For those of you who didn't see it on my project thread I thought I would share:
I bought it used, but here is a little info on it:
And here is what it looks like:
(http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/n567/sarjxxx/2012-03-11114803.jpg)
(http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/n567/sarjxxx/2012-03-11114745.jpg)
(http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/n567/sarjxxx/2012-03-11114833.jpg)
(http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/n567/sarjxxx/2012-03-11114847.jpg)
(http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/n567/sarjxxx/2012-03-11114859.jpg)
(http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/n567/sarjxxx/2012-03-11114919.jpg)
(http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/n567/sarjxxx/2012-03-10211702.jpg)
I'm super psyched so I thought I'd share. Again.:)
I'm not one for aftermarket sun/moon roofs but that looks good! how was the install, was it something you did on your own?
it Steve! I don't WANT to cut a hole in my roof! But I really want that sunroof! :D Good job man, looks awesome. Multiple latch points?
Yeah did it all myself. Took about 4 hours. Wouldn't have taken that long but I decided not to start until like 5:30 at night so working in the dark was not easy. The hardest part was gettting the measurements to center it properly so it didn't interfere with anything, and then trying to enlarge the hole in the roof which I intentionally cut a little small. I probably spent about two hours total on the cutting (and re-cutting (and grinding)) the roof and on the underside getting the headliner cut properly. Actually installing the thing once the holes were correct was a breeze.
I didn't WANT to cut a hole in my perfectly good roof either! But I knew as soon as I drilled that hole to get the shears in that there was no turning back lol. Honestly I was terrified of it but I didn't want to pay a shop $300 to do it for me so I decided to take it on myself. It's like a tatto. It takes guts to do it because this is one modification that CAN NOT be un-modified.
oh and yes it has 3 different open positions, that's what the 3 pictures are. And I can take the glass completely out rather easily at any time if I wish to do so.
Oh and I added another pic of the interior view that I took last night after I finished so you can see the bottom better.
Very nice job! Now we just need to see a Fox bird or cat with T-tops!
Any volunteers? I always liked the 77-79 T-birds with T-tops
I'd love to see that. I'd never cut a hole in my roof for a sunroof, but I just might for T-Tops.
did I hear T-Top bird? :D btw there were only a few converted in 77 and are extremely rare :bowdown:
I miss chrome bumpers.....
it's a boat! lol
t-tops could probably be done fairly easily, using mustang stuff.. would take some measuring to figure out if the rustang glass would fit the contour and under structure of the roof, but i believe that'd be the best bet.. i never cared for t-tops, as they look goofy to me, but i would like to see someone take on the project
But if I put T-tops in It would make it really hard to get my gull wing doors to work:rollin:
:barf: HEY, YOU DON'T SAY THAT.. that not being nice to the kitty!
T-tops would be extremely difficult in these cars thanks to their airplane-style (full frame) doors. Mustangs (and f-bodies) have frameless windows which makes it easy.
As for the sunroof, the parts TC I had had one of those aftermarket roofs, and I was going to swap it into my white 'Bird until I removed the TC's headliner and saw that cut support. No way. I'd rather have the structural rigidity and rollover protection...
I had a sunroof like that in the '83
Nice work. I'm also amused by the neighbor spying on you from across the street in your first pic.
And let me tell you...as someone who owns one of these cars with the door frame removed, it's no picnic trying to keep the front edge of the frame straight. I suppose if the B-pillar section was still there it would be marginally better. But still, with even the middle of the door frame removed, there's going to be a LOT of rigidity lost, and the A-pillar (and possibly B-pillar) part wants to fly outward all the time, meaning alignment issues. It's also possible that this situation would cause the weatherstripping to improperly seal, leading to water intrusion and more of that Thing We All Have To Deal With™ (a.k.a. rust).
Plus, riddle me this: how are you going to get glass in there? Mustang roofs are flatter. So are GM G-bodies. The T-top glass for our cars would need to be custom. And over the door, what are you going to do? How will it be secured? I'm not saying this cannot be done. But it's way, WAY easier to screw this up than to do it the way it needs to be done correctly.
So yeah...no to the T-tops. It's an idea whose time has come and gone, and with good reason.
That being said, nice job on the sunroof. ;)
eric, if i was a fan of t-tops, your post would be encouragement enough to make it happen lol i also believe it's an idea that has come and gone, with good reason
the only way to make a t-top would be to have non glass roof panels. and modify the piss out of the upper window frame to let the door open and close while attached to the removable roof section.... still would need a full frame underneath the car....maybe some X-bracing under there too.. My vert will have a frame upgrade in the near future.... the car actually bends if you sit in it.... not good
With the length of our doors, T-Tops would've been cool if they were designed to happen. Big ol' open roof, but without the sunroof or convertible. Wish I had some mad metal working skills, an abundance of cash, and uber time on my hands.
Just how big a boy are you!???? :wtf:
hehe J/K! :giggle:
210 lbs.... enough to make a vert bend...lol
i'm 195.. would i give it just a tweek? LOL i'm anqious to see you start on that car, now that the black car is nearing, dare i say, 'completion' :bowdown:
thinking about getting a rotisserie when I do the vert...I'm not crawling under this one. (or any other one)
make 1.. all you need is a little steel and a couple engine stands
I didn't need to cut the roof support. If the guy who had put it in the TC you had had know what he was doing he wouldn't have either. Unless it was too wide. Then you would have a problem. In fact, the one that I put in, 16x32 is the
BIGGEST I would suggest anyone putting in. I had to measure for like a half hour to keep it from hitting that brace and from hitting the sunvisor cubbys. It had to come just a little bit over the sunvisor cubbys but not enough that it was a problem.
ha ha yes that guy is always raggin on me about my car. I trailered the car off a couple months ago and he thought I was taking it to the sper. He was flabbergasted, then I told him no, I was just getting exhaust done lol. Everytime I see him he goes "you gonna keep it?" And I'm always like "you really shouldn't have to ask that question" lol.
Me and my car is like a thing in my neighborhood. They've seen cars come and go but that one's been here for 3 years and I'm aaaalllllwwwwaaaayyysssss working on it. They get a kick out of my dedication to it.
they're probably thinking 'why does he bother with that piece of..' you know, what most other people think, who aren't in the 'know'.. lol
yeah pretty much exactly
Its a sickness we all share ;-)
:bowdown::ford::birdsmily:
kind of like my capri-loving sickness.. yet i won't buy a stang.. that i don't get LOL
Did you have to move the dome light at all to get the the sunroof to fit? Im thinking about tackling this kind of project next month for my car.
I know I told you in the other thread but nice job Steve. It looks like a pro put it in. I had one put in my Fusion and love it. I'd never try it on my own though, to easy to screw up.
No. I did have to take it down and to cut the headliner and install the lower trim piece, but then it wen't right back up in the same spot. It did stick over the trim a little bit though. But the easy way to get past that would be to install a slightly smaller piece, i.e. 15x31 rather than the 16x32 that I used. And I would STRONGLY suggest not going any bigger than 16x32. Also maker sure it is the kind with at least somewhat of a curved front or it will look silly. If the time comes and you would like some help feel free to PM and I will help you in any way I can.
Thanks Jay. It really wasn't that bad, just takes A LOT of patience!
so it DIDN'T go like this?
:drink: :evilgrin: :sawzall: :wtf: :punchballs: :makefun: :drink: :shoothead
LOL
^ Literally lol'ed!
Very well done!
sorry.. i'm in an ooberly odd mood today.. maybe because i actually got something accomplished lol
lol
Ok i certainly will. Before summer gets here i want to have one in my car. It looks great by the way.
thanks