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Tracktool upgrade, sunroof and rain gutter delete and others …
As I’m tracking my car now since a long long time,
I followed closely the Colin Chapman (and btw. also Ferdinand Piech’s) doctrine
"Adding power makes you faster on the straights. Subtracting weight makes you faster everywhere"
Mostly everything possible done over the last years, I finally decided it’s time to tackle the sunroof for weight loss as also to get finally some more headroom , the rain gutter (ok, that's more for the looks) and the windows again for weight loss.
Spoiler Alert:
Who expects here concourse satisfying workmanship … NOOP, sorry it’s a tracktool only!
And for friends here who would like to make funny comments about the gearbox of this car, please read first - this article - !!
But let's begin
I read here already a lot about the sunroof delete replacement but much less how to get there. Therefore I will put also some pics from the prep-work.
Starting from here
Removing some stuff …
Getting the ceiling cover out; the first glimps of the work ahead
After the grinder became my favorite tool, mostly everything came out nicely …
... but only after I discovered these six hidden spot-welds
Now the windows had to go out, whereas the front screen should remain for now to give more stability during the welding of the replacement panel. Except the front screen, all windows will be replaced by Makrolon windows.
On the way came some additional ideas like to change also the mirrors to cup version and to replace my old, mostly damaged (cheap build) RS door panels.
Used some free time to take a closer look on reachable cables with no use …
After all possible prep-work done at the home office, we headed to on of Dubai’s best welding shops
...and went immediately to work (after some more grinding … )
Here it has to be said that here in Dubai is no proper bodyshop as we know them from Europe or the States.
Saluki is more specialized of the construction of frames for (desert) racing cars and dragster etc. but for sure has most possible the best welder for this job in town.
it has to be said that the welding looks impressive, but they shouldn't do longer seems as shown here, the heat will bend your metal! Tick-welding is a must here.
Luckily we could fix the slight deformations we encountered later pretty well.
looking good. Love the rain cutter delete as RUF does on their chassis cars. Just looks so much cleaner, can't wait to see what it looks like. Thanks for sharing your project. Cheers
is Saluki building a cage for your car?
then you could ditch the door shells for fiberglass or carbon and save another 50lbs or so.
looks like a fun and scary project.
As i keep the car still registered for easier transportation, UAE laws prohibit cars with rol-bar or cage on the road. Only commercial cars for tourist dune bashing (cage) and (mostly) Porsches (rol-bars) are allowed to have such features. Porsches, coz they come with manufacturer equipped roll-bar for the e.g. RS models. Luckily my 993 R ( ) has such manufacturer supplied roll-bar . We will come later in more detail to that.
So with no chance to install side protection bars, there is no reasonable chance to fit GRP or carbon doors ...
Now we will tackle the rain gather gutter
(finally realized my grammar problem here... but it still gathers rain, does it?)!
Alternating grinding and welding
To weld along the A-post, we removed now also the front screen
First results after grinding
monitored by a close critical look
Looks promising
but problem in this area was that the original panels were not really aligned; clear sign that this cars were still 'handmade' …
As said before: As i keep the car still registered for easier transportation, UAE laws prohibit cars with rol-bar or cage on the road. Only commercial cars for tourist dune bashing (cage) and (mostly) Porsches (rol-bars) are allowed to have such features. Porsches, coz they come with manufacturer equipped roll-bar for the e.g. RS models. Luckily my (very special and very seldom) 993 R ( ) has such manufacturer supplied roll-bar . But it has to be ‘bolt in’!
Some guys in Dubai are able to get their cars registered with roll-bar or cage but you have to have really enough 'wasta'* than.
*) just google it
We had to make the whole thing higher by extending the main bar and changed the bottom segments of the rear beams. I added also an additional cross beam (actual 2 halves … ).
The horizontal beams are still missing in the picture.
We also adjusted the foot as we change the angle slightly
If somebody is worried about our work on the roll bar, Saluki is a FIA certified manufacturer of frames, bars and cages …
As quality sample but mostly for entertainment,
here a stability test conducted by Saluki’s service manager Martin (the guy in the blue suit) …
07-15-2019, 05:59 PM
Tracktool upgrade, sunroof and rain gutter delete and others …
) has such manufacturer supplied roll-bar 
. We will come later in more detail to that.
