Sunroof Question - BEEZIL Read this!

Okay, I like to get sunburns...so on that thought I'd like to have a sunroof. I know that in around '88 there was a sunroof, the pop up and remove type (or at least pop up), I was thinking of going aftermarket with one of those...

But then I saw a picture of Beezil's chopped XJ and it's hole in the roof.

Okay Beez, got any pictures of that hole, how's it sealed, etc. etc. etc...

Sequoia

I don't know what year Beezil's is, but I have an 88 with the factory sunroof. On mine, the front area of the roof is flat, and the back is ribbed. On all the other XJ's from that era, IRRC the roof is ribbed front to back, and the sunroof dosen't fit. I think there were a few people who have aftermarket sunroofs installed, and they had a gasket that fit the ribs in the roof. Your best bet is to call around and see if anyone near you does that kind of stuff, and get a price.

http://www.sunroofdoctor.com/

My 88 had a factory power sunroof.

it didn't work and it extended rearward past the point where i chopped it.

The roof where the sunroof was, was in fact ribbed. the weatherproof channel surround addressed that issue.

I installed the largest possible pop-in-pop-out available. However, it still wasn't big enough to allow me to make the cut-out bigger, or match the existing hole. To explain, I had to cut out of the width, but add to the front-and-back dimension. Therefore, I just added a new pc. of sheetmetal, adding new reinforcement cross members while I was add it, allowing me to be able to stand on the roof, just behind the opening.....Once i added in the metal, i was able to cut out an exact hole for the new bow front sunroof......

follow the link, the guy who owns that place is right-awn....most helpful!.....I called places around me, and all I could get was "sir, what is the make,model,year or your car?" well, see, that was aggrevating because it didn't matter. I'd respond that I needed whatever size, plus or minus a bunch of inches. Basically, I merely would ask "what are the dimension or your more larger-sized pop-ins?" Then they would say, "sir, just drive in and make an appointment"......There is little room for mark-up on aftermarket sunrooves (sp?) hoof-hooves? so most of the places reply on installation labor, and aren't very helpful to the DIY set......that's why I left the link, that guy will be more than happy to help you....

I don't have any pics of the install, but can try to answer questions that may arise.

HTH

Groovy... This may be a pipe dream...haven't really decided if I'll do it yet...but it would be fun, and I'm going to be re-doing my headliner soon...

One request though...I remember a pic you have of the beast going up some canyon gig, where you can really see the top of it and the hole in the roof...would you mind throwing that up here so I can take a look at it?

Thanks

Thanks bro.

Alright Beezil...got another question for you. Since my XJ is a daily driver...how well does yours hold the rain out. And how did the install go? I won't be doing this for awhile, but the idea seems damn nice, especially since we have so much desert here!

Also...that extra crossmember you put in, do you think that's necessary for those that don't want to drive while staning on the roof?

Sequoia

totally, 100-percent water-tight....

the rating on install difficulty was a 2.

1 being installing a headlight
3 installing a lift kit
7 rebuilding an aw-4

So this is a 1 - 10 rating scale, right?

So is cutting the back of your XJ off and making it structually sound rate a 27?

I lied.....

found these two....

Having a support rib behind the sunroof is quite important. When I purchased my '98 with a factory installed aftermarket sunroof, all seemed well till I opened it fully on the highway and the whole roof started oscillating up and down! Turns out that when it was installed, they cut the factory support rib and never installed another. I remedied that with a homemade support that I bolted in on the inner roof edge (no bolts going to the outside.) I don't think it would support me standing on it, but it supports the roof section behind the sun roof quite well. Jeff

Keep an Eye out at the junk yards. I found mine at a junk yard. I paid $12.50 complete. I made a template, measured about 100 times and started cutting. It fits perfect, alittle 3M weather strip adhesive and bang no leaks. The factory roof has a good pinch seam and holds the metal very well. I can take some pic's if you want.