Sunroof

[simonsparrow]

My 3000 M sunroof is one of the sliding vinyl types (Britax/Webasto) and the rear sheet metal part (with the 4 captive nuts to bolt through the roof) is badly corroded.

Does anyone know where to get a replacement for one of these?

A local engineering firm can remake it, but at a cost of about £160, which seem a bit steep.

I read in an earlier thread that MGBs may use the same sunroof, does anyone have a source for these in the UK?

Thanks
Simon

[glassthorpe]

I managed to just recover my sunroof after repainting all the metalwork but found this link: -

www.mgcars.org.uk/andyjennings/mgb_misc.htm

I don't know anything about him or wether the MGB ones are the same but it's worth a phone call.

[simonsparrow]

Thanks for the tip, I gave them a call but they don't have any parts or complete sunroofs.

Seems they all go in the same place, so the part I need is quite rare.

[graham m]

Simon, I was looking for a complete new sunroof last year. I spent many hours phoning around the contry. Managed to buy one from a company in Birmingham but it cost about £500 ouch!. From memory I do not think the MGB one is the correct width. It is important to measure the internal frame width to quote when talking to companies. The length does not matter as this can be reduced. At that time David Gerald's told me they had a few frame bits removed from a damaged car but not enough to make a complete frame.

If the rest of the frame is ok maybe the quote you had is not to bad.

Graham

[2165T]

While we're on the subject, has anyone repaired the sunroof latch handle? The rest of the sunroof is in good shape but the screw holding the handle to the latch mechanism has sheared off (it was that way when we acquired the car).

[zefarelly]

if your of a steady handed disposition you should be able to drill the screw out and retap the hole ?

last time I tried it it was successful . . .the time before I snapped the tap in the hole !!!

[bigtone]

I think i've got the opposite problem - the frame attached to the car is fine, it's the metal rods inside the vinyl roof thats rotten. The other problem we've got is that the screws that secure the 'flap' to the car are dead, and they'll have to be drilled out, another steady hand moment, or we'll end up going through the roof....

On the repair front, I think ours will go to Adrian, but as a comparison I called a place that advertises in Practical Classics for a quote a month or so back. He reckoned £185 plus parts

[simonsparrow]

I spoke to a guy called Paul Harvey (01304 614412) and he reckons a Webasto rear panel can be made to fit my Britax sunroof. The Webasto panel costs about £30, he hopes to have some in next week.

I'll let you know how I get on.....