CF Sunroof Delete Questions

[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.

[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]

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]

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.

[gixxer]

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

[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]

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.

[Estoril]

AJ hartman panel is perfect fit. The outside appearance is very dependent on the skill of the person applying the silicon sealant.

This is how I approached it:



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

[SandeepM3]

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.

[eacmen]

Thanks.

AJ Hartman it is !

I'm just banging my head against the wall because i just recently had B and C pillars removed. A pillars are fairly straightforward, although i'm certain i'll break something (clips) along the way.

Sorry can’t help you much there. I was stripping the interior for a track build.

[gixxer]

AJ hartman panel is perfect fit. The outside appearance is very dependent on the skill of the person applying the silicon sealant.

Thanks.

AJ Hartman it is !

I'm just banging my head against the wall because i just recently had B and C pillars removed. A pillars are fairly straightforward, although i'm certain i'll break something (clips) along the way.

[eacmen]

That's good to know. Following panel removal video seem helpful.

I did find m3 weights thread in this forum, very useful.

https://nam3forum.com/forums/forum/main-forum/e46-2001-2006/67786-m3-weight-data-thread

I'm just going to see for myself by weighing the front seats vs the recaro pp with hardware's.


To those that have the AJ Hartman CF sunroof panel, did the panel gave a good flush with the rest of the roof line?

From the various installed pictures of this panel, the roof line seem to be more or less flushed.

Trying to see if CF wrap the whole roof would be pointless because of panel not flush with the roof line.


Thanks.

AJ hartman panel is perfect fit. The outside appearance is very dependent on the skill of the person applying the silicon sealant.

[gixxer]

CSL liner is about 3.5lbs, assuming you put everything else back on - pillars, sun visors, etc, you only basically save on the glass and the cassette/motor itself.

Remove the glass first, separately from the cassette (4 screws), makes it a lot easier to remove everything by yourself.

Doing roof vs just the panel, I heard nets another 7-10lbs, so not huge.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

That's good to know. Following panel removal video seem helpful.

I did find m3 weights thread in this forum, very useful.

https://nam3forum.com/forums/forum/m...ht-data-thread


I'm just going to see for myself by weighing the front seats vs the recaro pp with hardware's.


To those that have the AJ Hartman CF sunroof panel, did the panel gave a good flush seating with the rest of the roof line?

From the various installed pictures of this panel, the roof line seem to be more or less flushed.

Trying to see if CF wrap the whole roof would be pointless because of panel not flush with the roof line.


Thanks.

[mrgizmo04]

would a mere sunroof delete alone (saving of ~70 lbs or so ???) be "worth" the effort to reduce similar center of gravity height similar to csl roof?

Weights listed on some sites are incorrect.

Doing a sunroof delete panel is only a saving of about 32lbs.

-Sunroof roof liner 3.5 lbs
-Lights, pillars, sun visors, rubber seam for sunroof glass, oh shit handles, clothes hooks, sunroof motor - all 8 lbs
-Sunroof glass 14 lbs
-Sunroof cassette 16.5 lbs

CSL liner is about 3.5lbs, assuming you put everything else back on - pillars, sun visors, etc, you only basically save on the glass and the cassette/motor itself.

Remove the glass first, separately from the cassette (4 screws), makes it a lot easier to remove everything by yourself.

Doing roof vs just the panel, I heard nets another 7-10lbs, so not huge.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

[Nate047]

Yea you probably won't really notice a huge difference, but if you WANT to notice it in your mind, you will "feel" it. As someone said above though, if you're doing seats, and if you do lightweight wheels too, that's a solid little chunk of weight gone right there. All from the highest point of the car, and from the rotating mass on each corner, plus the fact that seats hold you better and will lower your center of gravity a little bit too, all of that together will make a big difference on the ole' butt dyno and confidence meter.