swartzzz

As the title says, I would like to chat with someone that has done a sunroof delete. If you have, please respond to this message.

Thanks!

ATSR

I haven't done it but I've been wanting to do it so I did some research. The roof is approx $1000 USD, but the headliner is almost $2000. The roof is not too hard to remove or to install as it just has a few spot welds. The other problem is that the windshield and rear window also have to come off.

All in it should be approx $5k which, for me, made it too much to go ahead with it. I would maybe be able to justify it if I could install the roof from the Sport Classic, but unfortunately Porsche will not sell you one unless you provide a Sport Classic VIN and pictures showing why it needs to be replaced.

Sporty

ATSR : I love your car the way it is with those wheels, decal, color, stance. I use my s/r all the time. Why in the world would you want to go thru that expense and complication, plus it would most likely lower the value upon resale to the majority? I don't get it?

swartzzz

It's not a deterrent to re-sale if you look. I am super tall and track the car. I need all the head room possible.

nwGTS

Super tall here too. Looked into sunroof delete. Also came up with $5k figure. Went with lower seats. That's your best option and makes for better driving position too.

ATSR

Thank you very much for the nice words

The main reason why I would like to remove the sunroof would be to reduce weight from the highest point of the car. I think I read somewhere that it's about 40 lbs.

I also think the car would look a lot better. I love sunroof delete 911's. It's the only option that I would've liked my car to have but it wasn't available for the US so there's no chance to find a non-GT 997 like that.

Ben Z

Admittedly I have not tried pricing it out, but I don't understand why it should cost anywhere near five grand to have a body/trim shop remove the mechanism, weld back the existing roof panel, finish and paint just the roof, and replace the headliner (with aftermarket faux suede in as close to an OEM match as possible). I'm thinking $2K or less.

nwGTS

Did you not read the above? Windows needs to come out which means they also have to be reinstalled. You have to remove all the trim from the a/b/c pillars, the interior and exterior need to be taped off, etc etc.
You could maybe save $1k with faux alcantara but you still need to buy the headliner frame to put the alcantara on and guess what, the headliner frame and alcantara have to be purchased together for $2k.
Anyone can hack it together for less but if You want to go OEM it's going to cost you.

Ben Z

Yeah, I did read it. It's talking about replacing the entire roof. Of courses the windows etc would have to come out. I'm talking just removing the sunroof mechanism and then welding the panel to the roof and repainting it. A top-end body shop should be able to do that so nobody could tell it from a roof replacement. By the same token, a shoddy body shop would make a hack job out of the OEM as well.

nwGTS

So you're saying leave the roof in place but weld some metal to fill the sunroof hole and line the inside after removing the sunroof mechanism? Do I have that right?

Sporty

If i was that concerned about 40 pounds, in my case anyway, i would physically lose that first at it would be much cheaper and healthier. Then again, once you get to your fighting weight, you would still be thinking, but the car could be 40 pounds lighter as well. That's how I am with my mountain bikes. I'm still working on the first 40, 20 in so far and you know what, my base C2 does seem faster already!

Ben Z

Assuming there isn't any reason it couldn't be done. If "sunroof delete" isn't on the original build sheet, any future buyer will know it was an aftermarket mod even if done with OEM parts all the way. Maybe just me but I would have more faith in buying one where some body shop welded in a panel as opposed to disassembling half the car, chopping off the entire roof and welding in a new one.
That said, I would not do it at all unless I was making it into a race car. Although I admit that dealing with sunroof rattles, the thought of having it welded in place has crossed my mind in moments of abject frustration 😂

KNS

Sunroof delete on the older air cooled cars (whether fitting a whole new roof or welding in a panel to fill the hole) is not that uncommon and I'd be willing to bet that you'll begin to see this question raised more as time goes by. It's too bad so many of these cars were sold right of the dealer with a sunroof.

To the OP - good luck and I say go for it.

myw

to OP, talk to isysman on 6pseed and the 911uk forum. he has had it done to his insane turbo-> gt2 build

Backmarker

There is a thread on here where a guy did this on (iirc) a 997 GT3. Mandatory sunroofs- just another reason why I love my 996 GT3!