What is the best way to delete a sunroof ?

[Xavier PJB]

Hi all,

I may think of deleting my sunroof on my 911, what would be the best way ?

Cheers
Xavier

[Flieger]

If you are concerned about value, the best way would be sell it and buy a non-sunroof car. Otherwise I would say bonding in a carbon/kevlar piece would be the best way, although some prefer welding in a steel panel. The welding will need to be done with care to prevent warping, but the carbon/kevlar panel may eventually show a seam where it is bonded in because it is different in stiffness and thermal expansion. Taking a whole roof section from a donor car gives the best finish, but it requires a lot more work.

[MTemp]

Hi all,

I may think of deleting my sunroof on my 911, what would be the best way ?

Cheers
Xavier

Talk to Chris Flavell at Fennlane Motorsport near Nuneaton in the UK. He makes panels shaped to be fitted into the aperture left by the delete.

http://www.imptechnic.co.uk/

Micj

[boba]

If being done for cosmetic reasons, a fill panel will do the trick. If being done for performance reasons a replacement roof panel would be the way to do it. A CF panel would be the lightest, if allowed by rules within your governing sanctioning body. For a street driven car without a cage a steel panel would be indicated.

[ejboyd5]

Hi all, I may think of deleting my sunroof on my 911, what would be the best way ? Cheers, Xavier

Sell the car to someone who would love to have a sunroof and buy a new car for yourself.

[raspy2point2]

+1 on ejboyd5 post

[chris_seven]

I have to disagree with Max's comments about bonding in a composite replacement.

The problem is that when you try to do this there is no real way to create any tension across the joint and the entire panel will tend to 'oil can' with vertical acceleration and this is why they always crack on the edges

When you spot weld a shaped panel with an overlap joint into place there is a small amount of shrinkage and this creates a small tension
into the skin roof and keeps the panel stable.

By carefully wheeling the panel to a specific shape the shrinkage makes the roof curve to the correct degree and means that the skin behaves in the same manner as the standard steel roof.

The curvature of the roof is the same in both planes and we make a gauge that allows the profile to be easily checked.

We have been making/fitting these panels for about 7 years now and have had good long term success with Race/Rally and Road car conversions.

[Xavier PJB]

Thanks, the purpose of the car is intensive track days, roll cage is a four point screwed (not welded).

After seeing the comments, I would go to delete it. however wonder which material I gonna use : Steel, Fbg, Carbon...
I am not willing to remove the whole steel ceiling I would rather go "filling the hole".

Xavier

[73-T]

I have to disagree with Max's comments about bonding in a composite replacement.

The problem is that when you try to do this there is no real way to create any tension across the joint and the entire panel will tend to 'oil can' with vertical acceleration and this is why they always crack on the edges

When you spot weld a shaped panel with an overlap joint into place there is a small amount of shrinkage and this creates a small tension
into the skin roof and keeps the panel stable.

By carefully wheeling the panel to a specific shape the shrinkage makes the roof curve to the correct degree and means that the skin behaves in the same manner as the standard steel roof.

The curvature of the roof is the same in both planes and we make a gauge that allows the profile to be easily checked.

We have been making/fitting these panels for about 7 years now and have had good long term success with Race/Rally and Road car conversions.

Hello. Who and where is we? Sincere thanks.

[MTemp]

See my post 3 above.