Printable View
i want to bolt my sunroof closed. does anyone have any pics of what they've done? i do not what to use straps on the outside. also, i'm assuming the side moulding that keeps the car from getting dinged gets removed in the buildup. are they glued on? what's the best way to get them off.
thanks,
mike
Additional, related question. If my particular year/model of car didn't originally come with a sunroof but there is sheet metal available to do so, is it legal if I just re-skin the roof to get rid of the hole? The patch jobs always look so icky.
Kirk
I'm assuming 2nd gen RX7 here, so bear with me if it's not. What I did was remove all of the sunroof structure, and unbolted the upper shell from the sunroof rails. I took that, and rested it back in the hole. I'm going to run two straps on the outside, with front supports bolted to the roof structure to keep it from falling inward.
With 86-88s, the molding is definitely glued on from the rear of the front wheel opening back to the front of the rear wheel opening (i.e. the door http://Forums.ImprovedTouring.com/it/smile.gif) Where the reflectors are, I believe there are clips holding that in. I used heat gun, putty knife, and goo gone.
on 89-91, I believe there are clips all along the molding, but not sure 100%. The 86-88 doors will fit tho, you can always swap with someone who has an 86 who wants to update the looks of their car.
Kirk,
I believe everything you described is legal, but I'll defer to others.
PaulC
------------------
Remove all the sunroof structure except the panel itself and the rubber seal around it. There is a lip along the rear of the panel that keeps that part from falling in and a vertical flange along the front. Bend the flange in the front parallel with the panel so that it supports the panel flush with the outside roof. I used vise-grips and a mallet. Get some 1"x1/8" aluminum. You can buy it at Home Depot or the like. Cut two straps. There are 6 studs welded to the inside of the roof panel that I used to bolt the aluminum two, one strap on each side (right and left) running front to back. Just dob some paint on each stud and press the strap against them to mark them. Drill them out and use some nuts to secure them. Once you get everything in place you can use large rivets to attach each end of the straps to the headers (not the actual roof panel) inside the car. I made a couple bends to each end of the straps to make them follow the contours of the structure. With this method the panel is removeable if you ever desire to do so. Don't forget to seal the panel with some silicone.
Chris
Mike,
I bolted my sunroof in from the inside by removing the sunroof mechanicals, attaching a mounting bracket to the sunroof, bending a little metal here and there, and drilling a few mounting holes. Looks absolutely stock, but without the weight of the sunroof mechanism. It's not as eloquent as re-skinning the roof, but it works, looks good, and is only a few pounds heavier. I'll send you some pics via e-mail.
------------------
Jack
'87 ITS RX-7
Hey Frazer, did you get your sunroof done? I just got a good pic of how I did mine and can email it to you if you'd like. Drop me an email if you want it. [email protected]
Chris
i started to take the sunroof out last weekend. only one problem. i don't know how. ok, i undid all the bolts/nuts that i assumed held the inside of the sunroof. it's loose now, but almost seems like there is something else holding it in. can someone explain to me how to remove the assembly? chris: i dropped you an e-mail but it bounced back. i'll try again.
thanks all,
mike