CF Sunroof Delete Questions

[gixxer]

Here is a second panel from AJ I had to get for my next car. Also perfect fitment. When installing and letting the sealant (and I also use adhesive) dry I used sticks to apply pressure to each corner and long edge to insure it dried flush and didn't sag.

That *is* a flush, tight fitment !

I will need to come up with like those sticks to do similar applying of even pressures. Thanks for sharing that.

[gixxer]

This is how I approached it:



Then smoothed it with the edge of an old credit card.

Yep, found that post in

https://nam3forum.com/forums/forum/main-forum/e46-2001-2006/83678-sunroof-delete-panel%E2%80%94best-ways-to-avoid-leaks?p=83714#post83714

[gixxer]

If not sticks then shoves!!! Whatever works...

[BigRussia]

Not sure if this is the de-facto sunroof delete thread here on NAM3F, but figure it's the best one to bump with my question; is the AJ Hartman CF delete panel still the best one today in mid-year 2022?

Im ready to place an order but wanted to see if any other non CF options have as good as fitment and quality in anyone's experience. Seems like S2R is no long around so thats no an option. AJ Hartman is currently listed at $499, while CF is awesome I dont mind sacrificing 1lb. to save a few hundred bones on a FRP piece that could go towards fixing the used sagging slicktop headliner I have to restore as part of this sunroof delete project.

[bigjae46]

Not sure if this is the de-facto sunroof delete thread here on NAM3F, but figure it's the best one to bump with my question; is the AJ Hartman CF delete panel still the best one today in mid-year 2022?

Im ready to place an order but wanted to see if any other non CF options have as good as fitment and quality in anyone's experience. Seems like S2R is no long around so thats no an option. AJ Hartman is currently listed at $499, while CF is awesome I dont mind sacrificing 1lb. to save a few hundred bones on a FRP piece that could go towards fixing the used sagging slicktop headliner I have to restore as part of this sunroof delete project.

The savings is minimal if you go with fiberglass. Most of the cost is in the time to prep, layup and finish the part. While FG is about 1/5th the cost of carbon, the amount of cloth used is probably less than a yard.

[BigRussia]

The savings is minimal if you go with fiberglass. Most of the cost is in the time to prep, layup and finish the part. While FG is about 1/5th the cost of carbon, the amount of cloth used is probably less than a yard.

Ah ok, interesting. Yeah i recall the S2R fiberglass panels were going for under $300, IIRC something like $279? That's almost half the cost of the AJ Hartman CF piece though, cant say its not a significant price difference. Unfortunately seems like S2R went tits up, and is no longer available

[bigjae46]

Ah ok, interesting. Yeah i recall the S2R fiberglass panels were going for under $300, IIRC something like $279? That's almost half the cost of the AJ Hartman CF piece though, cant say its not a significant price difference. Unfortunately seems like S2R went tits up, and is no longer available

A mold has a service life. One possibility is their mold was no longer usable.

Inflation is real. Probably could do a FG panel for $280 a year or two ago. Right now...no way in hell.

[eacmen]

Ah ok, interesting. Yeah i recall the S2R fiberglass panels were going for under $300, IIRC something like $279? That's almost half the cost of the AJ Hartman CF piece though, cant say its not a significant price difference. Unfortunately seems like S2R went tits up, and is no longer available

AJ makes all of his panels to order. Its a one man shop. I happily paid the premium over the other options to support someone who devs and races his own parts.

Checkout his youtube channel, lots of useful content.

[Darbshaw]

I just picked up the fitment labs Fiberglass panel. Personally I couldn’t justify spending 1/3 the cost of a full carbon roof when I plan on going that route anyways. This served as a stop gap solution for me.

Fitment is pretty good from a far, I need to take it for paint now. Most notably, issues with the back corners and getting them flush. For $250 I am not upset with the product at all.

I also think I will have issues with getting a sealing surface at the rear. I know the thread is for the CF deletes. Figured I’d throw the other option in here as well.



Final pic is having the rear secured. Ignore the new bulges to my roof trying to secure the corners raised the center a little. Should be easily correctable but there is a lot of fiddling needed with this panel


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[Estoril]

I just picked up the fitment labs Fiberglass panel. Personally I couldn’t justify spending 1/3 the cost of a full carbon roof when I plan on going that route anyways. This served as a stop gap solution for me.

Fitment is pretty good from a far, I need to take it for paint now. Most notably, issues with the back corners and getting them flush. For $250 I am not upset with the product at all.

I also think I will have issues with getting a sealing surface at the rear. I know the thread is for the CF deletes. Figured I’d throw the other option in here as well.

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Did you seal it?

[Darbshaw]

Did you seal it?

Not yet, this was just test fitting for paint. Will seal it after.


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[Darbshaw]

Update, sealing is absolutely terrible. If going for one of the fiberglass panels I definitely recommend ones with the grooves like the carbon fiber panels. I really overlooked this when purchasing.

They can be sealed by heavily filling the gaps from the outside of the panel. That’s my problem since we’ve been getting terrible downpours for the past few weeks.

I still don’t think my opinion would change about doing this or a carbon fiber panel though. Since my final plan is a full carbon roof anyways. If you’re not planning to go to a full carbon roof, then carbon panel all the way.


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[Estoril]

Update, sealing is absolutely terrible. If going for one of the fiberglass panels I definitely recommend ones with the grooves like the carbon fiber panels. I really overlooked this when purchasing.

They can be sealed by heavily filling the gaps from the outside of the panel. That’s my problem since we’ve been getting terrible downpours for the past few weeks.

I still don’t think my opinion would change about doing this or a carbon fiber panel though. Since my final plan is a full carbon roof anyways. If you’re not planning to go to a full carbon roof, then carbon panel all the way.


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I think the key to sealing either roof is laying an uninterrupted bead around the roof before insertion. Then seal from the outside. I scraped the outside even (not over-filled) with a credit card leaving no holes/air bubbles.

My research said to use a combination adhesive/sealant.

I have never had a single leak.

[SQ13]

I have an S2R fiberglass panel, which also fits like shit. I decided to wrap the roof black bc I didn’t want to deal with trying to seal the uneven back portion. Works fine for now and will be getting a CF roof eventually.

[Darbshaw]

I think the key to sealing either roof is laying an uninterrupted bead around the roof before insertion. Then seal from the outside. I scraped the outside even (not over-filled) with a credit card leaving no holes/air bubbles.

My research said to use a combination adhesive/sealant.

I have never had a single leak.

This is the exact process I followed. Although I seemed to have left some air pockets that sunk through when filling from the outside. Nothing another hour of work won’t fix.

I had the unfortunate experience of testing its fit/seal in a recent downpour yesterday


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