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What is the forum take on this. I have a manual sunroof. Whole thing weighs maybe 5lbs?
The body is in great shape, and to weld the panel back in place would require marring it all up.
I’m caught between just going ahead and doing it, saving myself a few bucks, and realizing this is a race car and I should be concerned about 5lbs. on the top of the car.
What say you?
It’s not the motor that makes the sunroof heavy. After you take it out you’re gonna remember your 5lbs estimate and laugh.
Just went through this last year - I too had manual sunroof. It’s not the panel nor the “mechanism” that has considerable weight - It’s the sunroof carrier where the sunroof slides into.
All told, I’m betting a good 15lbs. And that 15lbs is located about the worst place it could be.
There are a few write ups lurking around on removal (R3VLimted) and it is a pain in the arse.
But, if you’ll be racing seriously - say the Northeast or Mid Atlantic - I wouldn’t bother with it B)
Oh, 15lbs. eh?
That is a completely different story.
Definitely is a pain in the arse to take out!
Hell, I’m just trying to finish taking out the damn headliner. And I am NOT removing the windshield. I’ll cut wheel off that thing before I remove the window gaskets just to take a headliner out.
The sunroof cassette and the accompanying parts probably weight 35-40 pounds total. Remove it all, you will thank yourself when you get the cage installed.
Go ahead and remove that windshield and both rear side windows when you get the cage done!! It will make re-installation of the dash and painting a lot easier. Just make sure the main hoop does not get in the way of re-installation of the rear windows.
Foglght wrote:
[quote]Ranger wrote:
I haz no motor?[/quote]
You said you have a manual sunroof. If so, you have a sunroof crank, not a sunroof motor. You “haz” no motor.
Ranger wrote:
[quote]Foglght wrote:
[quote]Ranger wrote:
I haz no motor?[/quote]
You said you have a manual sunroof. If so, you have a sunroof crank, not a sunroof motor. You “haz” no motor.[/quote]
Yeah, I read that whole thing wrong. I need a nap, or just to leave work. :S
Foglght wrote:
Do you want a great looking car or a Spec E30? You can have one or the other, but not both.
Sooner or later you’ll give up on worrying about it too much. I know I have.
Matt
Ok, so I have most of the sunroof out. Last part is the guides and the cables. Easy way to get those out? I could probably just cut a small notch in the sheet metal, but i’d rather not.
I was going to try and sell everything off the car if I could. Cutting the cables kind of negates that. Selling some of this stuff is the difference between having a SE30 car or a PTE car.
Ok, so the sunroof is out. I was talking with the cage builder, and we were discussing whether or not it was legal to remove the lower sheet metal cartridge to facilitate a higher cage mounting?
All that is required, per the rules, is that the sunroof opening be covered with metal. That can be the original panel (sans inner skin), or it can be a piece of sheet metal applied to the roof of the car. Or anything in between.
9.3.13.25. The sunroof cassette mechanism may be removed so long as a replacement panel
is either securely sealed (welded/bonded) or secured in place with retaining clips as
specified in the CCR.
9.3.13.25.1. The panel shall be flush with the roofline and of the same material as original.
A thin sheet that follows the contour of the stock roof, and is secured to the stock
roof is acceptable.
I haz not explained the right way. Will try again. Sorry for the confusion.
The thin sheetmetal that holds the rails for the sunroof. I’d say there is about 2 inches of space there, where the cage could be moved up for saftey sake.
I was reading about it a few weeks ago on the grassroots website, where they were trying to fab the cage.
Removing that part of the roof is the whole point of originally removing the sunroof. Cut away my friend. Most people remove it to tuck the cage up more. There is a good thread about removing it on e30tech.com if you haven’t seen it.