'72 Compact Back Window needed

[dragonfly]

My sweet little 72 Compact I just picked up had a poorly installed air conditioner in the back window. I removed it and all of the wood holding it in and now I just have plastic on it. I assume it was a push out or a jealousy (sp?) . What will I be looking for?
The frame is still there.
Any ideas or sellers or builders? I live in Ohio
Also, po used lots and lots of silicone to seal the baggage door shut and around the air conditioner. Solvent or digging it out with razor blads and a knife? I am talking of great dollops of the stuff.

Dragonfly

[harrison429]

I can't tell you what your compact had but my '63 was a solid (non-functioning) window which we had to replace. You can see how we handled the install here on my restoration page.

vintageshasta.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=shastaownersrestorations&action=display&thread=3032&page=2

I never used it but they do make a solvent to help remove the caulk. Most of us have dealt with the massive amounts of caulk the po's used and have just scraped, dug and cut it out. Ultimately it's just a pita that you have to deal with.

[offspringin]

My 70 model back window had been taken out as well with ac unit and wood in place of it. it was horribly sealed and leaked very bad. i wanted to keep ac so we built a better rack for it and used plexi on each side. I know 100% that the back window was originally a picture window. I dont know how it was kept in the frame, i have my original frame but just dont see how the window was kept it. Im not sure if the original was glass or plexi. As Harrison said its common to have to fight with multiple layers of silicone, some sort of greasy black sealer (that never hardens), and other various sealants used. I bought some silicone remover but never had the need to use it. Used a wire wheel on a drill to get most the stuff off the window frame, leaves it with a brushed aluminum look. Other than that straight blade razors carefully and lots of work gets the stuff off.

[dragonfly]

Thanks folks. That would make it easy, just a picture window and your pics help harrison. I think it would be real nice to put a push out window back there like is what on my astrodome though, just for better airflow. Might go with the air conditioner and doing it the right way.
Dragonfly

[harrison429]

My original had 'snap-in glazing'. Its a hard piece of plastic that snaps into the frame and goes over the glass to help (with the addition of some sort of caulking material) keep the glass in place. I hunted high and low to find a glazing to fit my frame but never found any in local stores or online so I finally had to resort to using plexiglass (instead of glass) and installing it how I've shown.

(The reason we installed the lexan plexiglass with the frame installed is because the frame flexes and I was afraid if it flexed while we installed the whole frame w/plexi we'd break the trempro (caulk) seal.)

[boandsusan]

Our youngest son has worked for a glass company for several years. He told us to strip the rough opening on the front of our 72 compact after we removed the P.O`s. AC unit. He came that evening with laminated glass and all new aluminum strips for framing. It took him about 45 mins and we had a brand new window with all new aluminum. My son said that its best to build the window in the rough opening rather than have one built and then installing it in the opening. He said that its very inexpensive to have these windows rebuilt (with all new framing, inside and out) at any glass company. The laminated glass will cost a little more. Hope this helps you all.

[vikx]

Thanks Boandsusan! I'll check with my local glass shop...

[boandsusan]

Nov 24, 2011 0:21:33 GMT -5 vikx said:

Thanks Boandsusan! I'll check with my local glass shop...

Your more than welcome. Its like Harrison said about the snap in hard plastic glaze, except B.J. used snap in strips of aluminum and then used a grey colored calk stuff. The outside frame went over everything. I didn`t watch him install the inside frame but it looks identical to the exterior frame. Its a very clean and neat finish. Our rough opening was an eighth of an inch longer on one side so I was happy it was built in place. Good luck!

[dragonfly]

I still have plastic taped up to protect it. The only place in this little gem of a camper where ripples are is under the removed air conditioning unit.
I removed most of the blue paint the entire stove was painted in yesterday while it was warm here in Ohio. Scraped most with a razor blade, then used stripeez. I expected to find lots of chips in the enamel but was delighted to find on on the side and one in the front about the size of a pea. Why on earth would you paint a stove with latex?
Dragonfly