Need a roof fix, any ideas?

[agressivedsm]

Ok, well this is my first post in years. I just got back into another dsm and its a 95 tsi awd hardtop..... Or at least it was. Previous owner put an aftermarket sunroof in. Motor went out so he glued it shut. Sold it to someone else who didnt know it was aftermarket, ( see where this is going ) so he bought a 99 oem sunroof and gave it to me when i bought the car (at night, it was a craigslist deal). I later figured it all out.
Ok, now the real problem. The after market roof is bigger than the oem roof. So..... Im brainstorming for roof ideas and was hoping some people could post some roofs they have to help me form a plan. Targa? Rollback? T tops? Snap on canvas? Huge sunroofs? What do ya got? Thanks guys!

 

[LeeSD1]

Theres a thread somewhere on the forums of a guy who riveted a thick sheet of carbon fiber to the top of the car to replace the stock sunroof. It may look odd but it didnt look too bad. Personally I would bring it to a body shop that welds sheet metal and just have then weld in some sheet metal to the top with a couple support braces under it like factory roof and be done with the sunroof just so you know it wont be leaking on you.

 

[agressivedsm]

I googled eclipse roof and saw a pic of a red 2gb with a vinyl carbon fiber wrap. It was sexy as hell. It would be an option if i did just seal it up.

 

[turboglenn]

Well, with there being an aftermarket in there and it being larger than stock you're gonna need a sheet metal guy either way as well as a body man (usually one does both), the easiest and cheapest solution is to buy a roof skin at the j/y, remove the sun assembly all together and sell both the OEM and AFtermarket units on CL or the Web, then convert it to hard top instead of trying to install a constantly leaking 11" rectangle into a 13" round hole

Other than that if you want OEM, but used roof and cut it at the pillars and weld in a new one meant fo the OEM roof, but personallly I would have to see what your workign with to make a real judgement call, got any pics of the installed roof with the OEM next to it or on top to show how different they are?? sunroofs always leak once changed if you don't toss in 2 tubes of window weld and wait 24 hours before driving

 

[agressivedsm]

So i came across another plan. Probably best yet. There is an auto trim design shop here. They actually carry that line of sunroofs. Turns out there is a major recall on some of them depending on serial number. Bummer is i have to remove it to get the number off. So i maybe able to just fix whats in there at little cost. New motor new seal. Its gonna suck cutting the glue out to remoe the roof though, blah.

 

[turboglenn]

So i came across another plan. Probably best yet. There is an auto trim design shop here. They actually carry that line of sunroofs. Turns out there is a major recall on some of them depending on serial number. Bummer is i have to remove it to get the number off. So i maybe able to just fix whats in there at little cost. New motor new seal. Its gonna suck cutting the glue out to remoe the roof though, blah.

well, at least you possibly have a simpler solution than we thought last night , as for the still fated part about removing the glue, just take that as your welcoming to the wonderfull world of wrenching on a DSM, remember, if it isn't breaking down it hasn't been made fast enough yet

People are often surprised at the duffle bag of tools in my trunk to which i comment, "i gotta carry a good array of tools, I drive a DSM" the only people who understand it or even get it enough to smile are those who own DSM's or have been around me ot another fast DSM owner long enough to know what i mean, not that they are junk but that when you get to a certain level of fast thgere's always something needing done on them (hell all cars reallu)

Kinda takes me to the sayings "if it';s not leaking oil it's not a real Harley" (coming from harley owners)

As well as the USAF saying ......"if our planes aren't leaking hydraulic fluid that means they're empty" (that one kinda puts a scare in me though )

 

[agressivedsm]

Haha nice one glenn. Well up here in montana all the hicks the diesels says, "if it aint smokin its brokin" but yea i went in to get my rear hatch glass tinted and it just sorta came up. So glad it did too. Life saver. I have had this talon for about five weeks and already replaced the starter, alternator and entire exhaust. You should see all the little oil spots from my oil sender, . Plus all the mods in my profile, it was a virgin car. And yes, i too have a decent toolbag in the trunk at all times.

 

[Firegst]

I googled eclipse roof and saw a pic of a red 2gb with a vinyl carbon fiber wrap. It was sexy as hell. It would be an option if i did just seal it up.

If you like this look then I believe the car you are talking about is Corey's..gofer on the forums. I know how you feel in that if it's there you want it to work but being that it doesn't work your. It using it anyways. Either Go a glass shop and measure your sunroof and find a replacement or weld/fill and wrap like you said. Money will be about the same I think being that a wrap cost around $200-$250, plus the weld/fill. So say $350, when you take it to a glass or body shop they will more than likely charge the same minus labor.

 

[agressivedsm]

If you like this look then I believe the car you are talking about is Corey's..gofer on the forums. I know how you feel in that if it's there you want it to work but being that it doesn't work your. It using it anyways. Either Go a glass shop and measure your sunroof and find a replacement or weld/fill and wrap like you said. Money will be about the same I think being that a wrap cost around $200-$250, plus the weld/fill. So say $350, when you take it to a glass or body shop they will more than likely charge the same minus labor.

Well im am going to try to fix it first. I have to cut the glue to get the roof out and get the serial numbers off the sunroof. Then i will know if i can get a new seal and motor. If so im gonna have auto trim install it. If they cant fix it, i got a couple other ideas.

 

[Steve93Talon]

We deleted the sunroof on my friend's car awhile ago, it was pretty simple.

1- cut the roof out
2 - make a mold of a solid roof car
3 - trim the molded piece to about 1" larger than the hole all around
4 - use a router to cut a receiving groove so that the top of the panel sits flush with the roof skin
5 - use panel bond to attach the new panel
6 - skim with filler, sand, paint (or just vinyl wrap it)

 

[agressivedsm]

Thanks for the tip man. Cool pics too. I will definatly keep this as my backup

 

[NWHTanK]

Seams like alot of work. Should have just replaced the roof with a salvage yard unit .