Sunroof deleting on Mk1b

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Chown
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Joined: Thu Jul 09, 2009 1:11 pm
Location: Worcestershire

Sunroof deleting on Mk1b

Post by Chown »

Hi,

I'm planning on removing the sunroof to save weight on my track car and just wanted to ask if the steel subframe comes out easily? There appears to be several plates linking it to the sides of the roof, but if you look around the gutter of the sunroof it appears to be sealed to the roof. Are there spot welds to remove or is it just bonded into place?

Thanks for your help

Regards

Christian
Tiamat
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Re: Sunroof deleting on Mk1b

Post by Tiamat »

The sunroof unclips from the car anyway.

Open the sunroof but don't lock it up.

Find the two metal hinge parts either side of the handle, that clip into the normal roof, that are basically the hinge.

Squeeze them in and the pull down and they will release from the roof.

You should now be able to stand by the car, one hand underneath to push roof up and then be able to pull the roof out.

Its designed to do that and to clip under the frunk.
I am going to live forever, or die trying!
Chown
Posts: 18
Joined: Thu Jul 09, 2009 1:11 pm
Location: Worcestershire

Re: Sunroof deleting on Mk1b

Post by Chown »

Hi,

Thanks for your reply, but iwas going to permenantly remove the glass panel and its subframe and cover the hole up with an aluminium plate as per the race cars i've seen

Sorry to confuse!

regards

Christian
LimeyMk1
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Re: Sunroof deleting on Mk1b

Post by LimeyMk1 »

I believe there are spot welds to remove, once you take the headlining out it should be fairly obvious where they need to be ground out.

Phil (Kaiowas) and Vix may be able to help on the technicalities of removing the framework. :thumleft:
kaiowas
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Re: Sunroof deleting on Mk1b

Post by kaiowas »

Limeymk1 wrote:I believe there are spot welds to remove, once you take the headlining out it should be fairly obvious where they need to be ground out.

Phil (Kaiowas) and Vix may be able to help on the technicalities of removing the framework. :thumleft:


Sorry, been meaning to reply to this properly all week. The tray is just bonded to the roof skin as you said (Uses the same, foam like, black stuff that used on the bootlid, bonnet and engine cover to attach the webbing to the outer skin). To remove it you'll need to drill out the spot welds front and rear where the brackets attach to the header rails then cut the roof skin around the edge of the sunroof aperture with a grinder. At this point the only thing holding the sunroof tray in will be the foam adhesive. With a bit of pulling this should break free.

I have still got the complete sunroof assembly lying in the garage from when I removed it and was meaning to get some pics to make things clearer.
Chown
Posts: 18
Joined: Thu Jul 09, 2009 1:11 pm
Location: Worcestershire

Re: Sunroof deleting on Mk1b

Post by Chown »

Thanks

Was exactly as you said. I covered it with a 1.2mm ally plate and rivetted in place

Hopefully worth a couple of seconds round the track! I wish!
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