Has anyone bought a cargo van and put in boating hatches for windows or roof skylights? - Diesel Forum

BravestDog · 06-03-2003, 09:36 PM

I'm thinking of buying either a cargo van and putting marine grade boat hatches in the panels on the rear doors, side walls and putting a roof top skylight/hatch...or getting a window van.

The reason for the marine grade hatches is they open and close, are well made and would vent a van on a hot night.

I have found from past experience that when sleeping in a van on a hot eve with another person or a couple of dogs inside, it's quite stuffy inside the van because of the lack of air circulation.

Wondering if anyone has seen or done the work desrcibed above in a van and if you could give some details?

Thanks [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shrug.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Yardbrew · 06-04-2003, 07:24 PM

My cargo van already has so much road noise that I can't hear the directional signal blink.

Wouldn't want to install anything that would upset the air flow even more.

Yardbrew

Larry M · 06-04-2003, 07:50 PM

[ QUOTE ]
I'm thinking of buying either a cargo van and putting marine grade boat hatches in the panels on the rear doors, side walls and putting a roof top skylight/hatch...or getting a window van.

[/ QUOTE ]

[img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img] IMHO you need as Nike says and "JUST DO IT" and whatever you decide and I think any of us would think your decision is just fine, you'll be happy with it or change it the next time around ... we all have ... until you start you can't change or make judgements or good decisions on what to do. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Larry

Yardbrew · 06-05-2003, 10:08 AM

Remember those square plastic roof vents that you used to see on some of the VW campers?

You could buy them in JC Whitney, they would open up with a little crank and had a screen so that the bugs wouldn't come in. I have even seen people driving with them open (20+ years ago).

Anyway, I bought one and put it on top of a 74 Chebbie full sized van that I converted into a camper.

I also converted the rear windows to ones that had screens and would open and close.

My wife and I with our two dogs camped in it a few times. I guess the top hatch helped some.

We were living in SC at the time. However, it just got too hot and stuffy inside when the outdoor temp got above 75 or 80, even with the lid and back windows open.

At speed, it was a screamer. Probably wasn't placed far enough back to get under the air flow. I had it in the middle.

It lasted about a year and then cracked from the hot SC sun. I replaced it with a moon roof (also from JCW) that would never stop leaking until I siliconed it shut.

In spite of the problems, it was a positive experience....my wife never wanted to go camping again. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif[/img]

Now I go alone, with shotgun or rod and reel. No need for vents or anything. No worry about dogs passing gas in a crowded van.

Didn't mean to discourage you with the boat hatches idea. Just my input FWIW. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Yardbrew

Larry M · 06-05-2003, 06:43 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Remember those square plastic roof vents that you used to see on some of the VW campers?

You could buy them in JC Whitney, they would open up with a little crank and had a screen so that the bugs wouldn't come in. I have even seen people driving with them open (20+ years ago

Anyway, I bought one and put it on top of a 74 Chebbie full sized van that I converted into a camper.).

[/ QUOTE ]

Now be careful, my '78 Ford Custom (E250) Conversion Van had one just like on older TT's ... LOL [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[ QUOTE ]
I also converted the rear windows to ones that had screens and would open and close.

[/ QUOTE ]

Uh Oh my '78 also had those too [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img]

Must have been a Ca. thing along with the 460V8, but kept it 24 years w/o ever seeing a Ford Dealership [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif[/img] Only major maintenance was a rebuilt tranny at around 105K and not because of performance issues, but about 10K prior I lost a driveshaft U-joint (didn't break but was loose) that took the rear seal on the tranny and got tired of the small leak ... about a 1qt per 1k miles. The C-6 was a good tranny IMO.

Larry

gunksvan · 06-06-2003, 03:17 PM

[img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img] WoW! That's just what I was thinkin' of doin'! Sorry, can't hep ya none on fit and finish. I did chk out my local junk yard and found some usable windows (side and back) but to date haven't moved on it. Keep us informed! [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smokin.gif[/img]