Will interior door panels from a '91 Aerostar fit a '96? No power windows or locks.
The panels in our '96 are busted and I found a good set in the salvage yard in a '91. Lady at salvage yard says they're different, but I'm not so sure.

Also, will the windshields swap?

 

Check to see if both doors use the same latch release. That's probably the biggest thing you have to worry about if you have no power windows, locks, or mirrors.

 

Well, I took a chance and bought the door panel from the '91 (for $15!, so not a big risk). The panels are a little different, but will interchange as long as you don't mind screwing the older panel to the door. The '91 is not quite as deep as the '96. That is, it sticks out from the door just slightly less. Be sure to get the brackets that fasten the panel to the door, especially the one toward the upper front corner. Other than the depth, the biggest difference in the way they fit is how the plastic pins that attach the panel to the door hook into the panel. The mounting tabs on the '96 are molded as part of the panel. The older panel uses metal pieces that will most likely come off the panel when you remove it from the van, hence the need to screw the older panel to the door when you re-install. The older panel has a fiber board backing, which seems to make the panel stronger than the newer version which is just molded plastic. Not sure how the metal pieces attach to the fiberboard, but the plastic pins hold the door better than the metal grips the fiberboard. The older panel also has a trim piece that fits inside the indentation in the panel and acts to reinforce the arm rest. The cover over the hole where the power window switches go is a different size in the 2 panels, possibly because of the difference in depth.
New windshield is only $175 installed, so I didn't bother to find out if they interchange. That's at a locally owned shop. Safelite's price is $178, plus $25 if they come to you.

 

Yes, the panel fasteners on the older door panels will literally rip the panel mount right off the fiberboard. Just went through this exasperation yesterday. I did find that Gorilla glue (original brown) does a nice job gluing the panel tabs back in place. They make a special panel fastener removal tool, but two stiff putty knives, one on each side of the fastener, will work just as well. A sharp knife will also cut off the old fasteners easily but some caution is needed to prevent inadvertenly peeling off inside strips of the door panel covering.