M series sunroof issues
Discussion
Hi
My M series fabric sunroof is knackered and I don't really know if I can fix it properly. Has anyone any advice/experience on glassfibring over a sunroof aperture to get rid of the hole, please. I don't really care for a sunroof and I think a full roof would look great and should be stronger if I glassfibred over it and put in some reinforcements and new headlining.
Cheers!
Or alternatively if anyone knows who can fabricate the metal plates for a fabric sunroof please. My runners and the locking bit are spot on. Peter Harvey? should be able to do the fabric bit.
Or even if anyone has/makes a glass roof for the M series.
Cheers some more!
>> Edited by KANEIT on Tuesday 2nd May 09:35
My M series fabric sunroof is knackered and I don't really know if I can fix it properly. Has anyone any advice/experience on glassfibring over a sunroof aperture to get rid of the hole, please. I don't really care for a sunroof and I think a full roof would look great and should be stronger if I glassfibred over it and put in some reinforcements and new headlining.
Cheers!
Or alternatively if anyone knows who can fabricate the metal plates for a fabric sunroof please. My runners and the locking bit are spot on. Peter Harvey? should be able to do the fabric bit.
Or even if anyone has/makes a glass roof for the M series.
Cheers some more!
>> Edited by KANEIT on Tuesday 2nd May 09:35
Hi - I just bought some appropriately sized Aluminium sheet from Metal Supermarkets to replace the panels. It was thick enough to be strong (3mm springs to mind) but malleable enough to form a double curve with a soft hammer and vice - I know it may sound a bit Blue Peter ish, but it looks great and seals lovely. With 3mm thick ali, there's just about enough meat to bolt through and countersink so that the heads of the bolts don't show through the outer vinyl skin - saves welding things on. The original rear plate had a folded piece to hold the inner skin. I just bolted this through as well.
It took alot of fettling, but at least it looks good and shouldn't corrode again. Besides I enjoy DIY and hate paying somebody to do something that I can have a go at in the comfort of my own garage.
Stu.
It took alot of fettling, but at least it looks good and shouldn't corrode again. Besides I enjoy DIY and hate paying somebody to do something that I can have a go at in the comfort of my own garage.
Stu.
Cheers sjam.
The only problem is I am not that good at doing those things myself. I have the opinion of why pay someone to do it when I can do it myself and I can't afford it anyway, then I do it, then I cock it up, then I pay someone else to do it!
I was inclined to remove the sunroof from the equation, after recommendations by a few people that I should glassfibre it over. I am better with glassfibre and filler than fabric and metal after experience gained from GRP flip-fronting my Mini years ago.
The only problem is I am not that good at doing those things myself. I have the opinion of why pay someone to do it when I can do it myself and I can't afford it anyway, then I do it, then I cock it up, then I pay someone else to do it!
I was inclined to remove the sunroof from the equation, after recommendations by a few people that I should glassfibre it over. I am better with glassfibre and filler than fabric and metal after experience gained from GRP flip-fronting my Mini years ago.
Ha ha - Good point! - I've only got that way once before but it wasn't nice - that was trying to sew a new rear window into a Mazda MX5.... I'll never try that again!
I would have thought anything is possible with fibreglass and filler but the trick will be getting the curvature right to make it look like a sunroof wasn't ever there. You could try inquiring with the current owner of the M series molds. I'm betting that TVR would have laid the entire roof section then cut out the hole for the roof. You might be able to persuade the current owners to just lay a bit into the mold where the sunroof goes - if it's not perfect, then it should be CLOSE to the rest of the profile, and I wouldn't have thought it would be THAT expensive...
I got a whole side section of a Taimar made up from the original molds a couple of years ago, 'cos mine was damaged and filled badly - these molds were still in good shape and gave me a good fix. They were owned by David Geralds then, but I have a feeling they might have sold them by now??.
Stuart.
I would have thought anything is possible with fibreglass and filler but the trick will be getting the curvature right to make it look like a sunroof wasn't ever there. You could try inquiring with the current owner of the M series molds. I'm betting that TVR would have laid the entire roof section then cut out the hole for the roof. You might be able to persuade the current owners to just lay a bit into the mold where the sunroof goes - if it's not perfect, then it should be CLOSE to the rest of the profile, and I wouldn't have thought it would be THAT expensive...
I got a whole side section of a Taimar made up from the original molds a couple of years ago, 'cos mine was damaged and filled badly - these molds were still in good shape and gave me a good fix. They were owned by David Geralds then, but I have a feeling they might have sold them by now??.
Stuart.
you could try this lot:-
www.cottageclassics.co.uk/tvr/plasticnperspex/plasticnperspex.htm
However it's always worth trying the guys that specifically support M and pre-M cars first.
Phil.
>> Edited by ATE399J on Tuesday 2nd May 15:31
www.cottageclassics.co.uk/tvr/plasticnperspex/plasticnperspex.htm
However it's always worth trying the guys that specifically support M and pre-M cars first.
Phil.
>> Edited by ATE399J on Tuesday 2nd May 15:31
Cheers for all your help guys.
Have called Spadge at Cottage Classics and organised a roof section. Someone I know, who has experience of glassfibring and bonding, has offered to help me with the work of covering over that aperture and I've got a contact for spraying it now too.
Ta very much.
Have called Spadge at Cottage Classics and organised a roof section. Someone I know, who has experience of glassfibring and bonding, has offered to help me with the work of covering over that aperture and I've got a contact for spraying it now too.
Ta very much.
Just in case you were thinking of repairs:
got this of the tvr club website.
Neil.
Paul
I had the same problem with my Vixen S2 sunroof with the added complication that both the catch and the aluminium side tracks were also knackered. The Vixen roof is a Britax Weathershield. Stand to be corrected but believe the 3000m is also this make but possibly of a later design.
There are plenty of people around to recover a roof but the steel endplates are a big problem. After a lot of research, I came to the conclusion that replacement of the whole sunroof was the only answer. You can buy a new Webasto for about £500.
I was not prepared to spend that but found that MGB GT's do have three plus point. One is there are plenty of them, two is they rust so much that they get scrapped and three is a lot of them have Weathershield sunroofs, the same width as a TVR Vixen.
It is the width that is important as you will see when you take one apart. I bought one off e.bay from a later rubber bumper BGT and shortened it by taking out one complete fold out of the roof and cutting the frame. It then fits the existing TVR aperture exactly. I was also able to re-use the outer cover.
You can e.mail me if you need anything more on this. Good Luck
Steve Harper
got this of the tvr club website.
Neil.
Paul
I had the same problem with my Vixen S2 sunroof with the added complication that both the catch and the aluminium side tracks were also knackered. The Vixen roof is a Britax Weathershield. Stand to be corrected but believe the 3000m is also this make but possibly of a later design.
There are plenty of people around to recover a roof but the steel endplates are a big problem. After a lot of research, I came to the conclusion that replacement of the whole sunroof was the only answer. You can buy a new Webasto for about £500.
I was not prepared to spend that but found that MGB GT's do have three plus point. One is there are plenty of them, two is they rust so much that they get scrapped and three is a lot of them have Weathershield sunroofs, the same width as a TVR Vixen.
It is the width that is important as you will see when you take one apart. I bought one off e.bay from a later rubber bumper BGT and shortened it by taking out one complete fold out of the roof and cutting the frame. It then fits the existing TVR aperture exactly. I was also able to re-use the outer cover.
You can e.mail me if you need anything more on this. Good Luck
Steve Harper
cheers for the info there mr heightswitch!
Theres a clear rigid plastic pane 'bonded' into place now with silicon sealant till roof section comes. I have put a waterproof sheet in the car, draped over the seats and tied to the sun visors while its sat. It forms a little 'bag' to catch all that water that somehow drip drips through the temporary sunroof. I am retrimming at the mo so my trans tunnel cover is off so i just carefully pour the water down through the gearlever hole there!
Theres a clear rigid plastic pane 'bonded' into place now with silicon sealant till roof section comes. I have put a waterproof sheet in the car, draped over the seats and tied to the sun visors while its sat. It forms a little 'bag' to catch all that water that somehow drip drips through the temporary sunroof. I am retrimming at the mo so my trans tunnel cover is off so i just carefully pour the water down through the gearlever hole there!
njhucker said:
I had mine refurbished by Peter Harvey, who not only recovered it, but replaced the rusted front & rear plates with alloy.
A friend is needing to have a Britax fabric sunroof repaired/recovered. Can you provide Peter Harvey's contact details for him to get a price? (Car is in Kent area).
Finally sorted it.
Heres how i did it should anyone want to try it. Or maybe how not to do it?!
Got the roof section from Cottage Classics. Very good value for money, although other TVR specialists do offer the sunroof blanking panels.
Took off all the metal trims from the sunroof aperture.
Placed the section over my roof, locating it to the right area - scratched the paint but it is to be repainted anyway.
Got into the car and drew a marker line round the aperture perimeter onto the underside of the new section.
Cut out a blank panel from the new roof section a little smaller than the existing aperture (3mm all round).
Popped some bolts and washers through the gap between the existing aperture and the edge of the new blank all round the perimeter holding the blank panel top face flush with the roof.
Added glass strand/mat all round the perimeter, overlapping the existing bodywork and the new panel by 5cm, from inside the car - still picking the resin out of my hair!
Will probably have to glass fibre in some new headlining hanging points here and there.
Then filled in the gap from above with resin and chopped strand.
Removed the bolts and filled the holes.
Ground down any lumpy bits from above using my power drill, set to a slow speed, with some small stone grinding disc (99p for five bits from one of the DIY places) and one of those 55mm sanding plates with medium grade paper.
Got some really fine polyester filler and high build primer to prepare for painting.
Got some sponge centred wet and dry pads from a professional furniture painter, ideal to make sure you dont add too much pressure to the surface but ensures the paper is always flat and never creases.
The colour is that lovely mid metallic blue - Vauxhall Sapphire Starmist code 4BL. From unipart, i reckon a very good match on my car.
Not ready for the paint yet as i am still filling and sanding to get the desired surface.
Many thanks to all who gave me advice on this.
Heres how i did it should anyone want to try it. Or maybe how not to do it?!
Got the roof section from Cottage Classics. Very good value for money, although other TVR specialists do offer the sunroof blanking panels.
Took off all the metal trims from the sunroof aperture.
Placed the section over my roof, locating it to the right area - scratched the paint but it is to be repainted anyway.
Got into the car and drew a marker line round the aperture perimeter onto the underside of the new section.
Cut out a blank panel from the new roof section a little smaller than the existing aperture (3mm all round).
Popped some bolts and washers through the gap between the existing aperture and the edge of the new blank all round the perimeter holding the blank panel top face flush with the roof.
Added glass strand/mat all round the perimeter, overlapping the existing bodywork and the new panel by 5cm, from inside the car - still picking the resin out of my hair!
Will probably have to glass fibre in some new headlining hanging points here and there.
Then filled in the gap from above with resin and chopped strand.
Removed the bolts and filled the holes.
Ground down any lumpy bits from above using my power drill, set to a slow speed, with some small stone grinding disc (99p for five bits from one of the DIY places) and one of those 55mm sanding plates with medium grade paper.
Got some really fine polyester filler and high build primer to prepare for painting.
Got some sponge centred wet and dry pads from a professional furniture painter, ideal to make sure you dont add too much pressure to the surface but ensures the paper is always flat and never creases.
The colour is that lovely mid metallic blue - Vauxhall Sapphire Starmist code 4BL. From unipart, i reckon a very good match on my car.
Not ready for the paint yet as i am still filling and sanding to get the desired surface.
Many thanks to all who gave me advice on this.
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