it do a good job of reflecting heat?
Their website claims up to 50 degrees cooler, but some Amazon reviews say that it's too see through for them. I noticed that in my photo looking forward (see pic in first post) as well, even though in person it was truly not so noticeable.

http://www.dashdesigns.com/p-37139-the- ... shade.html

And again, if you were in a cold region, I think you'd miss your neat-o insulated shields.

For myself, I'm trying to avoid things I have to store somewhere. I'd rather they were always in place, ready to be used in an instant. I think that's from my Army tactical field days :D
1994 Concourse dinette, Ford 7.5L (460 V8)
pdemarest
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Re: Windshield Shade and Cockpit Curtains

Post by pdemarest »

Boy, I hear you on the storage issue. Luckily, when the upholsterer redid my sofa he eliminated the thick cushion on the back and put in a removable thinner cushion so now there is room behind my sofa to put a small folding table and all my shades.
Paul Demarest
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Scott
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Re: Windshield Shade and Cockpit Curtains

Post by Scott »

kdarling wrote:Does anyone offhand have a photo of their stock Chinook wraparound curtain installed up front?
Here ya go... think this is the third time I've put it up. Decent for privacy, but thermally useless. Windshield shade is definitely better.
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