DIY: $20ish Replacement Rear Plastic Window!!!
 

Yep, you heard me Right. $20ish to replace your rear window.

Now if you have the money for a new top, this thread is not for you. This is for the frugal person who doesn't want to throw away a small fortune on a new top. My top was in perfect shape and being a Cali car my window was sun beaten and shot. I rarely ever drive my car in the rain or in cold weather. My top is down 95% of the time it is driven.

Preface: I am 6'3" , 245lbs and have zero sewing experience. So if your a nimble little fellar, you should have no problem getting in and out of the car. I am not and I paid the price the next days as I was sore. This job wasn't that hard, just monotonously painful.... Put a stitch in from the outside , go in the car and put the stitch back out..... repeat like 500 times!

Difficulty level: Removal=1, Sewing in new=4.5 out of 10
The top and sides were about a "5" due to me being 6'3" and having to get in and out of the car for each stitch. The bottom was easier and rated a "3.5"

TOOLS: Got most of the stuff at Joann fabric and craft store.
1.) Vinyl Plastic 20gauge $7.99 1yd(enough for 2 windows) Get thicker if you can!!
2.) heavy waxed carpet thread(nylon was too weak) $4
3.) Thimble $1.99(had it)
4.) 10 #2 needle $2.99(had it)
5.) Razor blade
6.) Coleman Seam sealer $3.00 (walmarts)
7.) 3m outdoor black carpet tape(waterproof double sided)


Procedure: "Removal" 15 minutes or less

Hint: Remove your belt buckle!! Better yet wear sweat pants or you will scratch the hell out of your baby!!(I didn't scratch mine, but have seen it done by the newbies at my dealership)
1.) From the outside, use razor blade between plastic and vinyl top. Mine glided through with no problem. Window comes right out.
2.) Remove existing thread. I used the dull side of the razor and just scrape the thread right out of the holes. Go from inside to the outside and use your free thumb under to push it up as you scrape. I tried a thread remover, but the blade worked like a charm. Took about 8 minutes. I had no oops or damage of any kind.
3.) Keep and use old window as template for new. Clean off any debri or old canvas
4.) Edited: Make the window larger than the old one. at least 2" around larger.
5.) Using utility scissors, cut out the new window and you are almost ready for the install. Be careful not to scratch it.
6.) Edited: I am using Black gorilla duct tape on both sides of the window to add support and keep the stitches from pulling through.(see pics).

Removal Pics:
http://i826.photobucket.com/albums/z...e/IMG_0190.jpg

http://i826.photobucket.com/albums/z...e/IMG_0193.jpg

http://i826.photobucket.com/albums/z...e/IMG_0194.jpg

New window:
http://i826.photobucket.com/albums/z...e/IMG_0205.jpg
http://i826.photobucket.com/albums/z...e/IMG_0204.jpg


Notes: don't cut your finger nails as you will need them for removing the old thread. I would have preferred a thicker plastic, but I have to deal with what I have. I need to figure out a few things before installing it. Like what to use to keep threads water proof.

UPDATE: I tested a left over piece and the blow dryer had no effect on shrinking the vinyl. I hoped to get out some of the imperfections. Don't get me wrong as the vinyl isn't that bad, i just hoped to get it better. I would rate it 7.5 out of 10 as to the original "new" window.


*if you would rather remove the whole canvas top here is a link, but be warned you might as well buy a new top if you go this route as it isn't easy
http://images.wikia.com/boxster/images/e/eb/DIY_Boxster_Conv_Top_Canvas_R_R.pdf
Removing the top as a whole has been suggested as an alternative to just the canvass.

Install New Window:
This is the hardest and most time consuming process.
You will need at least 10 #2 needles or tapestry needles(work a little better as they are shorter), a roll of 3m outdoor double sided carpet tape in black, and needle nose pliers. I am doing this in 4 parts. top, sides(2) and bottom. I am saving the best for last(actually bottom is the easiest).

1.) Ok by now you should have your window cut out and taped.
2.) "Dry" fit you new window into your hole and mark(not on window) where the center is. If you have trouble with this then skip to step 3
3.) Use the Double sided 3m outdoor carpet tape, 3" strips, on the top center and both top corners. This will help you center it.
4.) Once centered, put one or two stitches in the center top (use the existing holes, if you have trouble seeing them use a flashlight from underneath),use 3 foot length of string and leave the needle hanging as you will use it in a few minutes. I used 2 needles to start the first stitch from the out side and tied them on the insed and removed 1 of the needles.
5.) Now put a longer dbl sided sticky tape across the length of the entire top between the canvass and the glass(put on canvass first). This will act as a good water seal and to help you sew it in.
6.)Sew in a stitch in each corner the same as the middle, leaving a 3 foot length of string hanging. I sewed both towards the middle. (you can do it any way you want).
7.) Now you should have 3 stitches with 3' pieces of string.
8.) This step is a huge time saver. as the pic below shows, pre "poke" your holes. (this helps the needle goes through easier and more uniformly and you can see the hole in the black tape on the inside and will give you a great uniform look). I found it easiest to use a pair of needle nosed pliers and grasp the needle in the middle to poke the holes, other wise you sill break needles left and right.
9.)Start sewing!!
10.) Less than 2 hours later, I almost have the hole upper half done in about.

Finale:
11.)Last part (bottom) was easier than I thought. In fact it was the easiest part. I put the bottom of the top up and was able to sew without going in and out of the car. Took about an hour.
12.) I plan to cover the inside stiches with Gorilla duct tape as it will act as water proofing barrier and keep the stiches in place. I plan to use seam sealer on the outside stichtes
13.) color thread black let dry an hour(black sharpie) and then apply seam seal per its directions.

http://i826.photobucket.com/albums/z...e/IMG_0209.jpg
http://i826.photobucket.com/albums/z...e/IMG_0207.jpg
http://i826.photobucket.com/albums/z...e/IMG_0208.jpg
http://i826.photobucket.com/albums/z...e/IMG_0210.jpg

Final Picture:
http://i826.photobucket.com/albums/z...e/IMG_0215.jpg

Just washed the car for the first time and it rained(of course). I experienced no water leakage at all!!

Thoughts: I like it. It was a pain, but it definately save me money. It looks good, but not great, but I knew that going in. Money is tight and I needed a cheap fix that I wasn't embarrassed to be seen in.

After thoughts:
I colored the threads black with a permanent sharpie and they almost disapeered. I used heavy, waxed carpet thread for a couple reasons; first= I had it, second= it will not break!! Your best bet is to get the color that matches your top. I tried other threads but they all easily broke between my fingers. I would highly suggest using the 3m double sided sticky "outdoor tape". It is a must!!

I left the car in the sun so the tape and window warmed up. This made it seal better and was easier to push the needle through. I should have it done later tomorrow moring. It should take 2 to 4 hours to sew it in.

Good luck and if you have half a Saturday it is well worth the time and effort.
Let me know if you need any help or get stuck.

The first part sounded easy...keep us updated. Bob

Are you sure you want to rate the difficulty level yet?

Finale
It is done, except for sealing the seams and taping the inside seams with more gorilla duct tape(The tape will keep it water tight and hide the threads. Now I can clean off the cat prints, cat hair and dirt(The flash made it look worse than it is).
Overall, I am really happy with the outcome. It was a lot easier to sew the bottom than I thought, as I just flipped the convertible up and did both sides from the outside. Once you get a rythym down sewing it, it wasn't really that bad. It folds nicely but I imagine I'll still have to be careful in cold weather.

Here are some pics I couldn't post in the original thread as I reached my limit.

http://i826.photobucket.com/albums/z...e/IMG_0217.jpg
http://i826.photobucket.com/albums/z...e/IMG_0216.jpg
http://i826.photobucket.com/albums/z...e/IMG_0215.jpg
http://i826.photobucket.com/albums/z...e/IMG_0213.jpg

Difficulty in removing: 1

Difficulty in hand sewing in a new window with top canvas still on car: 9 :D

Yeah, I hear you. It is too cold today (36) to continue. Hopefully tomorrow will be better. I picked up some coleman seam sealer at walmart today. I think I will prep the new window by glueing the edge strip on the inside of the new widow(keeps the stitches from pulling throught the window). I will also use the old window as a template to poke holes in the same places.

I have a feeling the sewing will be a ********************, as I will have to put the needle in the hole and go to the inside of the car to put it back out the next hole. 2 people would definately help in this phase. I also have to be careful in the placement of the window. i might sew it in on all 4 sides to hold it in place. I was toying with the idea using some liquid nails silone clear flexible silocon type stuff between the window and the outside edge to make it more water proof.

Side note: I do like the flexibility of the 20gauge vinyl but I have concerns about the sun beating on it and its longetivity. The way I look at it is; what do I have to lose? I was going to get a new glass top style, until I saw a plastic window in a boat and thougth, "how hard could that be?".

Indeed I would reconsider the difficulty rating...

Been there, did the fix myself with a kit. It is a lot of work, much more than I had anticipated.

If your on Renntech I sort-of took over another thread about a top, there are a couple pics there as well as some discussion of the process:
http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=17836&st=20&p=94287&#entry9428 7

If you are not a hardcore DIYer and do not have someone to help you with the stitching I would recommend you find a shop willing to stitch in a new window with the canvas still on the frame. The entire convertible top (canvas & frame) is surprisingly easy to remove. Most shops want to remove the canvas from the frame, that is where it gets expensive.

Also see this thread where we touched on the subject:
http://986forum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=15564&highlight=window

See also:
DYI rear plastic window.

Cracked Plastic

Replacing plastic back window '01 Boxster's Top

Thanks, but I figured it would be a little tedious. I did read all those threads and a few others. I do consider my self pretty handy and will get this done. I figure I will take it a little bit at a time. I am semi retired and have plenty of time to do it.

I do have a few questions if you don't mind :cool:

1.) Did you do one continous stitch?
2.) Is yours water tight and if so, what did you use between the platic and the canvass?
3.) Did you use glue to hold in place?

Used a foam weather striping sandwiched between the window and the canvas.

Did not use a single stitch, would use 3-4 ft lengths which occasionally would break too. Look in the last pic in the renntech discussion you can see how I started a new piece of thread.

The window is not completely water tight, there are a couple small places water will seep through on very rainy days.

I did not use any glue, but I did apply thread sealant.

Good luck.

I seriously thought about using a glue and no stitches at all. I also contemplated using a zipper like my MGB had, but that would still require sewing. I am only doing this as a year or two fix and then will either sell it or get a new top.

Still too cold today(39). I have decided to use the larger piece of viny window, as it will make it easier to glue on the material around the outer edge and put the liquid nails in after I have made a few "holding" stitches. The purpose of material around the edges is so the thread won't pull through the vinyl.

Hopefully I will have it done tomorrow(weather permitting). I still plan to use the liquid "flexible" liquid nails for water proofing and then seam sealer after I am done.

Just an observation- your new window looks very thin gauge....so thin, that it seems almost like there's permanent wrinkles in there and something that will crack very easily when the weather is marginal. Since the sewing in of the new window will be a major pain in the rear for you in terms of effort, perhaps better to first source a thicker gauge plastic similar to the OEM window?

Yes it thin, but it was all they had. I rolled it up and folded it(like putting down the top) in the 30 degree weather and it seemed pliable. I am ready to start sewing it in tomorrow. I am going to do a little at a time and should finish it up in less than 4 hours. Time isn't an issue and I enjoy this type of stuff so I am going to give it a shot.

thanks for the input though :cool:

Wonderful initiative.
Keep us posted! :cheers:

One of the challenging parts of the job is keeping the new materials in place while you try to stitch. You'll see in one of my pics I used binder clips. I removed the entire top from the car, frame and all, and sewed in the new vinyl in my living room.

The most tedious and time consuming part of the job was the actual stitching: Crawl under, poke needle and thread through to outside of top, crawl out, pull needle and thread through, poke needle and tread beck through to inside of top, crawl back under and repeat several hundred more times... cried my back and fingers "..never more, never more!"

Yep, Removal is rated a "1" and sewing the damn thing in has been like an "8" out of 10. I am going to get some double sided sticky tape to hold the window in place while I sew it in. I have found that making a couple stitches in various places around the window has helped, but the first try my window was off 1" to the left and I had to start over, thank god I only put in 4 stitches when I noticed.

I started to take the top off, but after reading up on it, it was as much as a chore as the window replace. Good news is, if anybody tries this they will have the advantage of learning from my mistakes. :cheers:

Link for removing the top. It takes a few seconds to load so give it time. :cool:
http://images.wikia.com/boxster/images/e/eb/DIY_Boxster_Conv_Top_Canvas_R_R.pdf

Taking the canvas off is a pain yes, however removing the entire frame with the canvas still on is ridiculously easy, that is what I did.

In New Jersey, a plastic window that is AS6 and Dot. Approved must be used with a stamp on it in order to pass inspection. I keep the green tinted oned is stock like original but domestic plastic.

Ok, I spent a good 3 hours today,off and on, disecting this. I think I have it licked. I should have it sewn in and finished tomorrow(hopefully).

I bought some 3m outdoor carpet tape and used it to hold the window in while I sew. I started with 3 stitched points to hold it in place and make sure I had it centered. I started at the top in the middle, then did the top two corners with one loop. I left the needles hanging with enough thread to get the the next starting point clockwise.

Observation, the 3m outdoor carpet tape I got is black and is really sticky. It is working like a charm and should help a lot with waterproofing. :cool:

Good luck man, and keep us updated with the progres. It's sounds like a bear of a job, so it will be great to see you succeed! :cheers:

UPDATED ORIGINAL POST:

I am Finished. No pics until tomorrow. But the Damn thing is in! :cheers:

[QUOTE=mptoledo]Yep, you heard me Right. Around $15 to replace your rear window.
Now if you have the money for a new top, this thread is not for you. This is for the frugal person who doesn't want to throw away a small fortune on a new top. My top was in perfect shape and being a Cali car my window was sun beaten and shot. I rarely ever drive my car in the rain or in cold weather. My top is down 95% of the time it is driven.

This is Part 1, Part 2(final part) will come tomorrow(hopefully)


Now this is a work in progress so bear with me.



Difficulty level: Removal=1, Sewing in new=5.5

TOOLS: Got most of the stuff at Joann fabric and craft store.
1.) Clear Vinyl Plastic 20gauge $4 1/2 yd
2.) heavy waxed carpet thread(nylon was too weak) $4
3.) Needle nose pliars
4.) 10 #2 needle $2.99(had it)
5.) Razor blade
6.) Coleman Seam sealer $3.00 (walmarts)
7.) 3m outdoor black carpet tape(waterproof double sided) $10


Procedure: "Removal" 15 minutes or less
1.) From the outside, use razor blade between plastic and vinyl top. Mine glided through with no problem. Window comes right out.
2.) Remove existing thread. I used the dull side of the razor and just scrape the thread right out of the holes. Go from inside to the outside and use your free thumb under to push it up as you scrape. I tried a thread remover, but the blade worked like a charm. Took about 8 minutes. I had no oops or damage of any kind.
3.) Keep and use old window as template for new. Clean off any debri or old canvas
4.)Edited: Make the window larger than the old one. at least 2" around larger. 5.) Using utility scissors, I cut out the new window and you are almost ready for the install. Be careful not to scratch it.
6.) Edited: I am using Black gorilla duct tape on both sides of the window to add support and keep the stitches from pulling through.(see pics). Just tape the sides and top. Wait to do the bottom until your done stitching the top and sides. It will save you aggrevation of having to taking it off and readjusting it later.

Removal Pics:
http://i826.photobucket.com/albums/z...e/IMG_0190.jpg

http://i826.photobucket.com/albums/z...e/IMG_0193.jpg

http://i826.photobucket.com/albums/z...e/IMG_0194.jpg

New window:
http://i826.photobucket.com/albums/z...e/IMG_0205.jpg
http://i826.photobucket.com/albums/z...e/IMG_0204.jpg
http://i826.photobucket.com/albums/z...e/IMG_0203.jpg



Notes: don't cut your finger nails as you will need them for removing the old thread. I would have preferred a thicker plastic, but I have to deal with what I have. I need to figure out a few things before installing it. Like what to use to keep threads water proof. The old window had a gummy weather type stripping on the outside and a piece of canvas on the inside to weather proof and keep the thread from tearing through the vinyl.

UPDATE: I tested a left over piece and the blow dryer had no effect on the vinyl. I hoped to get out some of the imperfections. Don't get me wrong as the vinyl is that bad, i just hoped to get it better. I would rate it 7.5 out of 10 as to the original "new" window.


*if you would rather remove the whole canvas top here is a link, but be warned you might as well buy a new top if you go this route as it isn't easy
http://images.wikia.com/boxster/images/e/eb/DIY_Boxster_Conv_Top_Canvas_R_R.pdf

Install New Window: 2 to 4 hours
This is going to be the hardest and most time consuming process.
You will need 10 #2 needles or tapestry needles work good also, a roll of 3m outdoor double sided carpet tape in black, and needle nose pliers. I am doing this in 4 parts. top, sides(2) and bottom. I am saving the best for last(actually hardest).
1.) Ok by now you should have your window cut out and taped.
2.) "Dry" fit you new window into your hole and mark(not on window) where the center is. If you have trouble with this then skip to step 3
3.) Use the Double sided 3m outdoor carpet tape, 3" strips, on the top center and both top corners. This will help you center it.
4.) Once centered, put one stitch in the center top (use the existing holes, if you have trouble seeing them use a flashlight from underneath),use 3 foot length of string and leave the needle hanging as you will use it in a few minutes.
5.) Now pull the old tape off and put a longer piece over the length of the entire top between the canvass and the glass. This will act as a seal to help you sew it in and will act as a great weather proofing.
6.)Sew in a stitch in each corner the same as the middle, leaving a 3 foot length of string hanging. I plan on going clockwise on each to get to meet at the top(you can do it any way you want).
7.) Now you should have 3 stitches with three 3' pieces of string.
8.) This step is a huge time saver. as the pic below shows, pre "poke" your holes. (this helps the needle goes through easier and more uniformly and you can see the hole in the black tape on the inside and will give you a great uniform look). I found it easiest to use a pair of needle nosed pliers and grasp the needle in the middle to poke the holes, other wise you will break needles left and right.
9.)Start sewing!! Grab needle about 1/3rd the way up with the pliers as the needle will bend or break. If you get a rythm going it goes much quicker.
10.) The whole upper half and sides took about 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Not too hard but I am 6'3" and getting in and out of the car really sucks.

Finale:
11.)Last part (bottom) was easier than I thought. In fact it was the easiest part. I put the bottom of the top up and was able to sew without going in and out of the car. Took about an hour.
12.) I plan to cover the inside stiches with Gorilla duct tape asit will act as water proofing barrier and keep the stiches in place. I plan to use seam sealer on the outside stichtes
13.) color thread black let dry an hour(black sharpie) and then apply seam seal per its directions.

http://i826.photobucket.com/albums/z...e/IMG_0209.jpg
http://i826.photobucket.com/albums/z...e/IMG_0207.jpg
http://i826.photobucket.com/albums/z...e/IMG_0208.jpg
http://i826.photobucket.com/albums/z...e/IMG_0210.jpg
Final Pic coming.

Thoughts: I like it. It was a pain, but it definately saved me a lot of money. It looks good, not great, but I knew that going in. Money is tight and I needed a cheap fix that didn't embarrass me.

After thoughts:
I plan to color the threads black if I don't like how it looks when I am done. I used heavy, waxed carpet thread for a couple reasons; first= I had it, second= it will not break!! Your best bet is to get the color that matches your top. I tried other threads but they all easily broke between my fingers.

Hints:
1.) I left the car in the sun so the tape and window warmed up. This made it seal better and was easier to push the needle through. I should have it done later tomorrow moring.
2.) Use the double sided carpet tape to hold in the top first, sew a couple holder stitches in as you get it postioned. Dont put any tape on the bottom until you get ready to do it as my estimate of size was off.

I am in the process of coloring the threads black and then I will seal them with seem sealer. Unfortunately the rain and the coldness from yesterday and today has kept me from sealing it. Although it is garaged, I want to seal it when it is dryer and warmer out. I will post pics as soon as everything is done, Most likely Wednesday :cheers:

Finale
It is done, except for sealing the seams and taping the inside seams with more gorilla duct tape(The tape will keep it water tight and hide the threads. Now I can clean off the cat prints, cat hair and dirt(The flash made it look worse than it is).
Overall, I am really happy with the outcome. It was a lot easier to sew the bottom than I thought, as I just flipped the convertible up and did both sides from the outside. It folds nicely but I imagine I'll still have to be careful in cold weather.

Here are some pics I couldn't post in the original thread as I reached my limit.

http://i826.photobucket.com/albums/z...e/IMG_0217.jpg
http://i826.photobucket.com/albums/z...e/IMG_0216.jpg
http://i826.photobucket.com/albums/z...e/IMG_0215.jpg
http://i826.photobucket.com/albums/z...e/IMG_0213.jpg

I'll give you and "A" for effort! Bob

Thanks Bob :cool:
I was thinking over all grade was a B to a B-. I took off points for not using the correct color thread(black), not ponying up for a better grade of plastic for the window, and not getting it stretched better. By the end I was taking breaks so I didn't just rush the damn thing to get it over with. But as long as it last me at least till next season, I consider it time well spent. If I have to do it again, at least I can learn from my mistakes. Actually I will probably get a new top with glass next year.

So are you taking appointments for other peoples cars? :D
Looks good.

I agree you probably shoulda used a better grade plastic window, but def an A for effort! Besides, it looks a whole lot better than clear packing tape! Good job.

So that is what a clear plastic window looks like, impressive, the only ones I have seen are yellowish and opaque.

A for effort!

No appointments please, my fingers are still in recovery :D I see why shops charge a minimum of $200 to sew one of these in. My fingers looked like pin cusions by the time I was done. That was mostly due to me never sewing a stitch in my life. Once I dropped the thimble idea and went to the needle nose pliers I only lanced myself a couple times.

My main concern with the top was to stop water from coming in as my old one was literaly shot. It had a foot long crack down the right side and a 6" crack down the left. As stated earlier my top is down 95% of the time I am in the car. If money isn't a concern of yours I would definately go with the new glass top installed for around a grand.

http://i826.photobucket.com/albums/z...e/IMG_0191.jpg
http://i826.photobucket.com/albums/z...e/IMG_0201.jpg

good job mp, > your double-sided tape idea is a good one to add to the DIY idea bank.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mptoledo my fingers are still in recovery :D I see why shops charge a minimum of $200 to sew one of these in. If money isn't a concern of yours I would definately go with the new glass top installed for around a grand.

Yep. Pretty much the same conclusion I came to and what I try to express before people dive into this diy, but I'm not one to say I told you so :p

hiii
 

I bought some 3m outdoor carpet tape and used it to hold the window in while I sew. I started with 3 stitched points to hold it in place and make sure I had it centered. I started at the top in the middle, then did the top two corners with one loop. I left the needles hanging with enough thread to get the the next starting point clockwise.


Sealed Lead Acid Battery

Helen, are you asking me a question or just posting spam?

pretty sure that's a spambot. I reported it a couple days ago.

looks great!
 

My widow was replaced by the last owner. I've been using Plexus, http://www.plexusplasticcleaner.com/frames.html on it and its clearer and more flexible than when I got it. I think that it will add some life to this window. I got it a West Marine.

Plexus is great stuff, i need to order a new case of it.