A sunroof is handy to record the surroundings, the camerawork was by my daughter, not the driver!
It is a journey from Palo Alto to a lot we had in Menlo Park...
It is a journey from Palo Alto to a lot we had in Menlo Park...
Poll: Who Likes or not the Sunroof in the E9 and why?
- Thread starter Krzysztof
- Start date
I've had two coupes with factory sunroof and never experienced any leaks. Same for our 111 Merc, '67 911S and VW T34, which also have Golde sunroofs.
Never experienced wind noise issues with any of them either. In general a desirable option and values of equipped cars reflect that.
Never experienced wind noise issues with any of them either. In general a desirable option and values of equipped cars reflect that.
I'd say build it as you like. I wouldn't put a sunroof in because it may fetch more if I would ever sell it. It if starts to feel like an investment, then the element of joy tends to leave in equal amounts.
I get the feeling that you will be disassembling the entire thing anyway which should remove any concern for rust: If decently repaired a sunroof will last just as long as the rest of the car.
Question would be: do you enjoy a sunroof? If it has one, do you drive with it open and look at the colors of the trees in the fall passing by? Do you see the clouds fly by?
If "no", then don't spend the time and money. No sunroof will be cheaper and your restoration will finish earlier.
If "yes", then find a sunroof, disassemble it, e-zinc all the panels, spot weld everything back and feed the drain hoses out the wheel wells and drive the crap out of it.
I get the feeling that you will be disassembling the entire thing anyway which should remove any concern for rust: If decently repaired a sunroof will last just as long as the rest of the car.
Question would be: do you enjoy a sunroof? If it has one, do you drive with it open and look at the colors of the trees in the fall passing by? Do you see the clouds fly by?
If "no", then don't spend the time and money. No sunroof will be cheaper and your restoration will finish earlier.
If "yes", then find a sunroof, disassemble it, e-zinc all the panels, spot weld everything back and feed the drain hoses out the wheel wells and drive the crap out of it.
For me this is still an open topic as from one side I have not decided if it will be VIN-correct car once the project will start or it will be modified.
I'm not very extremely for the sunroof but I see the advantages of having it.
It is true the car will be stripped and cut in pieces.
One of the reason is the roof itself as it has several holes rusted over the reinforcement of the roof sliders and around the flap.
So I still have plenty of time to decide and - have a roof in great condition ready but without sunroof.
It is interesting to see your point of view as you are using your E9s while I will need to be extremely patient.
Final direction to follow will be pointed by me of course.
I'm not very extremely for the sunroof but I see the advantages of having it.
It is true the car will be stripped and cut in pieces.
One of the reason is the roof itself as it has several holes rusted over the reinforcement of the roof sliders and around the flap.
So I still have plenty of time to decide and - have a roof in great condition ready but without sunroof.
It is interesting to see your point of view as you are using your E9s while I will need to be extremely patient.
Final direction to follow will be pointed by me of course.
A sunroof to me just means the original owner smoked! Or that he didn't like to stew in the smoke, ha.
I don't like them very much. Either give me a slick top coupe, or a full-on convertible. Or better yet, a targa. I have often wondered if the E9 could have been built with a 911 targa-like removable roof, so as to preserve the natty and rakish lines of the C pillar.
I don't like them very much. Either give me a slick top coupe, or a full-on convertible. Or better yet, a targa. I have often wondered if the E9 could have been built with a 911 targa-like removable roof, so as to preserve the natty and rakish lines of the C pillar.
I too sought a coupe without a sunroof because I don't often use one and to avoid rust issues. That said, some potential buyers consider a sunroof a must have option.
As to structural rigidity, I suspect the crash protection wouldn't change much (and in any event, we all know its horrible).
As to structural rigidity, I suspect the crash protection wouldn't change much (and in any event, we all know its horrible).
If the sunroof would make the A and C pillars stiffer that would be no other way but keep it in. The pillars are so delicate in relation to the size and weight of the car.
Love the sun but after a life in the sun now I have to deal with Skin Cancer. My wife has had a convertible for over 20 years and we just do not use it that much. With the E9 with all the windows open feels great. To be honest I have never been an E9 with a sun roof so I really do not know what I am talking about
Not to mention less headroom in a sunroof coupe if that is a concern. It was down on my priority list when searching for my car, would not complain if mine had one, although I am tall and do appreciate the extra space. My friend's coupe has a sunroof, I'm paranoid of it's (perceived to me) reliabilty and not closing properly when needed. I agree that by now if your car doesn't have rust from the sunroof, just improve the drains, clean them regularly (along with the rocker drains) and go for it.
For me, this is a big YES!!! Maybe I should keep my eyes on the road more.
The rustiest coupe I’ve ever owned, and I‘ve owned six, did not have a sunroof. All five others had sunroofs and were way less rusty; including one, San Diego from new, sunroof coupe that was rust free. The key, as has been stated, is to buy the most rust free coupe you can afford. I learned that after that first rusty coupe and would only buy the most rust free coupes I could find. Personally, there is a certain joy in cracking a sunroof open that brightens my mood; I wouldn’t consider a pleasure car without one.
Belgiumbarry
Well-Known Member
don't know , my car had one ( manual ) as bought. NEVER used it . ( but it worked perfect ) .
No , if i want a sunroof , i buy a convertible.
( What i did , '67 C2 Corvette and a summer dd '17 Mustang )
No , if i want a sunroof , i buy a convertible.
( What i did , '67 C2 Corvette and a summer dd '17 Mustang )
For me it is all about aesthetics, i think the roof line is beautiful and gets interrupted by the sunroof opening. Also the headliner is much prettier without the opening and zipper. The offset interior light throws me off as well. Less is often more, this falls in to that category.
I like my sunroof. I am 6'1" and have ample room. I suppose if I wore a 10gallon cowboy hat there could be a problem.
I get the rust concerns maybe when these cars were daily drivers. Not sure what the concern is now, no one here (except for ScottyVest
) is driving their car in the rain or any kind of weather. Some of us won't even wash our cars with water.
I get that but more can also be more. Having all of your beautifully crafted solid aluminum sunroof pieces polished out with the optional air deflector is art itself. No cars have those details anymore. I get all kinds of positive comments about the sunroof opening in my coupe. After all the hours I have into getting seal just right and polishing the pieces, it makes me happy.
it is more problem to have it, always water leak or wind noise and more important always rust around it and it is very hard to renew the sunroof without sunroof there is no need to be worry if you have AC in summer you never use it and in cold weather again you don't use it and if you drive over 60 you don't use since the noise is to loud, so it is use less this is just my opinion, I have 2 E9 without sunroof and I am happy without it.
I love having one, I did not like getting it up and running. The cables and gaskets are way more costly than they should be, the criss cross tubing the cables feed into rusts way too easily (looks galvanized but my cables were fused). I view a SR as a meta-stable state in the coupe, so many ways it can malfunction.
More can be more, what a concept! Well said.
AFAIK "less is more" is an architectural principle pushed by a Bauhaus guy who emigrated to the US. I never found "less is more" was ever applied formally to engineering.
I had a black, CSi with A/C in Miami and it was fantastic. Used to cruise with the sunroof open and A/C on under the banyon trees in Coconut Grove. Some of my best car related memories. It didn't leak but it had been extensively restored. This was in the late 80's/early 90s
4 Speed (now a 5 speed), AC, and a Sunroof. Three most important checks when I finally got our current 2800CS in 1990. At the time was living in Pittsburgh where the sun does not shine much, but the roof was always open to get what was shinning. Now in Fla where sun is almost always shinning. Roof open in the winter all the time. Closed only in the summer on days when humidity is so high and AC is on.
Personally I would not consider any coupe or sedan without a sunroof. So my vote is obviously YES. As pointed out, with the open air feeling coupe provides, having the sunroof open, the vent windows cranked wide open, and all the windows down, who needs a convertible!
We had a 72 Bavaria for a while with a sunroof, again it was a 4 speed and had air. Sorry we we ever sold it, but what was missing of course were the front vent windows. Just LOVE those vent windows on our coupes.
As far as values is concerned, look at the added premium a sunroof brings on say a 356 or air-cooled 911.
For our Coupes, for example, a 1972-74 CS just checked Hagerty, and their valuation guide says to ad 15% to value.
jjs2800cs
Personally I would not consider any coupe or sedan without a sunroof. So my vote is obviously YES. As pointed out, with the open air feeling coupe provides, having the sunroof open, the vent windows cranked wide open, and all the windows down, who needs a convertible!
We had a 72 Bavaria for a while with a sunroof, again it was a 4 speed and had air. Sorry we we ever sold it, but what was missing of course were the front vent windows. Just LOVE those vent windows on our coupes.
As far as values is concerned, look at the added premium a sunroof brings on say a 356 or air-cooled 911.
For our Coupes, for example, a 1972-74 CS just checked Hagerty, and their valuation guide says to ad 15% to value.
jjs2800cs