Open air roof om e30?

[Nelsson]

My sunroof is broken so i was thinking about swapping an open air roof (just the open air part) from a vw polo onto my touring. I was just wondering if its something anyone has tried or seen before? :)

[Varinn]

That seems like a hell of a lot more work than just fixing your sunroof...

[rturbo 930]

That seems like a hell of a lot more work than just fixing your sunroof...

Yup.

It would be cool to have a massive sunroof like that, but it would be a lot of effort, and I doubt it would be good for resale value, which is something to consider since the value of these cars is only going to go up.

[Nelsson]

The car is going in for the winter and need a respray anyway. And the open air roof cost the same as a renovation + convert to electrical sunroof. A friend of mine owns me a favor so i will get him to do it (he is makeing custom things on cars every day) so i dont think it will be a problem for him to do.. There is done so many things to this car, that it will never have any value as a original e30

[bangn]

so are you making a bigger hole in the roof? there is a strengthening bow in the middle of the roof that sandwiches between the sunroof frame and turret skin..

might upset the strength of the car opening that up more

[Nick's e30]

If you want that just buy a Baur e30.

[stonea]

Just buy a baur or 318ti with a California top.

[markseven]

Yup.

It would be cool to have a massive sunroof like that, but it would be a lot of effort, and I doubt it would be good for resale value, which is something to consider since the value of these cars is only going to go up.

^this. Don't cut up a touring.

[Stanley Rockafella]

My sunroof is broken so i was thinking about swapping an open air roof (just the open air part) from a vw polo onto my touring. I was just wondering if its something anyone has tried or seen before? :)

Never seen it but dont' see why not.

Make sure to post pics of the process and finished result

[roguetoaster]

Don't cut up a touring.

That's not a good argument. Tourings aren't rare, nor are they appreciating at a rate that merits keeping them pristine. If you said that it would compromise handling or body integrity that might be more valid.

Check out the measurements on an E34 touring double sunroof and see if that fits the bill. While it won't enhance the value of the car it will make it unique and enjoyable if you're up to such a project.

Otherwise, if it's glass that you're after there is a glass sunroof for E30s, and you could probably make the interior cover slide back independently.

[Nelsson]

so are you making a bigger hole in the roof? there is a strengthening bow in the middle of the roof that sandwiches between the sunroof frame and turret skin..

might upset the strength of the car opening that up more

The roof/frame will be reinforced where its needed of course.

[Nelsson]

That's not a good argument. Tourings aren't rare, nor are they appreciating at a rate that merits keeping them pristine. If you said that it would compromise handling or body integrity that might be more valid.

Check out the measurements on an E34 touring double sunroof and see if that fits the bill. While it won't enhance the value of the car it will make it unique and enjoyable if you're up to such a project.

Otherwise, if it's glass that you're after there is a glass sunroof for E30s, and you could probably make the interior cover slide back independently.

Without even investigateing the price i could emagine that the double sunroof is very expensive.
I know you can get Moonroofs for e30 but they are very expensive and rare.

[markseven]

That's not a good argument. Tourings aren't rare, nor are they appreciating at a rate that merits keeping them pristine. If you said that it would compromise handling or body integrity that might be more valid.

Check out the measurements on an E34 touring double sunroof and see if that fits the bill. While it won't enhance the value of the car it will make it unique and enjoyable if you're up to such a project.

Otherwise, if it's glass that you're after there is a glass sunroof for E30s, and you could probably make the interior cover slide back independently.

More rare than the garden variety coupe and sedan, I presume. I don't have production numbers to share, but I am guessing you don't either or you would have posted them. Are replacement panels readily available in the event the OP screws up?

Why discuss rigidity and handling when one is adding significant weight to a location that responds adversely to additional weight?

[roguetoaster]

More rare than the garden variety coupe and sedan, I presume. I don't have production numbers to share, but I am guessing you don't either or you would have posted them. Are replacement panels readily available in the event the OP screws up?

Why discuss rigidity and handling when one is adding significant weight to a location that responds adversely to additional weight?

Certainly less common than the sedan/two door. So rare that someone shouldn't chop one up if that's what they want to do? I don't think so.

As to production numbers, no I haven't seen them, but let's assume that of ~900K E30s produced when tourings were available that 5% were tourings. That gives us 45,000, and let's assume that 75% of those have been taken off of the road, which leaves ~11,000 worldwide. Rare, I think not.

Body panels shouldn't be a problem to procure in Europe, and most parts are not exactly difficult to come by in the US either. Of course BMW has discontinued the roof skin/structure.

As to rigidity and handling, I was insinuating that degrading or damaging those aspects of the car would be valid reasons to not do such a modification.

[rturbo 930]

I guess it depends what you call rare. One of 11000 I would say is rare. Maybe not 250 GTO rare, but rare enough.