Is it possible to do a sunroof delete on our cars?

[bullfrogs_M3]

I don't care for sunroofs and mine is closed 100% of the time. In fact anytime I drive the X5, i don't leave the garage until that damn panoramic roof on that thing is shut tight (the wife is the complete opposite and wants it open ALL the time).

I know that some E46 M3 owners have done the delete. I just wonder if any sedan owners have. I don't even know where I would be able to find a complete roof that doesn't have a sunroof on it. Let alone what it would take to swap something out like that.

There are delete kits that autocross guys get to remove the weight but this still leaves the "void" there with a plate and I don't even want to see ANY type of sunroof at all on my car. :rolleyes

[M3TA5IN]

It would be a lot of labor to do it so it's like factory.

New roof without sunroof, new headliner. Or the cheap would be do the same thing the autocross guys do and put a new headliner in. You would still have the spot on the roof though where you could see the sunroof lines if you did it this way.

Give me a second and I'll get a link that shows you how it's properly done on the e9xs

[M3TA5IN]

Here is how it is done on a e90. Same concept though.

http://ind-style.com/2011/05/10/ind-installs-another-e90-m3-carbon-fiber-roof/

It's a lot of work. I looked into this for my car, in my case I don't ever use the sunroof, and the weight lose would be nice. Although the cost to weight lose ratio is not worth it in my opinion.

Now if you are verse in tack welding and body work you could save a lot of money, the other part is taking out the front and rear windshields. I didn't see where you're located but if your serious about this I could help you with the windshield part. The biggest cost then would be if you can find a sunless roof for the e46 I'm not sure if they make them. Then also a headliner.

Edit: just saw you're in AZ, so to far for me to help, but the plus side is the heat there makes it really easy to remove and replace the windshields lol. I've never seems a after market roof for a e46 330i though. And since there is no 4 door M3 in that year I don't know if there is a headliner without a sunroof.

[Hornung418]

J, I'm looking into the delete as well currently the only option is a CF sunroof panel that would delete the cassette.

Now if we can get an unpainted roof and split the cost, Dean (a member on here) is running a CF parts manufacturing process and he could make a mold and produce a few roofs for us.

Unfortunately he has been inactive for a while :(

Courtesy of Gingerbread...

[bullfrogs_M3]

Thanks guys

Might just look into doing this and completely just cover the sunroof with the CF vinyl and then disconnect the sunroof motor.
http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=715981

[zj96sc]

What is the end game here? Are you looking for weight reduction? CG lowering? Is it leaking?

I'm just not sure i'm on board with the effort/benefit ratio here.

[bullfrogs_M3]

not worried about weight reduction since i don't auto X, not too concerned with center of gravity as I drive mostly conservative, not leaking either.

Just don't want it. Never use it, never wanted to buy my car with it on there. But finding a Jet Black w/Natural Brown interior ZHP with no sunroof, is a needle in a haystack type of search.

[Hornung418]

For me in particular, I have OE glass and it's very pitted and scratched from when PO had the wiper arms switched (Pass on Driver side and vice versa). I also have a Stinger antenna which seems to have had a bad encounter with a garage door or something. Anyway, the mounting hole is flared up and it doesn't seal properly, currently sealed off with electrical tape (ghetto as hell). Roof is scratched to hell from PO putting stuff on top of the car...trunk is pretty bad, too.

So the best solution for my interests of future track/auto-x is a CF roof, weave is unimportant to me...will be painted with the respray. CF facelift vented hood, CF roof and CF CSL trunk...need to win the mega millions...

[zj96sc]

So it bothers you so much that you'd be willing to spend hundreds if not thousands of dollars to not have to look at it? That's pretty impressive.

My vote in this would be just not use it and leave it alone. You'll see it through the vinyl, any other approach will cost thousands of dollars to do correctly.

[M3TA5IN]

For me in particular, I have OE glass and it's very pitted and scratched from when PO had the wiper arms switched (Pass on Driver side and vice versa). I also have a Stinger antenna which seems to have had a bad encounter with a garage door or something. Anyway, the mounting hole is flared up and it doesn't seal properly, currently sealed off with electrical tape (ghetto as hell). Roof is scratched to hell from PO putting stuff on top of the car...trunk is pretty bad, too.

So the best solution for my interests of future track/auto-x is a CF roof, weave is unimportant to me...will be painted with the respray. CF facelift vented hood, CF roof and CF CSL trunk...need to win the mega millions...

Horn. You live close enough to me if you decide to do this, I'll pull the windshields for you and do the prep work on the pinch weld. I can't reinstall because I sold all my stuff to do that, but saves on some labor time. If need be I can probably get a decent deal on the glass too. Shit I'm sure we could even figure out removing the OE roof... Actually thinking about this I don't know that a CF roof is put in the same as OE. It's almost the same way a windshield is out in... If push came to shove and doing this on a real budget. Cost would be roof, windows, headliner if you want?

[Hornung418]

OE roof removal would just be to drill out the spot welds. CF roof install uses a special glue from Wurth and a shit load of clamps...

http://www.bimmerboost.com/showthread.php?504-e46-M3-Carbon-Fiber-Roof-Install-Pics

We'll see what the future looks like, Cody. Appreciate the offer :thumbup

[M3TA5IN]

OE roof removal would just be to drill out the spot welds. CF roof install uses a special glue from Wurth and a shit load of clamps...

http://www.bimmerboost.com/showthread.php?504-e46-M3-Carbon-Fiber-Roof-Install-Pics

We'll see what the future looks like, Cody. Appreciate the offer :thumbup

No problem man, I'm down to do anything on cars. And if you don't know, google can teach us lol.

[bullfrogs_M3]

So it bothers you so much that you'd be willing to spend hundreds if not thousands of dollars to not have to look at it? That's pretty impressive.

My vote in this would be just not use it and leave it alone. You'll see it through the vinyl, any other approach will cost thousands of dollars to do correctly.

Theres no way ill spend thousands of dollars on this project. Just not worth it. If there were an easier way, i'd seriously consider it. In the meantime, I am looking at just overlaying the roof with vinyl and disconnecting the motor. Getting a couple quotes from guys on the process and materials. Would like to get it done before summer hits here, which is like...... next week :/

[Hornung418]

J, you could pull the cassette, glue in an insert and bondo the seam on the roof, then overlay the roof with the vinyl wrap. Savings and looks. I don't know what you're trying to do by disconnecting the motor...you could just not open it :dunno

[bullfrogs_M3]

J, you could pull the cassette, glue in an insert and bondo the seam on the roof, then overlay the roof with the vinyl wrap. Savings and looks. I don't know what you're trying to do by disconnecting the motor...you could just not open it :dunno

Disconnecting the motor simply will keep the window shut even if I open my door windows with my key. In the summer here walking out to the car I'll drop the windows on the car to air it out a few seconds so i don't sit in an oven. Disconnecting the motor will keep the sunroof closed when I do that

[Hornung418]

Ah understood.

[danewilson77]

Disconnecting the motor simply will keep the window shut even if I open my door windows with my key. In the summer here walking out to the car I'll drop the windows on the car to air it out a few seconds so i don't sit in an oven. Disconnecting the motor will keep the sunroof closed when I do that

You should just get your car programmed to only drop windows. That's how I got mine.

HTC Thunderbolt+TT

[bullfrogs_M3]

You should just get your car programmed to only drop windows. That's how I got mine.

HTC Thunderbolt+TT

TIL: DW likes it down low, not up top

[az3579]

You should just get your car programmed to only drop windows. That's how I got mine.

HTC Thunderbolt+TT

This.
I coded only my front two windows to roll down.

[RVAzhp]

so...how do you make the windows roll down with the key?....

i'm apparently late to the game in this one.

[zj96sc]

press unlock twice to unlock everything, then press and hold unlock until everything opens. put the key in the door lock and hold to locked and all will close.

programming can change any/all parts of how it works - what does and doesn't move, etc.

[zhp43867]

I looked into this. Full cost would be around $2k+ with an OEM steel roof panel installed and painted, hopefully including finding a used headliner.

There is a brace that should be welded in to do the delete- most who just install a CF panel in place of the glass skip this.

I decided against installing a sunroof delete on my sedan, so I bought a zhp coupe- sunroof delete. The car rolls much less- and feels "point and shoot" compared to my (with sunroof) sedan.

[danewilson77]

Could just use same headliner, right?

HTC Thunderbolt+TT

[zhp43867]

Could just use same headliner, right?

HTC Thunderbolt+TT

Mmm, not sure. You mean use the with sunroof headliner once a delete is installed? I think I recall from M3forum a member said the headliner is held up by the whole cassette assembly. Now if we are talking about just a CF delete panel sealed in, I think it'd work.

Here is a ton of info on weight and an install.

http://m3forum.net/m3forum/showthread.php?t=222481

[Hornung418]

I plan on doing it for the extra head room. 6'5" is too tall for a helmet in my optimal seating position.

[zhp43867]

I plan on doing it for the extra head room. 6'5" is too tall for a helmet in my optimal seating position.

I'm 6' 6". Since I want to start going to the track, I had "no choice". ;)

[Hornung418]

I just can't get over tracking my DD. I want to...but an e30 or 2002 may be in my future.

Courtesy of Gingerbread...