I'm a bit confused about the confusion here.

First, the rules specifically state "replacement skins" are allowed, so no one can gripe about someone choosing to replace the whole top with a single piece of steel. In other words, "re-roofing" is allowed vis-a-vis the part you see from the outside.

Second, you're worried about the "structure" underneath the reskinned panel? There's actually less structure (thus, less weight) with a sunroof car, because all the manufacturer effectively does is cut a hole in the non-sunroof car and add a bunch of mechanical devices (which are allowed to be removed) to activate the sunroof. So that's a non-issue.

Invariably, however, as part of the sunroof mods at the factory, there's a light stamped-steel transverse cross brace that gets bisected, a brace designed to keep the sunroof from "oil canning" and making noise. With the sunroof car, this "oil canning" is prevented by flanging the roof skin around the hole opening, and designing sunroof mounting bracketry for stiffness.

So, since the roof panel can be replaced, obviously this flange will be removed, and all this bracketry will be removed.

So, that leaves only that stamped transverse bracket that's going through where the sunroof hole used to be; is that the part you're worried about? So, if someone were to bi/trisect that bracket and cut it out like it is in the sunroof car, you'd be OK with that?

Go find an LS and an RS Integra (or a sunroof and non-sunroof GTi, or a sunroof and non-sunroof Sentra SE-R) and compare the underside roof differences. I'm bettin' they're all the same, except for the hole, the hole flanges, and possibly that one lightweight transverse bracket.

I see where you're going, but this is seriously a non-issue. - GA