Peninsula Glass is a custom RV window manufacturer located in Vancouver, Washington. They specialize in van conversion windows as well as custom RV windows, camper windows, and houseboat and marine windows under their Motion Windows Division.
Adding a sliding window to a van conversion
I’ve wanted to add a driver’s side window to my Promaster 2500 van for a few years now. Thanks to a forced rebuild due to a collision — that’s a whole other story — I had stripped out my van’s build to bare walls, so that the bodywork specialists could repair the damage.
If I was ever going to add a window, this was the time.
Finding the right window vendor
First, I had to decide on what window to go with. I knew I wanted a sliding panel and a screen to add airflow and keep bugs out. The tricky part was deciding on which model to order..
Van Tek Glass, Campervan HQ, and a few other vendors online had windows in the price range I was looking at. The windows ranged from $350-$850, depending on the size. The cost of shipping was a substantial add-on cost, which made the estimates vary wildly.
After scouring the options online, I discovered Motion Windows. Once I realized they were based locally in Vancouver, Washington, I knew I had found an ideal supplier. Not only could I support a local business, but the windows are made to order. It also meant there was no shipping cost, which was a big deterrent from the Van Tek models; though they had the lowest pricing, the shipping cost almost doubled the final cost.
Motion listed the window at $467, with a discounted price of $373. Sales tax added about $50, but it was still a fraction of the shipping cost from other vendors.
The product I decided on was the 159″ Wheel Base Ram Promaster Side Panel T-Slider window. It had Interior Frame-Fit Dimensions of (W x H): 43-3/4″ x 19-3/4″).
Installation
Although the installation looked within my ability with the assistance of an experienced friend, I decided to have Pro Motion do the installation. The total with a $200 installation fee and sales tax came to $634.37. Even with the installation charge, it came in close to what I had budgeted, and it cost me less than other options, saving me at least a day of effort on the overall van project. Though my friend Jason had the tools and experience of installing windows, the immediate gratification felt worth the fee. I also had to reassemble the van and build a window frame, as well as perform other tasks to get the van back to trip-ready.
The ordering and installation process was easy. I ordered the window, then followed up with setting up the installation appointment. On the day of the install, we drove over and dropped off the van. It’s located a few blocks from a local Walmart and a Starbucks, so we walked over and enjoyed a coffee until they contacted us to let us know it was ready.
The window is spot-on what I was looking for, and with the installation done, my next task was to start working on framing it out so I could put the wall panels back on.
Learn more about P Motion Windows at https://www.motionwindows.com.
If you’re near Portland, they’re just over the river at: 6295 NE 147th Ave. Vancouver, WA 98682