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#1
07-05-2013, 11:26 AM
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thoughts on completely removing sunroof from 123?
with all the sunroof rust issues and drain issues we all encounter daily driving 30 year old sedans if you prefer 123 chassis year round, im seriously considering cutting mine completely out and having a body shop weld in sheet metal to get rid of all the rust concerns and leaks the sunroof brings.
I haven't opened mine mre than 5 times over the time ive owned my car, and though it works and is nice on certain days, for the most part it really seems like the advantage is outweighed by the disadvantage if you use the car all year and things flood and rust periodically. What do people think of this idea?
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This post brought to you by Carl's Jr. 
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#2
07-05-2013, 11:31 AM
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A neat bead of caulk would be cheaper and faster.
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Chad 2006 Nissan Pathfinder LE 1998 Acura 3.0 CL OBK#44 "Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work." - Aristotle (384-322 B.C.) SOLD 1985 300TD - Red Dragon 1986 300SDL - Coda 1991 - 300TE 1995 - E320 1985 300CD - Gladys
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#3
07-05-2013, 12:09 PM
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I take it that this is not one of your Concourse ready cars?
 If you want a shop to weld a plate and be done with it. the Sun Roof lid has the correct curvature you need. There were some 123`s that did not have the SR, our 80 and 78 240 do not have a SR. find one in a yard and cut out a large section of the roof, and a body shop could cut and fit it with less of a gap than the SR lid would have. Charlie
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there were three HP ratings on the OM616... 1) Not much power 2) Even less power 3) Not nearly enough power!! 240D w/auto Anyone that thinks a 240D is slow drives too fast. 80 240D Naturally Exasperated, 4-Spd 388k DD 150mph spedo 3:58 Diff We are advised to NOT judge ALL Muslims by the actions of a few lunatics, but we are encouraged to judge ALL gun owners by the actions of a few lunatics. Funny how that works
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#4
07-05-2013, 12:15 PM
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Quote:
This sort of stuff. (Not in NA - Google for others)
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Graham 85 300D  ,72 350SL, 98 E320, Outback 2.5
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#5
07-05-2013, 12:21 PM
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i am looking to do this mod. not because i haven't resolved leaks, but because i need the extra headroom.
i asked at a good body shop and was told that sunroof deletes are always done with cutout roofs, not stock metal. another body man represented to me that welding is impractically likely to warp the sheet metal, so a fancy epoxy is more appropriate.
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'77 240D, 504H, OM617.952, etc.
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#6
07-05-2013, 02:13 PM
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I agree with Charlie that the existing roof is probably the best guide but I don't fancy trying to weld it in place. The gaps around the roof are huge.
I've been thinking about this since brickton started his thread over on BW asking the same question (sorry I can't find the link) - I reckon if you could find someone who can braze you might be able to get someone to melt enough metal to hold it all in place; though you do need some experienced to do this for you... ...alternatively... ...the sun roof lid has a subtle compound curve - you'd need someone with a decent English Wheel / Pulmax hammer to make the replacement piece for you. Some of these guys hang out on MetalMeet - for Metalshaping Enthusiasts & Professional Metalshapers => someone there might be able to advise or even do the work if you are serious...
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1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver 1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone 1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy! 1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior  Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits!
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#7
07-05-2013, 02:36 PM
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Quote:
A more direct route is to measure / cut a large patch from a non sun roof car, cut the flange from the sun roof car opening then bond the patch to the inside of the car. A couple of locating holes in the roof / patch would be helpful. Sun roof delete is common on race cars but that usually consists of sheetmetal and pop rivets, ( Even on otherwise higher end builds )
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#9
07-05-2013, 03:36 PM
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I love my giant sun roof. For these reasons, its so easy to flip the bird to the driver in the SUV who is upset your going to slow up a hill.....great vent when Mary Jane is in the car....if that hot center fold in your favorite male entertainment magazine decides to join you, how can she cause a pile up with no sunroof?.....finally the more feasible reason....I have no ac
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#11
07-05-2013, 08:44 PM
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A drive on the Blueridge parkway would not be the same without it.
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1982 300CD Petrol/Black Leather
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#12
07-05-2013, 09:59 PM
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Sun roof is one of a number of things my car came with that I wish it hadn't (along with electric windows, central locking, automatic temperature control, air conditioning, radio, and automatic transmission-tackled that last one), however the trouble of getting rid of it seems a bit more than it's worth. Now if it was leaking or if I start racing the thing, that's a different story.
They make delete kits for other cars, maybe there is one around for ours, or there's one meant for another car that fits. They even have a carbon fiber one for E36 BMW's: E36 Sunroof Delete Carbon Fiber 2dr Now that I'm thinking about it, someone should make carbon fiber hoods and decklids for our cars.
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Whoever said there's nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes never had a cheap Jaguar. 83 300D Turbo with manual conversion, early W126 vented front rotors and H4 headlights 400,xxx miles 08 Suzuki GSX-R600 M4 Slip-on 22,xxx miles 88 Jaguar XJS V12 94,xxx miles. Work in progress.
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#13
07-06-2013, 02:46 AM
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Quote:
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1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver 1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone 1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy! 1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits!
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#14
07-06-2013, 07:23 AM
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I blocked in the sunroof on one of my 123 300td Wagons by simply filling in around it with Bondo and then putting a 4" wide strip of fiberglass all the way around and then smoothing and feathering with another layer of Bondo and priming and painting. Worked great! A little rust has started to show through after 3-4 years, But not bad for a car of it's age or condition.
But the advantage as I see it is that you don't have to fix the head liner on the inside. If you welded something on the roof you would also have the inside to contend with...
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#15
07-06-2013, 11:44 AM
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Damn, your car must be in great shape if your sun roof works AND you have time to spend figuring out how to get rid of it.
Rigging always takes time and frequently gives worse results than simply fixing the problem in the 1st place. That said, any decent body shop can seal the sun roof and repaint so you won't know it was ever there. You need someone with fabricating skills, not a simple parts changer. Those that have to ask "how" frequently don't have the metal working skills to do the job. Try cutting a hole in a fender then repairing it if you're set on acquiring the skills. edit: if you want to bring it to TN, I know some people that will do the repair - for a (reasonable??) fee. Send a PM & I'll ask what they'd charge to do my SD as an estimate.
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85SD 240K & stopped counting painted, putting bac together. 84SD 180,000. sold to a neighbor and member here but I forget his handle. The 84 is much improved from when I had it. 85TD beginning to repair to DD status. Lots of stuff to do.
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