Author Topic: Sunroof question (Read 4033 times)

The Mad Hatter · « **on:** May 05, 2008, 05:25:19 pm »

Just doing some thinking about my diesel Golf, and i thought about adding a sunroof. Its an 85 2 door. I've been getting parts from a junkyard GTI that has a good sunroof and headliner in it. Is it possible to just hack a hole and install the factory roof? Or would more be involved in it? Thanks for any info!

burn_your_money · « **Reply #1 on:** May 05, 2008, 06:42:38 pm »

It's a lot more involved. There are a lot of extra support bars on the sunroof models. Drop the headliner and you will see what I mean.

Op-Ivy · « **Reply #2 on:** May 05, 2008, 11:37:55 pm »

Tyler is right. Be careful when cutting holes into the roof of the car or any part of the body for that matter. It may compromise the structural integrity of the roof if there should be a rollover.

In my opinion sunroofs are overrated. My girlfriends Mk4 Jetta has one and I never use it when I drive her car. She does once in a while but not really. I don't think it's worth the effort.

TedV · « **Reply #3 on:** May 06, 2008, 08:59:11 am »

NOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!! resist the temptation. You will have water leaks and while the Mk2 wiring and rustproofing is better than Mk1, water inside a VW is only trouble.

rabbitman · « **Reply #4 on:** May 06, 2008, 12:26:05 pm »

Well I have a sunroof (just a window that tilts up in the back) on my rabbit. It's aftermarket and the PO had to cut a brace out to put it in, the brace was definitely too weak to hold the car up in a rollover but if it snows a lot the roof sags a bit. Anyways I sure like it, it creates a vacuum in the car so every air leak lets nice cool air in. :roll: Also it doesn't leak water.

Ziptar · « **Reply #5 on:** May 06, 2008, 04:49:21 pm »

For a factory sun roof the only "proper" way to do it would be pull the glass, cut the roof off at the pillars and weld on teh new one. even then, iffy..

jtanguay · « **Reply #6 on:** May 06, 2008, 05:01:57 pm »

a jetta i bought a while ago had an aftermarket sunroof... it didn't leak.

man i love sunroofs. great way to suck out hot air out of your car. if you have a/c, a sunroof will suck the hot air above you right away, and then you just close it and enjoy the cool air. my old 86 jetta had a fac sunroof in it... old crank type and that thing was sweet. i really wanted a sunroof on my current jetta but i settled... not too happy but can't have everything right?

webasto makes a really good sunroof. $$$ though.

The Mad Hatter · « **Reply #7 on:** May 06, 2008, 05:54:26 pm »

10-4. Seems like its aftermarket or nothing. Scrapping the idea. Maybe i'll just get the A/C working instead...

jtanguay · « **Reply #8 on:** May 06, 2008, 07:13:32 pm »

Quote from: "The Mad Hatter"

10-4. Seems like its aftermarket or nothing. Scrapping the idea. Maybe i'll just get the A/C working instead...

i found this site to be quite interesting... http://www.autoacsystems.com/_store/storeopen_VSorings.html

they sell stuff to re-crimp your lines and or braze them and add new hose to stop leaks. pretty damn cool! and they sell o-rings and other goodies. i'd suggest switching to a non r134a refrigerant though... most people don't realize that it is a multi gas refrigerant with one gas having a very small molecule that just pisses out of the smallest hole, thus rendering the refrigerant useless. while hydrocarbon refrigerant is ignited by a spark, the autoignition temp is higher than on r134a which is the more likely to happen.

good luck.

somolovitch3 · « **Reply #9 on:** May 10, 2008, 04:51:22 am »

DUDE.................................NO SUNROOFS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :cry:

A Moon Roof would be COOL though. :wink:

Moon Roof = Tilty glass window in the roof of car :twisted:

jtanguay · « **Reply #10 on:** May 10, 2008, 12:55:57 pm »

Quote from: "somolovitch3"

DUDE.................................NO SUNROOFS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :cry:

A Moon Roof would be COOL though. :wink:

Moon Roof = Tilty glass window in the roof of car :twisted:

actually that would be best, and that is what was installed in a jetta i bought. sucks the heat right out when its opened :wink:

hamradio · « **Reply #11 on:** May 10, 2008, 01:38:50 pm »

I love the sunroof in my passat wagon. On a hot day, all I have to do is pop it, hit the ac button, and in a very short amount of time, it is cold inside. I'd say that normally driving, with the roof just popped, the blower motor off, it is probably equivalent to having the blower motor on "2" or so.

As for adapting parts from a sunroof car to a non sunroof car, like other said, it would require you to completely remove the roof weld the sunroof roof in. Which I don't feel would be the strongest thing. Too much work for just a sunroof; easier to just go get another car. My old rocco was sunroof; it had a whole sub-roof thing inside, to strengthen the roof and hold all the crap for the sunroof.

mark day · « **Reply #12 on:** August 23, 2008, 09:19:02 am »

I had an aftermarket sun roof on my MK2 Golf and it was a PITA leaked from day one and wish I had not done it. But it's up to you.

FineFrank · « **Reply #13 on:** August 23, 2008, 12:15:13 pm »

Why not install a 14"X14" camper vent in it? It would give you more airflow.......... Just Kidding.

BlackTieTD · « **Reply #14 on:** August 24, 2008, 10:14:39 am »

put in a whole factory sunroof roof if you're going to do it. not worth it IMO. just find a sunroof body.

swamp cooler :mrgreen: