Looking for opinions on sunroof replacement

[tassie_bb1]

Hi all,

So today I ripped out my sunroof as I am looking for ways to save weight up there (because racecar and boy that thing is heavy), anyway there was a little bit of rust visible from above but after pulling the whole assembly to bits it's apparent the panel is completely toast. The top panel, support frame and seal brackets are see-through in places. So I'm trying to come up with a good, reasonably cheap replacement keeping in mind that I still want to get rid of the motor and track assembly and end up with a fixed panel. The options I've come up with are:

1) Try and source a better condition top panel from a wreckers (prelude's in tassie are unobtainium though), I'd still have to ghetto up some brackets to hold the thing in position and the steel panel is about a third the total weight of the whole sunroof so I'm not real keen on this one.
2) Try and find one of the Carbon panels that were bought on here as part of the group buy a few years back and use said ghetto brackets as in option 1. Surely nobody who actually has one of these wants rid of it though?
3) Purchase one of the LighterFaster carbon panels out of the US. This is kinda expensive for what you get though but would be a super easy fix.
4) Rivet a piece of aluminium in the hole and be done with it. This is about as ghetto as it gets.
5) Buy a whole prelude that has no sunroof and swap all the VTEC goodness into it. Since I'm after a 2WS rear subframe too if I can pick one up for cheaps it might be worth it, but once again as whole preludes are unobtainium here I'd be very lucky to get one that cheap locally.

If there's anything else that anyone thinks is a better option then I'm open to ideas.

[Sean628]

I'll go 4, coz racecar

[Bob]

Drop a note to Sinnnyboy and see if he's sold his yet. S model, no 4WS H22 conversion + Mugen goodness for a bargain.

[Sean628]

he did

[94vtirozguy]

the carbon sunroofs which were part of the group buy use stock brackets, no modification needed

[tassie_bb1]

Drop a note to Sinnnyboy and see if he's sold his yet. S model, no 4WS H22 conversion + Mugen goodness for a bargain.

Haha, I mean DIRT cheap, like sub $1000 (dreaming I know). I'm keeping my eye out for one with possibly body damage and/or a blown motor but a straight chassis, I could then part out what I don't need. Sinn3r (if he's who you meant) has a CRX and a teggy now right? I think his brother (guil7y) still has the minty green one though. Neither of them are on here much any more right?

the carbon sunroofs which were part of the group buy use stock brackets, no modification needed

Yah, I'd be looking at some serious modification though since I want to get rid of the immense mass that is the bracket and motor itself. I don't really need it to open since they don't let me open it (even crack it) at the track for safety reasons. There's only like a 3kg saving for the lid itself.

I'm beginning to think that #4 is the best option. I could make up some aluminium brackets a'la the Lighterfaster kit and rivet them to the flange, that way I'm not drilling holes directly through the roof, then silicon and rivet that bitch in place. I am a little worried since the car is still road registered and I do still drive it occasionally to keep the motor from seizing, I don't want to end up with something dangerous or becoming cop-bait. I could probably vinyl wrap it or just paint it to be less noticeable. I'd also be worried that if there's a small lip at the front that air could get in an lift it off at speed, that'd be embarrassing. I've never heard complaint of the carbon one doing it though.

[94vtirozguy]

the carbon lid did not come off my car

[Bob]

Or 6) cut and remove the roof panel and replace it with an S model version with no hole. Remove roof lining and sunroof system altogether.

[steve-gee]

the carbon sunroofs which were part of the group buy use stock brackets, no modification needed

Hi 94vtirozguy - are those carbon fibre "lids" still around do you know? Mine - which was great for quite a few years has now developed the dreaded rust issue?

Cheers

Steve

[94vtirozguy]

I think from memory 10 were made Australia wide. The only way you will get one, is by one of those people selling them off. You could look at getting one fabricated yourself or look at some other materials to get one made up with.