Sunroof Removal

[buster205 0]

hi all

 

is it possible to remove sunroof and weld up the hole ? it's not an original s/roof, it's a solar slide ? i think i'm right in saying the hole is quite a bit smaller than the hole with oe sunroof. Can it be mig welded up without warping the roof ?

 

cheers

 

Ste

[EdCherry 34 1 Cars]

The roof is a bit thin, might be hard to do, havn't welded in all honesty so couldn't tell you.

[buster205 0]

The roof is a bit thin, might be hard to do, havn't welded in all honesty so couldn't tell you.

my bro-in-law is a welder so i'd get him to do it, but i was hoping someone had done it before, rather than finding out the hard way it can't be done !

 

cheers

 

Ste

[swordfish210 20]

The roof will warp like f*** if you weld it, the steels too thin. Get an aluminum plate cut and bond it in place.

[Cameron 16]

Yeah the biggest problem with welding it is that you'll never be able to do it without warping the roof.

[buster205 0]

The roof will warp like f*** if you weld it, the steels too thin. Get an aluminum plate cut and bond it in place.

 

would i be better cutting it oversized and bond it from the inside, then have it filled smooth and painted ? the only concern i've got is if the filler cracks if it flexes at all ........?

 

cheers

 

Ste

[Baz 421]

Thy really don't look that bad on the outside IMO.

[Cameron 16]

You'd need a LOT of filler too, and it would be very hard to get it to look straight.

[buster205 0]

You'd need a LOT of filler too, and it would be very hard to get it to look straight.

 

yeah just been out on my mtb and me mate said the same about the filler, but i would have thought you would only need enough filler to level it with roof skin which as stated in previous posts is very thin ? then again i'm better with the mechanical bits havn't got much of a clue when it comes to bodywork matters !

 

cheers

 

Ste

[toddydal 1]

with any welding its the heat that distorts things so the less heat the better,if the part your going to weld in is the exact shape for the hole it will be easier,when you have an exact fit you then want to tack the roof in all 4 corners and then the middle parts making sure you have the plate flush all the time to the roof,then continue to tack all the way round the roof till you have covered all the way round with tacks then grind all the tacks off andthen re- tack the bits that you have missed then grind off again and then fill,doing it this way will not distort it as much as if you try to do long runs of weld because that will cause to much heat and distort the roof to f*** then you will need s*itloads of filler

[buster205 0]

with any welding its the heat that distorts things so the less heat the better,if the part your going to weld in is the exact shape for the hole it will be easier,when you have an exact fit you then want to tack the roof in all 4 corners and then the middle parts making sure you have the plate flush all the time to the roof,then continue to tack all the way round the roof till you have covered all the way round with tacks then grind all the tacks off andthen re- tack the bits that you have missed then grind off again and then fill,doing it this way will not distort it as much as if you try to do long runs of weld because that will cause to much heat and distort the roof to f*** then you will need s*itloads of filler

 

i've found a n reg base model 205 in local scrappy, might see if the bloke will let me cut a chunk out of the roof to make a patch for mine, i'm now thinking of going down the bonding from the inside route, at least if i use a donor patch from a 205 roof the contours should be the same!

 

cheers for the advice

 

Ste

[BackStreetRacecars 3]

if you are especially good with gaswelding slowly do a nice gasweld along the seam and get someone to follow with a soaking wet rag. I have done this before with bodywork and it has worked well. But personally I'd bond it then have a stepped overlap and run rivets all the way round it'd look kinda lika a joint on a plane....awesome....

 

Another group buy on the sunroof plates anyone??

[buster205 0]

if you are especially good with gaswelding slowly do a nice gasweld along the seam and get someone to follow with a soaking wet rag. I have done this before with bodywork and it has worked well. But personally I'd bond it then have a stepped overlap and run rivets all the way round it'd look kinda lika a joint on a plane....awesome....

 

Another group buy on the sunroof plates anyone??

 

cheers for the info mate ! i think i'm right in presuming the main reason people want to do away with their sunroof is for track use ? (sorry if i'm wrong), the only reason i want rid of mine is because it's an aftermarket roof with dodgy/ugly rails on top and it vibrates like mad at certain revs ! really doin' my head in, so i want the finish to look pretty neat.

 

cheers

 

Ste

[BackStreetRacecars 3]

yeah i'd say motorsport too probably... maybe even just getting sick of poorly fitted leaky sunroofs!!!

[wardy18 33 1 Cars]

I need to do mine on the hillclimb pug, its got an ugly oversized section bonded and riveted on the outside at the moment and I hate it, looks tacky as s*it!

 

Best way I and my bro who has a bodyshop can think to do it is like what has been said, get a oversized plate then trace the exact size of your sunroof hole and then step the plate so when u bond it to the inside its sits completely flush on the outside, small amount of filler to finish and happy days

[buster205 0]

I need to do mine on the hillclimb pug, its got an ugly oversized section bonded and riveted on the outside at the moment and I hate it, looks tacky as s*it!

 

Best way I and my bro who has a bodyshop can think to do it is like what has been said, get a oversized plate then trace the exact size of your sunroof hole and then step the plate so when u bond it to the inside its sits completely flush on the outside, small amount of filler to finish and happy days

 

cheers mate nice one

 

Ste

[Cameron 16]

Its not the heat that does it, its the welds shrinking as they cool that pulls everything all over the place.

Get yourself a joggler.

[buster205 0]

Its not the heat that does it, its the welds shrinking as they cool that pulls everything all over the place.

Get yourself a joggler.

 

joggler ?

[andykandy205 0]

this might upset a few people with what has been done to the car but this started life with a sunroof then welded over and filler..

Once again im sorry what i did to the car i was very young....

 

Not the best pics but you can see first pic with sunroof second without.....

[buster205 0]

this might upset a few people with what has been done to the car but this started life with a sunroof then welded over and filler..

Once again im sorry what i did to the car i was very young....

 

Not the best pics but you can see first pic with sunroof second without.....

 

alright mate !

 

Did you weld up sunroof hole yourself ? how did you weld it ie- gas ,mig, tig?did the roof warp at all ?

 

cheers

 

Ste

[EdCherry 34 1 Cars]

to be honest, that car isnt bad mate! looks nice red, would change a few things myself but otherwise nice.

[Cameron 16]

A joggler is a handy tool that makes a lip in the edge of a panel so you can butt another one up to it and have a flush surface.

If you're going to get this done (it seems like you're pretty keen on it) then I'd take it to a bodyshop.

[marksorrento205 80]

If you are going to go to all this trouble why not just replace the roof skin with a non sunny one for just over £100 from pug? Sorry if this has been said already, I may have missed it. It might be a bit more work but at least you know you wont end up with a warped roof.

[buster205 0]

If you are going to go to all this trouble why not just replace the roof skin with a non sunny one for just over £100 from pug? Sorry if this has been said already, I may have missed it. It might be a bit more work but at least you know you wont end up with a warped roof.

 

i have been considering that option but when i had my front screen seal replaced a few weeks ago i noticed the roof seem is under the seal and if they don't get it spot on i could be plagued with leaks......(and touch wood i think i've just got the car watertight) !

 

cheers

 

Ste

[Tom Fenton 1,542]

Personally I would change the skin, making a good job of plating the hole is probably more work than changing the skin entirely.