Filling in a Sunroof

[PDenbigh]

I'm removing my sunroof in the XR4ti so that I can get a cage.

Anyone in any of the thousands of articles in the thousands of magazines we collectively read have a tech article on a project like this?

I have everything removed and cut out, now I just have a nice hole in my roof. I'm looking for a donor XR that I can cut the rear section of its roof to use as a panel for this project. The compound curve looks like it'd be basically the same.

I'm just not sure how to put it all together. Questions such as making a lip, should it be slightly below the rest of the roof so that I can room for filler, how do I weld it and prevent warping, etc.

Any tips or resources are greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Peter

[.RJ]

You could also make a fiberglass plug for it, if you were feeling pimpy make a metal plug, then a mold off it.

I know a body shop will fill in a r00f hole for a few hundred bux - maybe less if you have a donor roof to splice in place.

[Andy]

When I get home, I can find the URL for a company that makes Carbon Fiber roof plugs for a few hundred. I would imagine you'd have to send your sun roof to them for use as a template.

[PDenbigh]

You could also make a fiberglass plug for it, if you were feeling pimpy make a metal plug, then a mold off it.

I know a body shop will fill in a r00f hole for a few hundred bux - maybe less if you have a donor roof to splice in place.

Sounds interesting. Hit me up with their info.

I have a few leads on donor roofs, ranging from $20-$40. Then I guess about $20 for some bondo, $10 for sandpaper, and I already have paint.
Problem is, I hate body work, am not good at it (due to lack of patience)...

I'd rather spend $150 and have it done nicely.

[PDenbigh]

When I get home, I can find the URL for a company that makes Carbon Fiber roof plugs for a few hundred. I would imagine you'd have to send your sun roof to them for use as a template.

Thanks for the idea Andy. I'm not sure that a CF plug would pass though? Regardless, I'm looking to get this done this week, so the timeframe of sending off my current sunroof probably wouldn't work.

[.RJ]

I didnt mean to imply that i knew of a specific shop that would do it, just what I read on the interweb

[JohnC]

Here's a relevant thread from Corner Carvers:

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[white_2kgt]

Here's a relevant thread from Corner Carvers:

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://forums.corner-carvers.com/showthread.php?t=13213">http://forums.corner-carvers.com/showthread.php?t=13213</a><!-- m -->

Yea, I was going to point that jeff had filled in his.

Pete, you know you don't HAVE to fill it in right? You just need to run arm restraints. Did you get a quote from a body shop to weld in a plug and do the body work? Seems like little to no bondo would be needed on a pro job.

[JustinG]

excuse me for being retarded, but if your getting a cage any way why lose the sunroof??? I understand sunroofs allow for more flex but wouldnt the cage negate that?

[.RJ]

excuse me for being retarded, but if your getting a cage any way why lose the sunroof???

Headroom, and to get the cage closer to the roof - and most racing classes require it to be removed and patched as well.

[JustinG]

oh ok... yeah i guess if you do have a helmet on it adds like 3-4 inches to your head so as much headroom as you can get is needed

[Jeff]

just put some sheet metal acrcoss it. Knock the edge down with a body hammer, pop-rivit in a panel of flat metal, then bondo over the lower edge portion to bring it to a nice natural roof curve. I can help you do something like that anytime. Our body-shop heater burns waste oil and we are running over with waste...dad would love for someone to be in there on the weekend and burn some down.

[Chris]

just put some sheet metal acrcoss it. Knock the edge down with a body hammer, pop-rivit in a panel of flat metal, then bondo over the lower edge portion to bring it to a nice natural roof curve. I can help you do something like that anytime. Our body-shop heater burns waste oil and we are running over with waste...dad would love for someone to be in there on the weekend and burn some down.

thats exactly what I was thinking of doing in the future.

[ViPER1313]

just put some sheet metal acrcoss it. Knock the edge down with a body hammer, pop-rivit in a panel of flat metal, then bondo over the lower edge portion to bring it to a nice natural roof curve. I can help you do something like that anytime. Our body-shop heater burns waste oil and we are running over with waste...dad would love for someone to be in there on the weekend and burn some down.

Like me painting my car :twisted:

[PDenbigh]

I should have a piece of roof by next Wednesday. I'm going to grind the inside of my roof flat and then put this oversixed piece on from the bottom. That will give me about a 1/16-1/8 edge to work with. I'll tack weld it so that it doesn't warp too much, and then fill it with filler and hope see how it comes out!

I'll post some pics!