Sunroof - Keep it or delete it?

[Automaton]

Hello.

Sunroof is a nightmare, and need advice.

1. Use a Mitsubishi mechanism with a glass sunroof. Has a Mitsubishi logo on it . Lose originality.

2. Refurbish the metal sunroof and fix Mitsubishi mechanism inside and have the metal sunroof open only part of the way as the donor mechanism is smaller in size.

3. Seal up the roof and lose the originality that I'm striving for.


Need to take a call by Monday.
Thanks.

[pacerpete]

Looking at the state of your roof I would have thought your only viable option was to weld/ bog the roof panel to the roof skin , repair the nasty innards as best as poss and fit a replacement headlining to hide everything.


PS Post some pics for the benefit of those that have not seen them

[Automaton]

Thanks for the votes guys.

Pete, here goes. Though I didn't want to waste server space putting up rust pictures again.

Surface rust, inner left rear of the roof. The outer side is mostly clean. So this must be where the rusted sunroof tray was touching.


Most of the rust was here, the tray and sliding mechanism:


The sunroof area needs to be patched, er, a bit



Maybe, I should fix the roof metal, put a toughened glass piece (dark grey colour?) cut to that size and have it sealed permanently.

It's Mumbai, what was the earlier owner thinking? Doubt I will switch off the AC and let dust and 37 degrees C come in willingly.

The guy who is going to make the new roof lining can make a manual slider to shut from inside. Or maybe not. Can just have a permanent glass sunroof. Because it's permanently sunny out here.

So how much does the entire thing weigh? 15 kilos? I can junk the metal sunroof piece, junk the inner tray, motor, and all. Seal the water outlet tubes inside.

[Speedtouch]

Webasto foreskin?

[pukar]

i would recommend sealing as you wouldn't want the sun to come in through a glass roff anyway, would get too hot with the lovely weather you have over there

[sweep]

you need one of these

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-E30-NON-S ... 417706c24a

[Speedtouch]

And how much is that going to cost in shipping to India?

[sweep]

i can get a quote......

[Nobby_N]

Now that's a bluddy gud price for roof!

[Speedtouch]

Given the monsoons they have in India, I would go for a solid roof, to prevent further rust issues.

I'm sure one from a Hindustan Ambassador could be grafted on...

[Automaton]

Holy....
The votes have swung the other way over since yesterday.

Pukar: Patching the roof with metal, even though it's the most practical suggestion, is the last option. Want to keep the sunroof feature, as it is listed in the manufacturer's documents, but want to make it practical/usable to the Mumbai conditions. Hence was thinking of a fixed dark glass with a VCool film to keep heat out.

Something like this: http://www.v-kool.com/our-products/auto ... -solitaire


Sweep: the Roof cost + Shipping + Customs duty + City Tax in form of Octroi will be equal to the price of the car probably considering the double whammy of odd size and weight.

Speedtouch: The good old Morris Oxford, aka the venerable Ambassador has been voted as the world's best taxi. Let's keep it far away

[Automaton]

Last shot at keeping things factory spec.

Anyone got the innards, the slider mechanism for the sunroof?

I can get the tray made and bolted in this time. Not spot welded to the bloody roof. No need to ship steel all the way here.

I have these working...
- switch
- motor and loom
- fuse
- new rubber seal for the metal top

[aimlessrock]

personally, given the costs and PIA to try and fix it would weld it up and get it looking good.

[Automaton]

A bit off topic. Considering you have both, an E30 as well as the 190, which one do you really prefer?

[aimlessrock]

Cabby for the summer, 190 for the weekend plus I have a daily.

[Automaton]

Nice.

In other news, chased up various leads, and most probably will be getting the inner mechanism in about 3 weeks (!). Fingers crossed. So no modifications, just restore and repair.

Till then the rust under the front arches, the roof of course, and a little spot under the rubber wing on the boot lid. Forget what it's called.

[appletree]

Can't you get a tray from another roof and just replace the tray? I have started going down this root my self.

Copied from another post.

Well after going to Petes yard (sweep) and sthil sawing half the roof off a late touring shell he had there I spent a good bit of the day drilling out spot welds and very carfully heating up the shitty sealent to seperate the sun roof tray from the roof.

Why have I gone to this extreame? Mine has some rust on the sunroof tray just above the drivers head and is the only rust on a really sold shell so its worth replacing the tray to keep it mint but as these are now only available from Germany and are £504 I have decided to strip this one down and get it sand/beadblasted and powdercoated before it gets fitted to mine probably this winter.

Sorry no pics of me being a rough Kunt stood on the roof sthil sawing it off just the below.

When i got it back



Why they all go rusty. Split sealent that pus the paint of leaving bare metal


Stripped

[Automaton]

Just the cost of air freight. And zero donor cars
Will be easier to ship the internal workings than the entire 3ft by 2ft tray weighing 25 kilos.
Will patch the tray and sunroof here in the mean while. Steel and labour is still affordable.
Haven't got a quote for the mechanism from my source, so hoping it will be in good condition.

[Black_Potato]

can you not get a body shop to graft in and then blend in a steel panel? in the UK it wouldnt be worth it from a labour perspective as labour is expensive and parts cheap, but there where its the other way around ????

[Automaton]

Yes, that is the new plan.
Might be able to source just the mechanism.

So if I get that, the sunroof guy will get the tray and panel made. At least that's what I'm hoping Want to keep it as close to original as possible.

[mr_dink]

I admire your dedication to keeping the car original, but if you have working a/c I would just have the sunroof deleted.