Interior/Exterior Sunroof Delete - Has Anyone Done It Before?
Banned
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,123
Likes: 0
From: Greater Chicagoland. Ich Bin Ein Midwesterner!!!
You asked for it, here are the details. I spoke with Bob (dad) from Proglasswindows.com for the quote.
Here is the deal. Keep in mind that this is the best mar resistant formable material that GE makes, (the only stuff they work with.) The part will be trimmed and ready to be dropped into the car. (customer must have a way to secure it and seal it up.) It will be a single piece, no more dual glass, and would not open.
1/8" Clear -- $395.00
1/8" Tinted (bronze) -- $475.00
Here is the deal. Keep in mind that this is the best mar resistant formable material that GE makes, (the only stuff they work with.) The part will be trimmed and ready to be dropped into the car. (customer must have a way to secure it and seal it up.) It will be a single piece, no more dual glass, and would not open.
1/8" Clear -- $395.00
1/8" Tinted (bronze) -- $475.00
Banned
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,123
Likes: 0
From: Greater Chicagoland. Ich Bin Ein Midwesterner!!!
Drill holes in the Lexan. Drill out and tap the sheet metal (there wil be enough somewhere under there in the corners.) Use a BUTTON head machine screw, (If you use tapered screws the part WILL fail.)
The seal is on you. I am not going to rip my car apart so see how it would be done. You could leave the gutters there to carry the water away or you could seal the entire opening. It is up to you.
The seal is on you. I am not going to rip my car apart so see how it would be done. You could leave the gutters there to carry the water away or you could seal the entire opening. It is up to you.
1st Gear
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 26
Likes: 0
strikes me the lexan replacement will be more expensive than just re-skinning the roof.
a re-skinned roof will add rigidity too, whereas the lexan will probably reduce it.
Interesting idea, but it'll need to be cheaper to be commercially viable.
a re-skinned roof will add rigidity too, whereas the lexan will probably reduce it.
Interesting idea, but it'll need to be cheaper to be commercially viable.
Banned
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,123
Likes: 0
From: Greater Chicagoland. Ich Bin Ein Midwesterner!!!
Yes, it is not cheap because of the material used. You could pick up Lexan from Home Depot but then you won't be able to get the curve into it. We ONLY use GE mar-resistant formable Lexan. Forming it is the only way you will ever get the part to have the correct contour. If you take the plastic and just cold bend it it may fit the X and Y but then it will not fit correctly the Z axis.
I was just putting the pricing out there, Dad thought I was crazy and I told him that I didn't really expect to sell any.
I was just putting the pricing out there, Dad thought I was crazy and I told him that I didn't really expect to sell any.
3rd Gear
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 158
Likes: 0
From: Toronto
so... an update from my laboratory.
my goal was to replace the large sliding glass with a lightwieght replacement.
i tried one made from fiberglass.... that didnt work. its was just as heavy as the glass.
then i made one from lexan... very promising. the first version fit perfect on the x and y but not in the z. the second version has yet to be made but has been brainstormed and isnt far from completion. its substantially lighter than the OEM glass.
at the track ive just taken the glass completely out. the difference is amazing. handling and turn-in are dramatically improved.
my goal was to replace the large sliding glass with a lightwieght replacement.
i tried one made from fiberglass.... that didnt work. its was just as heavy as the glass.
then i made one from lexan... very promising. the first version fit perfect on the x and y but not in the z. the second version has yet to be made but has been brainstormed and isnt far from completion. its substantially lighter than the OEM glass.
at the track ive just taken the glass completely out. the difference is amazing. handling and turn-in are dramatically improved.
4th Gear
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 540
Likes: 0
From: Morristown, NJ
(I'll just shutup and leave now.)
im currently on tour with rob zombie and ozzy osbourne, and therefore unable to progress on the lightweight sunroof replacement.
so... mr cooper gear.... if you can create a molded contoured lexan....which fits correctly, we may be able to collaborate...
making the brackets and the weatherproofing was the easy part for me... it was the contouring which proved difficult. youve made a "plug" which replaces the whole sunroof, correct? do you think you could make one sized specifically for the front glass only?
the rear glass is fused into the frame... i dont want to mess with that right now.
so... mr cooper gear.... if you can create a molded contoured lexan....which fits correctly, we may be able to collaborate...
making the brackets and the weatherproofing was the easy part for me... it was the contouring which proved difficult. youve made a "plug" which replaces the whole sunroof, correct? do you think you could make one sized specifically for the front glass only?
the rear glass is fused into the frame... i dont want to mess with that right now.
Last edited by Samtrak; Dec 15, 2007 at 04:05 PM.
4th Gear
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 585
Likes: 0
From: Somewhere that no longer exists
I might be interested in front only piece as well. I dont want to loose functionality tho.
Beecher
Beecher
Last edited by Beecher; Dec 15, 2007 at 05:20 PM. Reason: i wish i would type what i think, and not radome sound alike words
5th Gear
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 845
Likes: 0
Banned
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,123
Likes: 0
From: Greater Chicagoland. Ich Bin Ein Midwesterner!!!
Samtrak,
The price would be about 1/3 less if you were to go with the front only but the weight savings would be almost nothing. Glass from cars in the 1950's was SUPER thick so the lexan came to about 1/3 the weight of glass. The sunroof glass in the MINI is SO thin that to just replace the front section and leave all the guts in there and have a functioning roof would not be worth it at all. My guess is that you would save 10 Lbs at best. I could think of a bunch of places to loose 10 lbs in a MINI. Also, the glass is glued to the frame. The mar resistant lexan will not be able to be glued in the same as the factory glass.
The windows we sell are lighter than glass but the Main reason that we are in business is driver safety. The weight savings are an extra bonus.
If you really wanted to do this we would work with you but I really don't see the value for the $$$.
The price would be about 1/3 less if you were to go with the front only but the weight savings would be almost nothing. Glass from cars in the 1950's was SUPER thick so the lexan came to about 1/3 the weight of glass. The sunroof glass in the MINI is SO thin that to just replace the front section and leave all the guts in there and have a functioning roof would not be worth it at all. My guess is that you would save 10 Lbs at best. I could think of a bunch of places to loose 10 lbs in a MINI. Also, the glass is glued to the frame. The mar resistant lexan will not be able to be glued in the same as the factory glass.
The windows we sell are lighter than glass but the Main reason that we are in business is driver safety. The weight savings are an extra bonus.
If you really wanted to do this we would work with you but I really don't see the value for the $$$.
so... an update from my laboratory.
my goal was to replace the large sliding glass with a lightwieght replacement.
i tried one made from fiberglass.... that didnt work. its was just as heavy as the glass.
then i made one from lexan... very promising. the first version fit perfect on the x and y but not in the z. the second version has yet to be made but has been brainstormed and isnt far from completion. its substantially lighter than the OEM glass.
at the track ive just taken the glass completely out. the difference is amazing. handling and turn-in are dramatically improved.
my goal was to replace the large sliding glass with a lightwieght replacement.
i tried one made from fiberglass.... that didnt work. its was just as heavy as the glass.
then i made one from lexan... very promising. the first version fit perfect on the x and y but not in the z. the second version has yet to be made but has been brainstormed and isnt far from completion. its substantially lighter than the OEM glass.
at the track ive just taken the glass completely out. the difference is amazing. handling and turn-in are dramatically improved.
3rd Gear
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 190
Likes: 0
From: Houston, TX
I have been contemplating a sunroof delete for some time, but haven't been able to find anything, until just now.
My idea was to remove every bit of the sunroof opening and put in a piece of lexan with a 1 inch lip that goes around the outer edge into the opening, so it can be bolted into the roof from inside the opening(would that be possible?), and using some sort of silicon sealant or any sealer around the outer edge to prevent leaks.
to solve the issue of structural strength I figured aluminum tubing or something welded together and bolted in through the lexan would help with that problem
My idea was to remove every bit of the sunroof opening and put in a piece of lexan with a 1 inch lip that goes around the outer edge into the opening, so it can be bolted into the roof from inside the opening(would that be possible?), and using some sort of silicon sealant or any sealer around the outer edge to prevent leaks.
to solve the issue of structural strength I figured aluminum tubing or something welded together and bolted in through the lexan would help with that problem
6th Gear
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 3,673
Likes: 2
From: Marsala, Sicily
