Sunroof delete

[DJB350Z]

Hi

My GT6 has at some point had a 90s looking sunroof fitted. Whilst I could live with it I'd much prefer to have a solid, original looking roof.

I don't have the skills to fabricate a panel to fill it. The profile looks like it curves in both directions.

Seems everyone who's had a webasto fitted discarded the sheet they cut out. So, I was wondering is the profile of the spitfire hard top a good match?

It looks close but I'm only going on pictures I've seen online. Maybe somebody has done this before?

Thanks

[NonMember]

I don't think so, but I haven't closely compared them. It would need to be a roundtail one - the MkIV hardtop is definitely different - but I don't think the curvature changes the same way. It depends how big the sunroof you're removing is - mine has a hole where a Webasto-style one used to be (the front rail had rusted out under the badly torn vinyl) and the curves are rather complex over that length.

[Wagger]

1 hour ago, DJB350Z said:

Hi

My GT6 has at some point had a 90s looking sunroof fitted. Whilst I could live with it I'd much prefer to have a solid, original looking roof.

I don't have the skills to fabricate a panel to fill it. The profile looks like it curves in both directions.

Seems everyone who's had a webasto fitted discarded the sheet they cut out. So, I was wondering is the profile of the spitfire hard top a good match?

It looks close but I'm only going on pictures I've seen online. Maybe somebody has done this before?

Thanks

In 1997, an old guy, then aged 75, replaced a Webasto in my BMW 'Big Six' saloon. He did about two to three per day in the 1970's. The metal was always 'Binned' and the frame was really strong. An expert could 'Over skin' it but you will get corrosion between the adjacent surfaces. My Vitesse has a full 'Britax' sunroof. Driving with it open is way more fun than with it closed. I would have a proper period one put back in. Keeps the interior cooler too and GT6's are notoriously HOT on a Summer's day.

[Paul H]

Agree with Wagger . I’ve recently changed the sunroof top of my Vitesse Britax roof and wouldn’t be without it . The roof dimensions are likely to be the same . If you need advice / costings / suppliers let me know 

Paul

[DJB350Z]

1 hour ago, NonMember said:

I don't think so, but I haven't closely compared them. It would need to be a roundtail one - the MkIV hardtop is definitely different

I've seen 2 different versions of the hard top. One is flat and rounded and the other has two lines/edges running front to back. I guess the former is the roundtail one you mentioned.

What I have is a small sunroof, typical size of what you would get in a 90s hatchback. I think that's considerably smaller than a webasto type though I've never seen one in person.

I've read and understand the argument to retain a sunroof due to heat but my heart just prefers the clean unfussy original look.

Not sure I can find somebody I will trust to do a custom fab job on it that won't be out of my budget. I do appreciate the work involved will not be cheap.

[johny]

What about a real Webasto? Look a lot better while giving the full sunroof experience. They do come up second hand but are expensive mainly because new theyre mega expensive☹️

Ant on Wheeler Dealers replaced one with metal on a Datsun Celica and it needed skilled work with an English wheel to look correct....

[Paul H]

9 minutes ago, johny said:

What about a real Webasto? Look a lot better while giving the full sunroof experience. They do come up second hand but are expensive mainly because new theyre mega expensive☹️

Ant on Wheeler Dealers replaced one with metal on a Datsun Celica and it needed skilled work with an English wheel to look correct....

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/115657273343?

one if the pics shows it in a GT6 

Paul

[johny]

Nice, and will add some value to the car👍

[DanMi]

you could try the breakers, they may have a terminally rusty shell that the metal could be cut from as it is not a rust prone area.

 

[Josef]

Would be worth ringing around the breakers, someone might have a terminally rotten gt6 that could supply a chunk of roof for you. I think I’d be more concerned about being able to weld it in without horrible distortion than making the panel myself though!

[johny]

Yes Ant welded it in point by point, round and round, to avoid heat build up in any one place😳 Probably find the episode somewhere in the interweb...

[DJB350Z]

Unfortunately the webasto is just not my cup of tea so I guess I'll just have to see what comes up at the breakers if the spitfire hard top isn't an option.

[johny]

I think youre better off either finding a scrap GT6 trying the usual suspects or getting a panel made if you can get the right panel beater...

[KevinR]

When I needed a roof panel to fill in a Webasto sunroof hole in a GT6 roof, I put out a shout on the Fourm to see if anyone had a scrap roof available,  and @Graham C came up trumps with one.

The car that it was from had long departed, so no additional GT6's were sacrificed to fill in the hole in my car's roof.

I'm now teaching myself to TIG weld before starting to weld it in - bit by bit to avoid distortion.

 

 

 

[DJB350Z]

1 hour ago, johny said:

I think youre better off either finding a scrap GT6 trying the usual suspects or getting a panel made if you can get the right panel beater...

I agree. I'll get some estimates to fabricate a panel and see what comes back. As I said, I'm not dead against keeping the sunroof as it is but at least I can explore the options a bit more before I crack on with the bodywork as the weather warms up.

[iani]

8 hours ago, johny said:

Nice, and will add some value to the car👍

That's interesting, I had a Britax roof fitted to an e-type, it had exactly the opposite effect on the value there.

[johny]

Well I meant it should add value over a GT6 fitted with a glass sunroof and even more so on an E type in a similar situation😳

[Peter Truman]

My mate here has. Hollandia sun roof on his Sprint it a sliding glass panel that slides in runners/guides on the roof top/outside also a fixed deflector up front I think some Pugs had similar I quite like it, accepting the cars a classic and not used a lot in the rain but no leaks I know of.

[johny]

Yes its probably more practical but, although Im no fan of show queens, I think if your going to have a sunroof in one of our cars, its got to be a material type. Anything else just doesnt look right....

[PeteH]

Tilt/removable glass sunroof`s where a popular addition to 80`s/90`s cars. SWMBO`s Vittese (XGH465G) had a full length Webasto. Shown as being Sorned, but not seen light of day since 2012.

Pete

[68vitesse]

5 hours ago, Peter Truman said:

My mate here has. Hollandia sun roof on his Sprint it a sliding glass panel that slides in runners/guides on the roof top/outside also a fixed deflector up front I think some Pugs had similar I quite like it, accepting the cars a classic and not used a lot in the rain but no leaks I know of.

Sounds similar to the roof on a 309 I owned back in the late eighties,  the seals were inflated and deflated when the handle was used.

Regards

Paul.

 

 

[Brooky]

After my GT6 is finished, I've a mini in waiting to do, same thing though a sunroof hole that I hate. Anyway I'll just make a panel, they're not massive holes, use butt clamps all way round and take time mig welding and using a wet rag to stop distortion, bit by bit, same as I did on the full front roof edge of my GT6. 

Inevitably it will require a skim of filler then epoxy primer and high build 2k primer but results are good.

[PeteH]

Never really had any aversion to "sunroofs", beyond the fact they can cause issues with leaks, I`ve had Factory options in a few cars over the years. Biggest issues are usually down to drainage and not keeping the drains clear. To some extent I`d rather have a sunroof than air con, plays less havoc with the old sinuses, and is less hassle than opening windows.

Maybe the answer is 2 cars Saloon and convertible👍

Pete

[Wagger]

Sunroofs can be 'Achilles Heels' if they allow water in, more so with 'Moderns'. I once had a 2005 full estate car with a powered double panoramic roof. All of the drain exits had blocked and the whole floor had flooded at some time before I obtained it. The electronics were in the boot under the 'Skinny spare' and had been flooded.

I obtained the car cheap but it took me six months to make most things work again. I began by removing all of the floor drain plugs. I now do that on every car that I purchase.

Yes, my Vitesse has all of them removed. On a hot day, I open the roof fully, stand the car in full sun and let it 'Steam away'. Probably makes it dryer than one without a sunroof. They leak too and do not have this 'Facilty'.

My CV Vitesse in the 1970's always allowed more in than it let out. I have never wanted a full CV since. A webasto is the best all rounder.

[DJB350Z]

7 hours ago, PeteH said:

Never really had any aversion to "sunroofs", beyond the fact they can cause issues with leaks, I`ve had Factory options in a few cars over the years. Biggest issues are usually down to drainage and not keeping the drains clear. To some extent I`d rather have a sunroof than air con, plays less havoc with the old sinuses, and is less hassle than opening windows.

Maybe the answer is 2 cars Saloon and convertible👍

Pete

My old MK2 MR2 had a glass T-bar roof that leaked on me every time it rained. It's not fun getting a hair wash nor climbing into the puddle that accumulated in the bucket seat.. though my GT6 is garaged and will likely not be taken out in the rain anyway..