Ok, so I was wondering how difficult it would be to put a sunroof in a hard top camaro. I'm gonna be taking the manual sunroof out of a Nissan 240ZX, one of the 80's ones. Is there anything special I need to pay attention to? Anyone done something similar, any tips? Thanks.

 

Just an opinion thing here but don't use one of those 240 units. Get one from a newer prelude or older crx. Something body colored that lifted out of the car and to the back when it opens. Would look a million times better and flow better without breaking the color up so much on the roof.

 

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I agree... the ones that mount flush and retract back when open are the best. I am actually doing the same project right now, i just got a really nice Electric power Sunroof from a Newer Pontiac Sunfire, and i will be installing that. Should be sweet...

 

I don't know where to get one like mine, but it was like this when I bought it. I think that it looks cool. And it is cool when my a/c doesn't work.

 

You'll probably want to have SFC's on the car by the time you do that too. These older unibody cars get ALOT of their strength from the roof of the car.

 

Cutting the center out of the roof will have almost no effect on overall strength. I’ve always thought that this would be a great compromise WRT to having an open top and chassis rigidity in a fairly serious car. Although they are a bit cheesy…

 

you sure? I've always thought the opposite

On an 86 t-top camaro we were parting, we cut out the center bar on the tops just for kicks, and just by me hopping on the sill plate the car would sag 6" in the middle. I only weigh 220lbs to.

While a sunroof isn't to that extreme, it is cutting out a large chunk right in the middle of the roof.

 

Here's the final product of that. The frame, body, and windshield were completely intact during the "experiment", although the doors were open.

 

yea, I'm sure... most of the load is carried by the outside edges in most instances. Same reason why a hollow tube (say sway bar) is almost as strong as a solid one. In your case you cut the only thing that was still holding it.

 

From what I've read, those t-top center bars are just tack welded in place. I can't imagine that they provide much strength or rigidity.

 

Check out my last post in this thread, they are definately doing something for the car. It was solid before that bar was cut.