Sunroof delete

[V4_guy]

What's the simplest way of deleting a sunroof on a 900? I'm not particularly concerned about appearance, I just want to put my rallycross 900 on a diet. I'm thinking just pulling out the whole assembly and then welding the cover in at the corners and sealing the perimeter of it with some kind of sealer. Would this be the way to go about it?

[SwedeSport]

Pop rivet a sheet of aluminum over the hole, and do a vinyl graphic wrap like the VW crowd.

I got lucky and found a roof without one and cut out a section. I welded it in, but it took a fair amount of bondo to get it smooth though.

Unless someone wants to make kevlar roof panels...

[simo96]

I did this with my red v4 rally car, it had a full length Webesto sunroof. I cut a roof off a rotten car then cut the piece out that I required leaving 1/2" extra round the edge. I then joggled the panel and punched holes for plug welding around the edge of the sun roof on the car. The roof was plug welded and the small gap filled with filler, the inside was sealed with seam sealer.

[V4_guy]

I'm kind of liking this method, not pretty but effective:

http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/projec ... of-delete/

[87 n/a]

This is on my to-do list also. Have another section of C900 roof metal on standby. Was thinking I was going to weld it in, but the seam sealer/rivet method looks soooo much easier. Maybe I will do a hybrid of the 2 with a couple of plug welds.

[Crazyswede]

I had a thought on the sunroof delete the other day....not sure if it would be legal for race sanctioning bodies.

Something like this:

1. remove inner sunroof assembly
2. cut piece of foam matching upper void in roof so that foam seals hole.
3. use fiberglass, or carbon, or kevlar to laminate foam inside and out to roof.
4. paint to match color of roof.

Result is lightweight durable sealed roof...not sure if it would fly for a sanctioning body though as many require full metal roof...but I think some allow a carbon roof?

[V4_guy]

I wonder if it could be done by just by fabricating brackets to hold the outer panel in place and the somehow sealing the gap. Probably not good enough for a stage rally car but good enough for rallycrossing.

Something like this:

http://www.mx6.com/forums/1g-mx6-other- ... vings.html

I had a thought on the sunroof delete the other day....not sure if it would be legal for race sanctioning bodies.

Something like this:

1. remove inner sunroof assembly
2. cut piece of foam matching upper void in roof so that foam seals hole.
3. use fiberglass, or carbon, or kevlar to laminate foam inside and out to roof.
4. paint to match color of roof.

Result is lightweight durable sealed roof...not sure if it would fly for a sanctioning body though as many require full metal roof...but I think some allow a carbon roof?

[Crazyswede]

[quote="V4_guy"]I wonder if it could be done by just by fabricating brackets to hold the outer panel in place and the somehow sealing the gap. Probably not good enough for a stage rally car but good enough for rallycrossing.

Something like this:

http://www.mx6.com/forums/1g-mx6-other- ... vings.html

Thats how my old 99 rallycross car was. there were four tabs welded to the inside of the roof holding the stock sunroof panel in place. The gap was just sealed with lots of silicon. it was ugly but worked.

[airsweden]

I used the skin off the sunroof door, welded 6-8 tabs around the edge to span the gap between it and the roof. Then I filled the the gap with liquid nails. Since some paint was burned off in the process, I spayed the whole deal with some rattlecan white to hide my tracks. No leaks and no questions for about 8 years.

[Crazyswede]

I have done some comparisons on the different body styles and I am pretty sure that the 4 door, the notchback, and the hatchback all share the same roof. The C pillars are different but the actual roof panel is the same on all of the cars..which makes sense from a manufacturing point of view. So you could put a 3 door roof on a 2 door car.

[SwedeSport]

Someone with a non sunroof car should just pull a mold and make some carbon fiber roof replacements. Leave a small flange at the drip rails, front and back, then just bond the new roof skin onto the car.

[simo96]

Then you will find out how good saab spot welds are! Its alot easier to fill the sunroof area than replace the roof skin. Just think about how your repair will stand up to a roll. If the panel is riveted on I think you would need it riveting so it is mounted to the outside of the roof panel. There is a very good chance the panel could come loose and you wouldn't want it floating around your head in a roll.

[SwedeSport]

I have seen carbon roof replacements on other race cars. Carbon fiber is as strong as, if not stronger that a piece of sheet metal. Plus it reduces weight up high in the car. The adhesives that one would use to glue a panel to the car are pretty strong.

Some carbon fiber roof treatments (tuner style) are just cosmetic, but if the carbon is laminated the right way, I would not be afraid of it in a roll, especially if you have a proper roll cage.

[Geoff]

The gap was just sealed with lots of silicon. it was ugly but worked.

Except in the rain But of course that car had been rolled. Some better sealant would probably cure the leaking problems. Josh seems to always be playing with Liquid Nails. There must be something special in it...

Carbon roof replacement?

[simo96]

I wouldnt take the chance of bonding it in, I have seen some pretty big crashes which will bend the cage and crisp packet the roof. That's the day which tests out how strong you built the car and can be the difference between walking away or not.
Just look for the photo of Per Eklunds orange v4 rolled in a ditch, the roof is flat with the top of the doors and that was with a roll hoop with the stronger roof of a 96.