Oh boy - my problem was simple.  It only took removing one screw to see the
problem: http://goo.gl/bg5ge

The van had rejected a crappy plastic Dodge window crank arm...  plastic on
metal.  The failure was caused by the handle threads getting stripped by
the door metal threads.  I suspect this crank was there because the PO put
new speakers in (sadly not rewiring them so they still sound like shite)
and must have needed more clearance.  To his credit, the last thing he game
me was a handful of spares, including, a chrome (non-matching) metal window
crank.  So, now I can take that unsightly garbage bag off the driver door.

Now I need to get down to installing my window seals and drying the van out
a bit.  I'm worried about the damp - not improved by this rain forest I
live in (Bowen Island, BC) - but at least the window is closed again.

Thanks all for the help!  May some of your van fixes be nice and easy as
well.

Tom