Roof options and opions

[appletree]

As title after some options and opinions on what best to do with the roof on my car.

There are a couple of rust spots were the tray was bonded on. Only one of these will need cutting out the others should be ok to clean up and paint.

http://www.e30zone.net/modules.php?name ... 89&start=0

As far as I can see the poll options are the only real options

The first option would be to just cut out the bad corner and weld in a new one from a good spare roof skin in have.

Second option would be to cut either side of the sun roof around half way along going outwards and then weld in a hole new front section, possibly less chance of warping anything.

Third, find a good condition non sunroof skin and fit that, possibly devalue the car and I would have to find the bits to fit a black non sunroof head lining or get one made.


Fourth and fith I would be interested to know people's opinion on fitting a carbon roof without a roll cage.

My future plans are to fit an S50 or S54 (leaning towards the S54) and was thinking about stress on the shell, ive heard a number of people say the carbon roofs are for race use only and for need to be fitted with a roll cage but as far as I can see a normal cage that welds intovthe floor wouldn't add any strength to the roof unless it was tide in to the A,B and C pillars. Also when fitting a carbon roof there would be no reason you couldnt keep the single brace standard cars have anyway and although I can appreciate bonding wouldnt be as strong as as welding the roof would be fully bonded as apposed to spaced spot welds.

[ROC]

Do you use the car on track at all ?

[appletree]

It has been on track a few times but its not a track car, my aim would be for a stadardish looking car with all the toys, if I had to fit a cage and there was no other option it would be well finished if there is such a thing, however I would rather not fit one atall.

Does anyone remeber a really old thread on another bmw forum ( it was linked to the zone when I read it) sure the guy worked for bmw possibly in germany and fitted a carbon roof to a 325 when carbon roof were a big thing especially on an e30, sure it didn't had a roll cage but cant find the thread.

Found it....
http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=70094

[ROC]

I'm of the opinion that if you have a cage then you must have proper seats and harnesses fitted, roll cage padding and no rear seats, if you don't track it then not much point.

Carbon roof suppliers normally recommend that a cage is fitted.

[miniblob]

On a selfish note........... do the carbon roof and get some pics up!!!!!!!

[Jim320i]

I've got a good non sunroof roof from a 4 door available.

[DanThe]

Its a bit gutting to find that under the sunroof tray



Whats the state of the top side of the roof? Were you planning on repairing the sunroof bits without painting?

[appletree]

That's the good bit Dan and I'd be happy to treat and paint over that but yes you would never have known as the back looked 'mint'. As regards the paint, I new I would have to paint the roof again anyway. The roof was showing some rust top side but only above the drivers head and although the rust on the inside is bad the metal is still quite thick in that area bit I presume it has gon inside out rather than from both sides, the back and the pass side all look great from the outside.

I've been trying to get hold if beardy mat as I'm sure he would have a good idea of what to do and is local so might be able have a look at the job for a few beer tokens.

[daimlerman]

Roof panel is 'just' a skin,the strength comes from the surrounding framework,pillars and cant rails.
So I can see no reason why a carbon fibre roof skin cannot be bonded on with out a roll cage.
A roll cage will stiffen the frame of the car,as well as helping with keeping the occupants alive in the event of an upside down moment,but is un-nessesary in a road car.

Your decision,therefore,will hinge around your desire to keep a sunroof,will a carbon fibre skin accommodate a sunroof?
New roof skins,complete with sunroofs,are still available....

[Idol]

Do they still sell roof skins?

[daimlerman]

Do they still sell roof skins?

Several zoner's have documented this,it's major surgery,but do-able given the skills and equipment.

[Idol]

Does the roof and tray not come as one and it's a case of chopping at the pillars and welding in the new?

[Simon13]

They're braized on, the seloc guys bought up the old stock of non sun roof skins years ago and where selling them off cheap.

Whether they have re made them i don't know.

Roof skin change isn't as bad you might think

[daimlerman]

Does the roof and tray not come as one and it's a case of chopping at the pillars and welding in the new?

No,as Simon writes,the skin is brazed to the frame.

It's not a DIY job,unless you are a skilled metalworker,but the skin attaches to the area within the gutter rails.Have a search,the name that comes to mind is 'Royal-Ratch',but others have photo's within the zone as well.

The initial problem seems to be that when the shells were assembled,the paint process on the interior was a bit 'hit or miss',the welded join between the underside of the roof skin and the sunroof cassette often seems to have missed a good douse of paint,condensation forms on the un-protected metal with the inevitable result.

[appletree]

Ratch did indead do the sunroof skin change, the new sunroof skin comes with the tray already bonded on, ratch also ordered a new sunroof tray which he obviously never needed and then sold it to BM-sport (my neighbor). I have spoke to the dealer who said they had no non sunroof skins left but could do a tray at £380+vat (tray only) I didn't ask how much a sunroof skin was or if they had any but would guess £1000+ +vat if the price of the tray anything to go by.

Simon do you know any contacts for the people who had the roof skins?

Pretty sure I'm going to go for a non sunroof skin in one way or another, l've got a non sunroof skin+frame off Jim to pick up soon.

[appletree]

Bit of an update spoke to cotteswold today at the non sunroof skin and sunroof tray are out of stock and NLA and will not be reproduced, however the sunroof skin is not in stock but in still available for £609 inc vat so might be an idea to tray and make my car useable by bonding in a sunroof blanking plate and ordering a roof from bmw as they said it could be a year+ before it was made, ive asked for some more information from them on time scale but this may seam like a good plan.

In the mean time I'm going to carry on and strip the non sunroof skin I will hopefully pick up off jim on friday so that fitting that would still be an option.

[Idol]

Pricey! Is yours too far gone to remove the rust with a flapper disk and etch prime?

[appletree]

Above the drivers head yes the rest not so bad.


I thought £609 inc vat was good considering they are 20+ years old, bet bmw is one of the few manufacturers who still stock large panels for old cars and would be prepared to remanufacture them.

[daimlerman]

Above the drivers head yes the rest not so bad.


I thought £609 inc vat was good considering they are 20+ years old, bet bmw is one of the few manufacturers who still stock large panels for old cars and would be prepared to remanufacture them.

Any discount on that price?

Just £35 to BMWCC will get you at least 10%,or at least £60 off....

[appletree]

Had a call back from BMW today regards more details on the likely lead time on the sun roof skin, when they make some more and was told..... they've decided that the sunroof skin will now also no longer be reproduced and have updated the system so now if anyone asks it should show NLA.

So I'm back to either fitting the carbon roof or the NON sunroof skin I picked up from Jim today, either way it looks like the days of having a sunroof are numbered...

[daimlerman]

Better start looking for an air con kit!

[appletree]

Better start looking for an air con kit!

Lol minor issue in the way that the rotrex is where the pump goes and the intercooler is where the aircom rad goes maybe if the S54 goes in though who knows but I doubt it.

What I am looking for though is a black non sunroof head lining....