Actually I am planning the same. I have these huge windows (one on the left side)
http://www.derjackistweg.de/wp-content/gallery/e350-first-look/imag0992.jpg and don´t like this. Mostly because I like the bigger and taller Truck better - you have just more privacy (and security).
One thing to note first is, that there are 2 different types on windows:
- the first one is the narrower one that does NOT cut through a kind of frame in the sidewall. Mostly on passenger vans seen.
- the second one is like mine. Cabin torsion is on an off-road vehicle always a topic/issue and these windows make it worse!
I know some people don´t care about stiffness of their cabin at all. I´ve seen a lot of things that cause the street legal licence of the car in Germany just because of cutting into the body.
So 2 reasons why I don´t like it. The third is: I will place the kitchen behind the window, that will have 80-90cm height (32-37") and therefore cover half of the window.
As I am not a metal guy and don´t want to pay $$$ into body cosmetics, my first thought was to just replace the glass inside the windows with a metal, too. Only Aluminium makes sense on this, as other options are too heavy. This is what would fist come into my mind:
http://www.das-blech.de/images/product_images/popup_images/569_0.jpg The glass should be 4 or 5 mm thick. These aluminium metal are in the same thickness available.
Should be relative easy, though it needs to have the same shape, a little curvy one, in my case with the big window.
If you can weld or have a source for that, you can replace the window with cabin metal. That should be roughly 0,8mm thick. So welding needs to be done right to not burn though it:
These welds are not perfect, obviously, and a frame should be added from behind as you can see at the inside of the cabin. Both sides of the cabin are the same. You can see the inside and the outside.
btw I would eventually foil the glass but definitely not paint a window. Foil will look much better and is very cheap also.
