The Moonroof Goes!

suprabad

suprabad

Coitus Non Circum
Jul 12, 2005
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Down Like A Clown Charley Brown
Some of you will recall a thread I started a while ago called "lose the moonroof". http://www.supramania.com/forums/showthread.php?t=74179&highlight=lose+moonroof

About half thought I should keep it, a quarter said "It'll never look right", or "not worth it", and a few said do-able, but big hassle.
Here's the offending unit...it's gotta go for all the reasons I stated in the previous thread:

p1097929_1.jpg


Simply stated... I hate it. If it were original equipment (not even available on an '87), I'd keep it. I honestly think it ruins the look of a hard-top as well as makes wind noise even when properly sealed, and it's heavy and eats up about 2" of headroom.

I started removing it tonight, so there is no turning back...
Here's what I was hoping someone might know:

1. What gauge of metal is the roof on a hardtop?

2. Does any one have a picture of hardtop with the headliner out or remember where the bracing along the inside of the roof is well enough to describe it?

Reason is, I'm trying to determine if they cut-out any bracing in the roof when installing this nasty mofo. They attach a pan to the inside of the roof that holds all the tracks and the sunroof (when it's retracted). There is the factory bracing right behind the opening (still intact), and it doesn't look like they cut anything other than the hole for the sunroof, but I won't be sure untill I get the "pan" out and can see the inside of the roof clearly?

Paint's not a problem since I still have a quart of the color coat left-over from when I painted the car (shoulda done it then) and I can easily blend it in when I get the roof right.

I eagerly await your thoughts and suggestions on this subject
 
suprabad

suprabad

Coitus Non Circum
Jul 12, 2005
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RazoE;1098068 said:
not worth the hassel...

sell it and buy a targa..:D
Click to expand...

I want [I]no[/I] hole in he roof not a bigger one. It'll be worth it when it's done.

I've got the glass roof section out, as well as the outer bezel. The trick seems to be getting this stuff out without doing any damage. So far so good.

Next is the headliner and then the pan that holds the motor and tracks comes out as one piece. Once I get that out I'll have a clearer look at what (if any) bracing was cut out to install this abomination. I'll take some pics.

I briefly considered a carbon fiber S/R plug, but meh...I don't think I like the way they look. Anyone else?
 
I

IJ.

Grumpy Old Man
Mar 30, 2005
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I'd either buy a new skin from Toyota or find a donor HT at a wrecker and cut ir off at the Pillars take it home and carefully Drill out all the spot welds to remove the skin in tact, repeat on the good car then mig it back in place using all of the original spots as guides/rosettes welds.

"If" I totally lose my mind and decide to tidy up the body on mine I'll be converting it from Targa to HT this way.
 
Quin

Quin

Trans killer
Dec 5, 2006
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IJ.;1098387 said:
I'd either buy a new skin from Toyota or find a donor HT at a wrecker and cut ir off at the Pillars take it home and carefully Drill out all the spot welds to remove the skin in tact, repeat on the good car then mig it back in place using all of the original spots as guides/rosettes welds.

"If" I totally lose my mind and decide to tidy up the body on mine I'll be converting it from Targa to HT this way.
Click to expand...

That's what I said, you just had to go be all specific about it... I trust Suprabad to know! :biglaugh:
 
suprabad

suprabad

Coitus Non Circum
Jul 12, 2005
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Quin;1098282 said:
Find a wrecker to cut the stock roof section out of?
Click to expand...


IJ.;1098387 said:
I'd either buy a new skin from Toyota or find a donor HT at a wrecker and cut ir off at the Pillars take it home and carefully Drill out all the spot welds to remove the skin in tact, repeat on the good car then mig it back in place using all of the original spots as guides/rosettes welds.

"If" I totally lose my mind and decide to tidy up the body on mine I'll be converting it from Targa to HT this way.
Click to expand...


Yes I'm afraid so....

This is the only sure way to get it right. I've weighed just about every option and even spoken with a friend who's a master (and I mean wizard) metal guy. He says welding in the section of the roof that's been cut out for the sunroof and getting it to look flawless is a very tall order. And that's the metal wizard saying that!!! I'm a good body man but this guy is a metal god...

I'm still determined to return my car to a hardtop, so off I go looking for a donor roof. Definitely going to cut it off at the pillars (can you imagine trying to square cut the roof at the wrecking yard...w/ battery powered grinder? Oh my god, it would take forever.
 
I

IJ.

Grumpy Old Man
Mar 30, 2005
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More than likely the Yard will have a Gas powered abrasive cutoff saw and will slice the pillars for you :)

(I watched guys here doing it when I bought a halfcut, straight through the front screen)
 
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