not Webasto sunroof???

[Guest Steve E]

Well we are still no closer to solving the manufacturer.

 

Martin your roof is definitely a quality installation and a nice roof despite my reservations on the visor hinge quality (second opinion not even good enough for kitchen door hinges they look more like pre 1st world war suitcase hinges) The rest of the roof looks excellent though. Obviously I can't see what is underneath the headlining but given the clues Martin has provided this installation was done by a very experienced coachbuilder.

 

It is obvious a complete new headlining was specially made to match the sunroof lining material. This is evidenced by the lack of seams for the headlining cross support missing along the sides of the sunroof and the fact the material does not match the cars own visors yet is an exact match with the sunroof. I do recognise the grain in this material as one used by UK car manufacturers so I even wonder if the installation company probably even replicated the sunroofs inner lining too to create the match.

 

That would have been quite a big installation undertaken front and rear screens would also have to have been removed.

 

Matching the cars headlining to the sunroofs headlining was a logistical stock nightmare for manufacturers as the permutations with various colour outer skins, different interior head linings and different hole sizes soon increased stock holdings for the company.

 

That alongside matching foreign cars for a UK manufacturer often meant choices were limited for a good match and to me nothing looked worse than seeing an installation that was not a good material match.

 

I doubt very much this installation has not been done correctly but worry about the comment Martin made on having a crack welded at sometime. Most of the designs of these fabric roofs required supplemental flat metal steel bars to be fitted along the rear and front cut line extending into the cantrail* (*the area at the sides where the grab handles are located.....not sure what you call them in USA). These metal bars would be shaped and made to follow the car inner roof profile and be riveted or bolted to the cantrail to provide structural strength and support back into the cars metal roof. Some installation centres would make up their own and others could be obtained usually from the sunroof manufacturer which once again another stock item to have to cover ALL makes of cars and why the exact positioning of the sunroof frame could be critical. However as always there were some quick-fit 'cowboy' outfits who would just not fit these bars and this could result in stress fatigue cracks in the metal car roof skin eventually appearing at the corners.

 

One other observation is the mark at the front on the exterior vinyl of the ragtop just about above the drivers head. This looks like it is the protection felt above the sunroof headlining to keep any sharp or metal edges away from the interior of the exterior vinyl top. That just needs checking out and making sure it is not going to do any long term damage to the exterior surface with rubbing. It may have just got dislodged or the glue come away so a simple fix but protrusions like this can create a wearing issue. 

 

Now talking of logistical nightmares for manufacturing feasibility and stocking items here is a little brain teaser for you all. I will give you the answer in a couple of days.

 

Jaguar back in late 80's early 90's made and sold around the world 30,000 XJ40 saloon cars (not XJS) per year at the time. Bearing in mind it was a world wide car selling in many countries available LHD, RHD, and then the likes of Japan who took both variations all in different exterior colours or interior colours, the likes of Australia who would not allow tinted glass and all the other possible variations. Anyone like to guess how many possibilities/variations of the car could have been chosen/specified/ordered.........I will give you a starting clue....out of the build of 30,000 cars in a year it was quite possible that no one car built per annum was ever the same specification.

[martinsmith]

On 2/8/2018 at 10:25 AM, Guest David Balkwill said:

Thanks for your input Steve, I know you'd have some ideas, although the roof is still a mystery.

Did you notice that the handle is telescopic ? It seems to slide away inside the roof when in the locked position, so it would have passed safety standards since the handle is virtually flush.

I've looked at more recent roofs in the States and Brazil, but nothing looks like this one with the plastic corners. The hokk part of the mechanism does look like the Webasto or Golde ones though.

Interesting.

David what's your email... I seem to have an old one???...