Sunroof retrofit.

[Guest Anonymous]

I am looking at a car without a sunroof. Saw a car listed on Ebay some months ago where an original sunroof was installed. Can we get some comments on the pros and cons and maybe some idea of costs and any other issues.

[Kidasters]

I was delighted when I found my 02 without a sunroof. I know lots of people like them, but:

They can leak

They are another point from which rust can start

The drain tubes can cause problems

and did I mention they can leak?

I know lots of 02er's out there like them, but that's one thing I didn't want to deal with.

Honestly - I think it's more of a personal preference issue - get what ya want!

Ken

[Mike Self]

on a car without a sunroof than the other way 'round, but the latter is possible...

Actually 2002 sunroofs are pretty troublefree. They rarely leak unless the drains are allowed to clog (easily remedied), work smoothly if lubricated periodically, and the problem with the rear drain tubes is easily fixed. All in all, they're little trouble and lots o' fun, IMHO...and makes the car worth more...

cheers

mike

[TobyB]

The only real way to do it reasonably is to just chop the roof and

swap it.

They leak.

When you least expect it-

and when they do, you're up to your as# in water.

it sucks.

Jenn doesn't always clean her drains.

I vacuumed out 2 gallons after the last big rain.

Now, an almost pristine car smells strongly of mold.

Did I mention they leak?

t

[BarryA]

The only real way to do it reasonably is to just chop the roof and swap it.

cussed in several threads - can probably find them them though a search.

Almost certainly the best way to install a factory sunroof on a non-sunroof car is to swap the outer roof skin. Grossly oversimplified, the swap is accomplished by drilling out and cutting the spot welds that attach the non sunroof skin to the inner roof structure and removing it, cutting the inner structure away from the sunroof skin and its bracing and removing it from the inner structure (being VERY careful not to bend it), then fitting the sunroof skin to the inner structure and front and rear windshield openings on the non-sunroof car and replicating the welds that held the sunroof skin to the inner structure on the donor car.

The major advantage in doing the job this way is that the basic body structure is never compromised. Cutting the roof posts on a unit body car requires doing a significant amount of bracing of the body structure before cutting - otherwise, the body will flex or bend through the door openings (even IF the car a solid, rust free example - if it's got structural rust, it may completely collapse when the roof is cut off). A secondary advantage is that running sunroof drain tubes through the uncut pillars is MUCH easier than trying to thread them past the welds in posts that have been cut.

[TobyB]

Oof-

Barry- that's a LOT of work!

And there's the possibility (probibility) of panel warpage...

certainty of rust... and the possibility of actually distorting the

body anyway (although, you'd have to work at that.

Although, I really won't argue that you have to support and brace the PISS out

of the car when you cut, and measure and measure and cross- measure

before you cut, after you cut, before you weld, as you're welding...

it's not (as I may have implied) a 20- minute job. More like a multi- week job...

And frankly, since we live in the land of less rust, I'd never do it-

there are good enough shells of both flavors around here that if I

felt strongly about having a sunroof, I'd get a sunroof shell...

If I wanted to DELETE a sunroof, though, (and I might...)

I'd have no qualms about cutting a 'patch panel' out of a solid roof

and filling the hole. Different job, though...

t

[Bill_Riblett]

Toby,

It need not be as complicated as you described. Look at Bill Williams Pikachu 2 in the project blogs. He and his son Evan transplanted a sunroof from a parts car. I doubt anyone could tell now that it was done.

[Artcop]

Toby,

It need not be as complicated as you described. Look at Bill Williams Pikachu 2 in the project blogs. He and his son Evan transplanted a sunroof from a parts car. I doubt anyone could tell now that it was done.

 

Hi- I found this thread after searching for the topic via Google. I did a search locally for the above build and got 404. Does anyone have any idea what would have happened to the article?

[Doug Riparetti]

There is a "76" sun roof car at a junk yard in Watsonville, Diaz Auto Wreckers. I was there this morning, I bought the center consul out of it

[Koblenz]

I will trade you my sunroof.  In Florida they have no future.  Slicktop would be my choice.  Sadly I have a sun (colander) roof.

[Gordon]

My former 2002 had no sunroof and my 02 parts car did. Took a sawzall to the parts car and chopped off the roof clip, The 02 was going into the paint shop so that was the time to do the sunroof conversion. Invested in some new windshield gaskets, new headliner. and some new sunroof hoses. The 02 went to the body shop, the no sunroof clip was cut off and the sunroof clip was welded on. From there it went to the paint booth. After the paint shop, the rear sunroof drain hoses were routed through the rear wheel well and I punched holes up front about the same place as the factory sunroof drain hoses exit the body in the front wheel well.  I lived in SoCal at the time and my sunroof seemed to be always open, I have no regrets about swapping roof clips.  A properly aligned sunroof with good gaskets won't leak.  I had water in my car all the time after a rain storm prior to the sunroof clip swap due to leaky window gaskets. After the conversion, new gaskets and no more water in the car.   Now my tii has no sunroof, I do miss the sunroof.

[vinntagejoe]

I like me sunroof :0

[Doug Riparetti]

I like my sun roof too

[jdeitch]

I have a automatic roundie sunroof project car for sale. PM me if interested

Edited May 7, 2014 by jdeitch

[2002dean]

I specifically wanted no sunroof and would not buy one with a sunroof. But that's just my tastes.