Has anybody bought and fitted the new SSP blackout curtains? I felt they were too expensive, but eventually bit the bullet and treated myself.
However, all the rails appear to be around 20mm short. Even more odd, it comes with both long and short rails for early or late sliding door window. My early van has the same size windows on the door as the fixed one opersite. Yet I have three different sizes, none of which fit well!
1982 Holdsworth poptop. 2L CU Aircooled.
1982 Danbury tintop Caravelle. 2L CU Aircooled.
I've looked on this site and if you expand images 3 and 4 showing the back window it does seem that the ends don't go all the way into the corners by design. Don't understand why though:
Hi, I purchased this set in August and have only just got round to trying them out. On initial trial fit mine were looking the same as yours - i.e. too short for the window profile on a factory Caravelle (1986)
I emailed Heritage and they got back to me last week - they are stating the that rails are short by design and that they should sit centred in the frame which allows the end-caps to fit either side, albeit not quite following the window profile as per this picture they sent:
I had a reply today explaining they are short to allow the plastic end caps to be fitted. Over stretch carpet the gap isn't so obvious. But I also had one pair that were the wrong size, they're being replaced.
I've only fitted one window tonight before I lost the daylight. It looks very nice, but I need to train myself not to look too closely! Hardest job is threading the curtains on, needs a little patience. If fitted to painted frames I think it'd look wrong though.
1982 Holdsworth poptop. 2L CU Aircooled.
1982 Danbury tintop Caravelle. 2L CU Aircooled.
I've looked at these before, but have held off as they'd require additional storage space when not in-place. I think fixed curtains with rails are more practical, although some of the patterns they have on there are pretty cool.
1988 Caravelle - FB25B - Syncro converted
2016 MB E63 AMG S - The daily driver
2019 Harley Fat Bob - The leisure
I only looked at the magna blinds as I couldn't bring myself to drilling the van. I ended up with another option of a retractable shower rail across the A-pillars (using the coat hooks) with 4 foot curtain and tinted windows. I stored this under the R&R bed. The other issues to consider with fixed curtains is they can give you blind spots not to mention flapping about when driving with the windows open.
Last edited by DoubleOSeven on 13 Oct 2021, 13:53, edited 1 time in total.
2005 Porsche 911 3.6 Manual
2012 Volkswagen Polo 1.4 Automatic
DoubleOSeven wrote: ↑13 Oct 2021, 13:53
The other issues to consider with fixed curtains is they can give you blind spots not to mention flapping about when driving with the windows open.
A very valid point which I had not considered.
1988 Caravelle - FB25B - Syncro converted
2016 MB E63 AMG S - The daily driver
2019 Harley Fat Bob - The leisure
The Heritage curtains have upper and lower rails, and the material is like lycra stretched between. They do make the pillars wider, but do not flap at all. I will post a picture when I get a few minutes in daylight.
1982 Holdsworth poptop. 2L CU Aircooled.
1982 Danbury tintop Caravelle. 2L CU Aircooled.
We bought these and although look great and what we wanted we were disappointed about a couple of the rails that were short and the fit to the curve of the window wasn't great .understand there trying to allow for carpet but angle of curve is wrong and gap to big the carpet takes up very little gap/space
1981 2.0ltr Viking
2002 2.5 T4
1985. 2.4 Bilbo camper
It must be dark for quite some time where you live.
Rosie n' Jim wrote: ↑14 Oct 2021, 05:44
The Heritage curtains have upper and lower rails, and the material is like lycra stretched between. They do make the pillars wider, but do not flap at all. I will post a picture when I get a few minutes in daylight.
2.1 LPG/Petrol Auto Caravelle
"The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits"
Only recently finished fitting the full set! I found screwing down the straight section, then tapping the curve into the windows corners worked quite well. I used a length of ply that fitted snugly into the channel to avoid distorting the runner. I do think at the price, fettling shouldn't be needed!
I will take photos, promise.
1982 Holdsworth poptop. 2L CU Aircooled.
1982 Danbury tintop Caravelle. 2L CU Aircooled.
Has anybody bought and fitted the new SSP blackout curtains? I felt they were too expensive, but eventually bit the bullet and treated myself.
