[Erthling09]

I was thinking about doing something to our Cougar's Roof. I was thinking. Since my Cougar already has a Sunroof in it, but the problem is that Mercury consistantly made Sunroofs that failed miserably, and mine was no exception of this. Maybe I could change it a little to make something decent out of something that went bad. you know, make Lemonade when life throws lemons at you sorta thing, haha...:rofl:

Well, I came up with this. My Sunroof doesn't leak or anything like that, so I figured maybe if I take it out, I can cut out a section of the metal, stick thick plexi-glass in its place, then clean it up nice with a little body filler around the edges to make a nice seal and maybe a rubber seam sealer to finish it off? Then Tint the inside of the glass so the Sun doesn't shine down too much, I like it dark inside the car most of the time for the most part. It would be a light tint about the darkness allowed for the front windows here in CT. I think mines 30% and its legal.

The next question would be the functionality of the unit. Well, since the motor has stripped teeth somewhere from the sounds of it (Havent taken the time to take it apart and actually diagnose the problem) and doesn't work in pushing the sunroof back any more than about an inch and doesn't like to suck it back down without a little help, keeping it as a solid, non moving unit wouldn't matter to me seeing as how I don't ever use it anyway. The gains in being able to have a little sun shine down would be nice, and being able to look up and see the stars at night would be nice also. Even tho it would be tinted, the stars would be able to still be seen through it because its not dark enough for that. IDK, my Girl has a fully hooked up car and her Removable sunroof is also a moonroof thats tinted and at night it looks beautiful!

So, what do you guys think about that idea?

Winner or No good??

If you think it could be done and look alright at the same time, do you think I should make the unit mostly glass or a smaller section or what? Hmmm.... This one I think I'll get started on this weekend prolly if I can come up with a final decision.

 

[thousandlegs]

If you're gonna go that route why not just cut more of the top out so that the panel extends farther toward the back. Have the same amount of metal behind the panel as in front. That'd be gently caressing awesome and chock full of win.

 

[Erthling09]

Hmmmm.... Thats not a bad idea.:biggrin:

I think I was trying to avoid cutting more of the actual roof tho and since the stock sunroof is a removable piece, I was thinking I can hack that up to how ever I want it, put the glass it and make it all prettyed back up and replace it. Leaving the rest of the roof the same to cut down on the amount of work. This way I don't have to work on the top of my car but rather take the sunroof panel off and work on it, on my work table.

But that idea would actually be a really good one if I wanted to invest that amount of time into it. thanks bud, any more ideas?

 

[JScullin]

Or you could take the existing panel to a sunroof specialist and they can custom cut a piece of glass to mount inside that. Properly. Bondo is not the end-all be-all of car projects.

Then replace the plastic tracks it rides on inside with the upgraded metal ones that don't fail.

 

[CougarGuy1802]

i want T-tops! BUT shhhh!

 

[Erthling09]

Or you could take the existing panel to a sunroof specialist and they can custom cut a piece of glass to mount inside that. Properly. Bondo is not the end-all be-all of car projects.

Then replace the plastic tracks it rides on inside with the upgraded metal ones that don't fail.

Your Very Right about the Bondo not being the "end-all be-all of car projects"

I just happen to be very good with the stuff and body working. And for Body working, it DOES happen to be the "do all" for body panels. But not the "do all" for everything.

I think your idea for the GLASS is a very good one actually. I don't want to spend the amount of money thats going to cost tho, thats why I do all my own work, whether it be my engine and tranny swap, or custom body work. I can do it, do it PROPERLY, and be satisfied with the results. I rent a Garage where I do all my friends cars and stuff as a part time job also.

The reason for doing it my way was because I don't use the Sunroof, I might actually just take out the motor and all the guts and tracks and make it a MANUAL open only where it just pops open like my girls car does. It works good, looks good, and serves the purpose I want it to. Its a Win, win for me.

If someone like You were going to do the job and go with the glass option and replace the tracks with the metal ones, I would love to see pics of one done if you can find any.

I'm sure I can find it in other threads if I just look, but is it the "tracks" on the cars that goes bad preventing them from opening properly?? hows that happen?
Thanks for your input bud!:biggrin:

 

[Erthling09]

i want T-tops! BUT shhhh!

T-TOPS ARE THE SHIZNIT!!!! I WANT T-TOPS ON OUR COUGARS ALSO!!!


THAT WOULD BE A DAMN GOOD PROJECT TO DO FOR OUR CARS. I DON'T HAVE THAT AMOUNT OF TIME TO START A PROJECT LIKE THAT THO. THAT WOULD INVOLVE A SERIOUS AMOUNT OF WORK TO PERFECT ALSO, MAKE SURE THERES NO LEAKS, ALL THE GASKETS FIT PERFECTLY, MAKE A LATCHING SYSTEM, AND INCORPORATE GLASS INTO THE BODY PANELS CUZ THATS THE ONLY WAY I WOULD ROLL IF I WENT THROUGH ALL THAT WORK.

I DIDN'T EVEN THINK ABOUT T-TOPS, BUT DAMN!!, THAT WOULD BE SICK!!:bowdown:

 

[rdl360]

I like the idea of making it into a MANUAL open, now if only someone could write a "how-to"........

 

[JScullin]

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