cosmos

Let me ask this question.

You know how Porsche did not change roof skins for 964/993

Did they keep same roof skin for 996/997?

JasonAndreas

The 964 and 993 use different roof panels ($1800USD) and so do the 996 and 997. The roof skin for the 996 with M650 (sunroof) was updated for model years 2001 and 2002 and the current part number for the 997 non-sunroof panel is #997-503-501-00-GRV and the MSRP is $388.77USD.

AeroGT3RedWing

You could get a custom made carbon fiber panel made for around $1k. As a result you will not need any welding or painting (although you could paint the CF panel before installation).

I am guessing that ordering the ROW headliner would be the solution for the interior.

cosmos

How do you attach it??

AeroGT3RedWing

Well, epoxy would work, and be more "reversible" than welds for sure! Depending on how the sunroof hole is configured, it could be held in with brackets. You'd really need to get it to a vendor to find out.

MAShaw has done custom CF sunroof panels for the M3/BMW crowd.

There was a movement to get a sunroof panel made for the BMW M coupe:
http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum...=sunroof+panel

It was a real CF panel that replaced the entire sunroof casette: motor, sheetmetal, etc. They actually retained the tilt option, but not the full open close. Cost? $560 each for only a run of 5 pieces!
http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum...6&postcount=94

I am sure with the amount of people wanting to remove them here, there could be more than 5 seriously interested people. Both the vendor in that thread and MA shaw would be more than capable of doing what you wanted.

IMO carbon will be a lot cheaper than welding in a panel from Porsche. The $1500 Porsche price for the panel alone (let alone the welding and painting) would probably cost more than the carbon panel+installation and painting!

JasonAndreas

The MSRP is only $383.77USD so it should be available for ~$200USD.

The factory roof is also attached with two-part adhesive and a single row resistance spot weld so to do the job properly is not that much more work!

AeroGT3RedWing

I still maintain that it would be easier to glue/bolt in a carbon panel rather than remove a roof that has been spot welded in place, then spot weld another one in. Plus the carbon is lighter!

cosmos

Jason,

Thank you. The info is great.

Flying Finn

In a way, yes, but it will be very hard to make it look like it was non sunroof from the factory. Also, if you just replace the sunroof, you still need to remove the brackets etc. (assuming you want lightness, doh!) so in the end, it's not as simple (compared to replacing the whole skin) than one might think.

AeroGT3RedWing

It definately is! In the BMW world, the panel bolts and screws right in using existing mounting points. You remove the entire sunroof, sliders, gaskets, and motor. It looks EXACTLY like the stock sunroof when closed, the only difference being the carbon. Paint it and that's taken care of minus the very small seam.

If you go and weld a part in, it's going to look the same minus the seam which may not exist. However, resale is going to be affected and the CF bolt on panel will be more easily reversible than a weld in steel panel from Porsche.

Flying Finn

By doing above (in both cases), you still have the tracks and the metal "I" bars that are for strengtening the roof around the sunfoor opening, removing them involves cutting/grinding. Plus, it will still look as it did before.

Besides welding being kinda tricky to do so that you don't heat the roof skin too much to cause it to change shape, if you weld it, you need to bondo the seams and it might be more bondo than you want (it's hard to make the whole roof smooth since the sunroof panel isn't 100% same as roof line).

I'm not saying it's not easier to do this with the method you suggest but if you want to do it properly, save the most amount of weight and have the factory non sunroof look, you're much better off by replacing the whole skin.

JasonAndreas

The interior roof lining is held in place with adhesive tape and fasteners and the sunroof frame is attached with fasteners, no cutting or grinding required. I'll post something later tonight showing...


Porsche does not use any bondo so neither should we and the spot welds are trivial (less than 1 hour at $30-60/hr).

dark knight

seriously, why should we have to? why cant they make it the way we want

Flying Finn

Yes, I know that, I meant when sunroof panel is welded instead of changing the whole panel. I though that's what AeroGT3 meant.

I'm definitely for replacing the whole roof panel. I've seen it done on older cars (993 & 964) and the result definitely is top notch and the job itself isn't that complex even in those, 996&7 are even easier.

MJSpeed

let's see what would be easier, 1)replace the entire skin or 2)replace the sunroof piece or just weld it in place and try to make it look right...I'm going with the first...just my $.02