Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2014 07:49:18 -0800
Reply-To: Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Curtains
In-Reply-To: <CAFnDXk1ZWudJ4v7AKu5kRSPHiuT_tTqnfyO5-KCML7MbNxAmYQ@mail.gmail.com>
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I found some small strong magnets online. About 1/8" thick by 1/4" wide
by 5/8 long. I had these sewn into the hems of all the curtains for my
van. Spaced the magnets around the curtain's perimeter at about one foot
intervals.
The times when we're camping and want privacy or shade I simply dig out
the bag of curtains and stick them up to the window-surrounding body
work..the magnets hold very well, even when driving with all the other
windows open. I even made a long pair for between driving area and the
camping area so that on really cold sleeping nights I can reduce the area
for heat loss and I don't have to mess with a sun shield up at the
windshield.
I've had various camper vehicles almost my whole life and I guess I
must have had almost every conceivable curtain hanging system at one time
or another. Hanging, permanent mounted curtains, those always seem to get
in my way, they get pulled off their mounts or torn down when loading large
items, they slip closed sometimes or get forgotten until you must see out
that particular window in traffic, etc. Permanent mount curtains also
advertise that your Vehicle is maybe being used as a camper and it may
contain something valuable to steal, should you leave it in some 'sketchy'
parking area...A plain window tin top like I have now....those, without
curtains, are still so unremarkable that people tend to ignore them.
It would be helpful to have each curtain marked somehow so when you fish
them out of the bag for deployment you can get the right one on the right
window more easily. And sometimes they stick together, magnet to
magnet...so you must deal with that, too. Considering that curtains are
only up in my vehicle very seldom...it works for me.
On Mon, Nov 17, 2014 at 6:27 AM, Jim Felder <jim.felder@gmail.com> wrote:
> You could go to a Vanagon boneyard and get the metal rails, straps and
> standoffs and sew the curtains to fit or have them sewn.
>
> The curtains you find might not be much good, but they are easy to make and
> you can buy them from list vendors I am pretty sure.
>
> There are also standard rails with hooks that slide in a track, made for
> all kinds of larger campers, if you want that. You can go to a camper sales
> place anywhere or look online and see what is available. I think late model
> westies and weekenders came with this style, but I am not sure which style
> has held up the best. I know that my straps (the all-important holdbacks
> for when you have them drawn back) rails a curtains are still in great
> shape after 31 years.
>
> Jim
>
> On Mon, Nov 17, 2014 at 8:15 AM, John Rodgers <jrodgers113@gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
> > I have a'91 Carat and would like to add some nice looking functional
> > curtains to it - sides and hatch. Anyone have any suggestions or
> > recommendations?
> >
> > John
> >
>
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