Welding shut the sunroof

[GrahamS]

RANT

Over the last couple of days I've completely had enough of this crazy leaking sunroof so want rid. How easy is it going to be to bin in.

Of course I've got the 182 breaking so could cut a panel from that roof and pop it in.

Ideas.....

I'm sure a few people wouldn't mind having this done

 

[bloke]

got to be a bloody good welder to weld a sunroof up, look what happened to the muppets on classic car rescue when they did the mgb gt!!

 

[Timmsy]

A few people i know have done this to some 205's

Can easily be done but your better off using the whole roof skin and going from there. The finish might not be great if its just a panel in the sunroof.

PS - still havent got round to puting that tow strap on, need to modify the bumper somehow i think

 

[Jack!]

Someone on here has done this to their 205, think it's Matt with the red 205 track car.

 

[Dr HMS Derv Destroyer]

Take the roof skin off your 182 and swap them over. Held on with s**t loads of jetspot welds screen out jobby.

or take out the sunroof , silicone the black surrounding trim and bolt it back down. Stopped mine leaking and I can still open it

 

[Jay.S]

Yeah me and Matt have both done a sunroof blank here mine:-
http://www.cliosport.net/forum/showthread.php?670324-VTS-Rallycross-Project-Build/page4

Matt's is also pictured.

I'd just remove it though and get some tiger seal and seal it up.

 

[Brian]

My brother sealed his up with clear silicon - Did the job fine. Worth doing first if you don't want to try the permanent welding option

 

[Hodgins]

Can only echo the above comments
used a fiver of clear silicone on the 1.2 and it hasnt leaked since and we've had some rain lol

 

[MartinR]

Silicone or full roof skin

 

[GrahamS]

It's already been siliconed once before I bought it but maybe I could do it again.

If I were to do the roof skin how much of a ball ache is that then.

Car smells like cheese at the moment it's so wet!

 

[Hodgins]

Silicone or full roof skin

Sorry i meant silicone, took the full lot out, scraped off the old seal on plastic frame, watch your hands its sharp lol, clean the suface where it going to stick, and then i put a line of silicone around the plastic on the outside and rubbed my finger across it to make it neat

any that goes onto the paint you can rub off once dry

like i said, it worked for me, but not others

 

[Craig.M]

welding it shut would buckle your roof due to the heat added when welding, just seal it shut with sealant

 

[Loz H]

Took mine out and sealed it with silicone and it only leaks on the passenger side of the car now

Ive either fucked up sealing it, or its the actual rubber seal the glass sits on thats fucked

 

[Ex-User (99307)]

Get a bung made up by Fiberworx or similar? Much better than messing with welds and paint.

 

[Bluebeard]

Maybe spend £40 at renault and get both new seals?? Will take you two hours if you're a complete novice with no thumbs.

 

[car.crash]

Maybe spend £40 at renault and get both new seals?? Will take you two hours if you're a complete novice with no thumbs.

Why people over look the simple options is beyond me.
as Daniel says, renew the seals.

 

[Pauleds]

As Daniel says, just replace the seals.

I tried welding up the sunroof on a mk2 astra years ago that was my road rally car. Even though I was trying to be careful by welding separate sections around the roof it still warped it slightly so ended up just plating it over the top.

Just get it fixed and don't bother welding unless you are replacing the roof skin!

 

[AlexW]

My sunroof doesn't leak, but I hate it, and its one thing that makes my rep look wrong. I want to change the roof skin on, I know its gonna be a bloody hard job though. Probs going to need a second hand skin too.

 

[Dr HMS Derv Destroyer]

Isn't to hard to change the skin on a mk2. Well it is when trying not to bend it when moving around

 

[@Spoonie]

Why people over look the simple options is beyond me.
as Daniel says, renew the seals.

CS doesn't stand for common sense...

 

[car.crash]

On the older renaults the sunroof wasn't fitted from factory so getting new seals is very difficult so they get sealed up.
if you can go to renault or a scrappy why weld a panel?

 

[Matt_90]

I would suggest getting new seals or if you really want shot of it a new roof skin.

I only put a panel on mine because the cage can't be fitted with the sunroof in. It does the job but I wouldn't want it on an everyday car.

 

[lemonnobby]

Do not use sealer its hit and miss.
I use black tack from renault 18 quid a roll.
Make sure the hinges on the glass are ok.
and a bit of grease on the glass seal.

 

[Ianboom]

There used to be a mobile guy who made up seals and repaired sunroof leaks on here??

Fixed my lads with clear silicon and an girl at work repaired hers the same-there's a guide on here somewhere.

 

[Munson]

Good way to ruin your car rather than just fixing the sunroof.

BTW replacing the roof skin is massively invasive, and it'll be rusting away within a year.

 

[Dr HMS Derv Destroyer]

It won't if it's done properly ! Seam sealer an all that stuff to do a proper job

 

[Bluebeard]

I tend to agree with Roy, for instance I've never seen a door skin that's lasted longer than a year with out starting to pickle up.

 

[AlexW]

It won't if it's done properly ! Seam sealer an all that stuff to do a proper job

I have to agree with this, Weld through primer etc, and as long as its well protected, it'll be fine.

 

[Munson]

It won't if it's done properly ! Seam sealer an all that stuff to do a proper job

Perhaps not. Obviously it will depend on the quality of the work, but it's more likely to start rusting than not. It's majorly invasive to the integrity of the car. Trust me on this. I kinda know what I'm talking about. IMO.

 

[Dr HMS Derv Destroyer]

Yes the integrity of the cars structure will be altered, BUT that's what body jigs are for.

Last time I helped to change a roof skin, we had to weld several cross bars to the inside of the car at certain points whilst f**king about with the roof. Hasn't rusted in over two years, probs down to the amount of preparation before apply the new skin. Acid etch primer, epoxy mastic/seal sealer with spaces for spot welds, the more seam sealer.

I guess it's down to a matter of peoples opinions and how good the job was done in the first place.

 

[Munson]

I didn't actually mean structural integrity. I meant as an overall process it's extremely invasive and undoes a lot of the process used to build the car at the factory. If it has to be done then it has to be done, but a leaking sunroof is a bit of a silly reason to cut the roof off your car.

 

[lemonnobby]

Door skins are often not painted or treated on the inside of the door where its get damp most of the time.

 

[Coops Mk1]

had the roof skin replaced on my mark one four years ago, still fine now

has smoothed and filled roof rails too and gets used on track on full slicks, no buckles/splits or marks in the new panel at all

so if whomever does the job knows what they are doing, it can be done well and done to last.......but don't get me wrong it wont be cheap

 

[AlexW]

Mk1 Certainly looks like more work than a Mk2 too!

Mk2 roof fits over everything else.

 

[car.crash]

My 1.2 is leaking. What sealant do you use for the frame. Silicone is a no no after seeing someone silicone a spoiler on once and it stripped the paint off the boot all the way to the metal.

 

[Dr HMS Derv Destroyer]

Silkaflex (sp) did mine ages ago and hasn't leaked until I desided to try heat gun my trim back to black

 

[Dr HMS Derv Destroyer]

But get proper gaskets like every says

 

[car.crash]

I shall get proper gaskets from Renault but I assumed that was only the inner seal which is rubber?
thought the outer framework was a bonding agent?

 

[Michaelfoz]

i'm sure blair mccaff on here cut the roof off of a 182 to put it on his 1.2! LOL

ended up breaking the car in the end

It's a lot of money to spend just to fix a leaking roof! on a 1.2
if replacing the seals doesnt work then siliconing up the sunroof on an old 1.2 will not put of a new buyer.
end of the day it is a cheap car, i certainly wouldn't walk away from it

if anything it says i won't have the hassle in the future LOL

 

[Bluebeard]

I shall get proper gaskets from Renault but I assumed that was only the inner seal which is rubber?
thought the outer framework was a bonding agent?

The outer one is a foam gasket with adhesive on one side, The inner seal is a rubber one.