Webasto sunroof - fitting in 2021 to a classic

[moffspeed]

aeropilot said:

neutral 3 said:

HateFull things, don’t do it ! I had a terrifying high speed spin in my 3 Litre Capri, due to a Webasto sunroof.
They ruin a cars lines and billow up @ speed.

I agree.
My Sunbeam-Lotus had one when I bought it back in 1988, original owner had it fitted when car was about 3 months old.
I was keen on it, as a few people had them in AVO Escorts when I had them, but it didn't take me long to grow to hate the bloody thing.....as above, they rattle, they billow up at speed, and I wished the car didn't have it.
I think it depends on the car though......a more of a cruising older car I can still see the attraction, and it would probably be less of an issue?

What is the car?

My Mexico had a Webasto along with a vinyl roof - very much a no-no these days but considered quite trendy at the time. The sunroof was OK but above 60 or so the perspex wind deflector became semi-erect and caused a lot of buffeting. ** No crude jokes please.

I moved on to a Sunbeam Lotus with a leaky glass hatch. All I can remember is soggy and saggy white seats. I swapped it (literally) for a Saab Turbo with a factory "roof" - bombproof and perfect naturally.

OK you can still get your car washed while you visit Tescos but I have a memory of companies working in supermarket car parks doing while-you-wait sunroofs. So, you'd park your new Capri 3L up and by the time you'd done Tescos and a DIY shop in Texas the tin snippers would be done and you'd have your glass hatch…

• as you will remember from your physics lessons it is the Bernoulli effect that is your enemy here.

Edited by moffspeed on Tuesday 19th April 13:37

[Skyedriver]

They have their problems but look better than an aftermarket glass thing stuck on the roof.
A number of cars I've looked at have the glass monstrosity and I've wondered about replacing with a folding job if I ever bought it.

[aeropilot]

Steve from the Trimming Centre in Lewes who passed away last year, was seen on the most recent episode of the Drew Pritchard/Paul Cowland Classic Car Restoration show shown last week fitting a Webasto into a R5 Gordini

[niva441]

Thanks for confirming, I wondered how the episode fitted/timed with the context of this thread.

[s m]

aeropilot said:

Steve from the Trimming Centre in Lewes who passed away last year, was seen on the most recent episode of the Drew Pritchard/Paul Cowland Classic Car Restoration show shown last week fitting a Webasto into a R5 Gordini

I enjoyed that episode

[4rephill]

s m said:

aeropilot said:

Steve from the Trimming Centre in Lewes who passed away last year, was seen on the most recent episode of the Drew Pritchard/Paul Cowland Classic Car Restoration show shown last week fitting a Webasto into a R5 Gordini

I enjoyed that episode

I watched that episode and thought the Webasto sunroof they fitted looked bloody awful! (as all the Webasto sunroof's do! )

Drew Pritchard makes a big fuss about the car remaining faithful to how it was when delivered to it's first owner, right down to replicating the original style headlining, because originality is: "so important", and then removes the original ordered glass sunroof, and fits a great big Webasto sunroof that it never had!

If he turned up to my house with one of my old cars with a Webasto sunroof fitted, I'b be immediately saying:

"What the f**k have you done to the roof? - That looks sh*t!"

[52classic]

Back in the day a good alternative to the Webasto roof was a Britax Sunway 2. Much easier to DIY fit, particularly when it came to finishing the headlining. They turn up on ebay from time to time. Apparently, the product was introduced to enable 'sunroof centres' (which were everywhere in the late 70's early 80's) to do a coachbuilt looking roof in addition to poptops..

I've fitted them to a couple of Volvo estates an ADO16 and a Metro. Hardest job is being brave enough to cut such a big hole in your P&J!

[aeropilot]

4rephill said:

s m said:

aeropilot said:

Steve from the Trimming Centre in Lewes who passed away last year, was seen on the most recent episode of the Drew Pritchard/Paul Cowland Classic Car Restoration show shown last week fitting a Webasto into a R5 Gordini

I enjoyed that episode

I watched that episode and thought the Webasto sunroof they fitted looked bloody awful! (as all the Webasto sunroof's do! )

Drew Pritchard makes a big fuss about the car remaining faithful to how it was when delivered to it's first owner, right down to replicating the original style headlining, because originality is: "so important", and then removes the original ordered glass sunroof, and fits a great big Webasto sunroof that it never had!

Depends what you are defining as original......as it left the factory, or when the first owner took delivery?
The program made it clear that the sunroof was an aftermarket one fitted by the dealer during PDI and started leaking soon after, given the paperwork trail that came with the car.

The Webasto being fitted by a specialist back in the day would have been the better option after the first owner bought the car rather than the POS that was fitted by the dealer, no doubt at huge expense to the original owner......however, I would would have replaced the roof panel, and deleted the sunroof in the rebuild.

[roygarth]

My 1974 DS 23ie has a full length Webasto which was fitted by the Lewes outfit. The chap who runs it said he fitted them back in the 60's/70's to DS's as a dealer fit optional item.

[jon-yprpe]

Can you supply/ fit new webasto/ webasto style roofs or just refurbish?

[DBSV8]

Shezbo said:

Hi all

Advise please, I have seen a potential new classic car and SWMBO is on board with the idea, however, both of us would like to fit a period style - sliding fabric Webasto sunroof.

I see all the new parts are still available direct from Webasto, however, has anyone fitted one recently? Who did it etc.

In a word dont

leaky , rattily hateful things that will de value your classic immediately

[braddo]

DBSV8 said:

In a word dont

leaky , rattily hateful things that will de value your classic immediately

I had one on my Alfa GTV and it never leaked or rattled. It was completely trouble free. That was in 7 years of ownership including a few years parked outside when the car (and roof) were 33 years old.

Still, I wouldn't be installing a new one!

[droopsnoot]

I like mine, but it's been in the car for ever, virtually. It's as close as I can get to having a convertible version of my car. When I restored the other one, though, I chose not to fit one even though I've got one that could go in. I guess it depends on the car, maybe if you could get a spare roof panel "just in case" you regret it, or struggle to sell it.