Plexy glass moonroof

[Zues]

Just throwing this out there. Has anyone had any experience with plexyglass moonroofs? Is it possible to make one for an e30? I know forming the curvature might be hard.

[delatlanta1281]

Stop it.

[Sepp]

plexi-glass is not really a good idea. (GHETTO)


Be the first person to do a glass roof swap, from a VW passat...or something like that.

[Zues]

Ghetto? If you sealed it right, put some film on it. I Think it would be lighter than glass too. Is glass from a passat close cause ill try it.

[lateracer]

Lexan is better than plexi for cars. That whole breaking into sharp chunks vs just bending thing can be a real bummer. Talked to some plastics people yesterday about what I need to do to make some windows for my 86e.

If you used a thin enough sheet (ex: 1/8") it would form to the shape of the opening without much hassle. Sealing it with RTV won't be an issue if you're cool with not opening it or have some type of frame to set it in.

It is lighter than glass, but if you're going this far, you may as well remove the whole sunroof cassette since you won't be using it anymore. I cut mine out with a plasma torch on my track rat and dropped about 35 lbs from the roof...which is a lot from such a far distance above the center of gravity.

IMHO, it wouldn't be worth the time and effort it took after you compare it's relatively low weight savings with the added noise, scratchability, wind wobble and hassle of a lexan roof. It could possibly be a pretty cool project though. People here are always doing weird things to these cars that only a select few like. Post pics if you get around to it. Best of luck.

[TwoJ's]

Wait, you took a plasma cutter to the roof to remove the sunroof? You know you can just remove it, right?

[idanity]

do it.

i made my 81 datsun 210 a targa w/3 roofs
the metal was best, but i made 2 others out of fiberglass, one tinted green, and the other yellow.
the car was gold-ish so it was a color thing. i liked it.

some people thought "why make a cheap car look nice", and i just enjoyed driving it.

if you do it, you can patent it, and generate money (if there is a market)

plexi glass (in the correct thickness) is going to be pricey, and time consuming in forming it, cutting it smooth, dealing w/that alone would have me recomend fiberglass

but the coolest thing i ever saw was someone who literally cut out the entire thin panel of roof (sheetmetal) and preserved the side unibody parts, then made a carbon fiber mold to it, and now has the only e30 with a carbon fiber roof (really the best place to drop weight).

theres a write up online somewheres...its sweet.
but if you do it (whatever it is) post pix, or it never happened.

heppy trails

[lateracer]

Wait, you took a plasma cutter to the roof to remove the sunroof? You know you can just remove it, right?

Yeah, time was short and the cage builder was ready to get moving. Cutting out all of those welds wasn't worth the time and effort it took.