Grafting sunroof on 66 beetle

[Nacho_74]

Hi

Working on getting the courage to welding in an original sunroof on my 66 bug. I've been welding for well over 20 years but I don't consider myself an expert but I'm pretty decent!

I recently acquired a complete donor sunroof for my installation. My plan is to use the front windshield flange as means for correct installation location. What I'm not 100% sure of is if I should use the rear window flange as well and just make full butt welds seams front to back on each side? Or should I just go a few inches past the rear of the sunroof and butt weld across? My preference is to butt weld front to rear and then plug weld the flanges at the front & rear.

Thoughts?

Thanks

[viiking]

If understand you correctly, my only concern is to maintain the correct windscreen hole dimensions. Nothing worse than doing a great job only to find the glass won't fit.

Cutting steel is easier than modifying glass. However if you can make a wooden template exactly the same as the glass opening then you could do it the proposed way.

If I were doing it, I would measure very accurately many times and install the whole sunroof section a few inches bigger than the "sunroof aperture in the roof and weld around the perimeter on that section. Just have to deal with distortion but you have full access to the backside for hammer and dolly work as you weld.

Just my opinion.
_________________
1968 1500 RHD Lotus White Beetle since birth. In the hospital for major surgery
1966 Lancia Flavia Pininfarina Coupe - in the waiting room
Discharged: 1983 Vanagon, 1974 1800 Microbus,1968 Low Light,1968 Type 3

[Nacho_74]

Thanks for the reply viiking

I don't plan on cutting the structure behind the sheet metal on the windshield, only plan on drilling out the spot welds and then slice the upper layer free.

Once I get going with this sunroof swap I'll start posting progress pictures with comments.

[viiking]

Then I misunderstood. But the sentiment still applies. Make sure the window opening does not shrink when reattaching the roof skin.
_________________
1968 1500 RHD Lotus White Beetle since birth. In the hospital for major surgery
1966 Lancia Flavia Pininfarina Coupe - in the waiting room
Discharged: 1983 Vanagon, 1974 1800 Microbus,1968 Low Light,1968 Type 3

[VW_Jimbo]

“Sunroof”, as in a hard steel hatch that slides back under the roof? Or are we talking about a rag top? 2 different methods, similar but a little different.
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Jimbo

There is never enough time to do it right the first time, but all the time necessary the second time!

[infiniteLoop]

If a flange is made on a crowned panel it is going to straighten out the crown.

[tzepesh]

Check how I have done it. Not so "factory clean", but works.
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...p;start=80
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'74 1303S, L98B Viperngrun (extra glitter), German Look
'64 1200, Sea Blue, under restoration

[esde]

If your'e putting a ragtop roof on a later car, you cannot use the windshield as a guide; The windshield size changed in 65
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modok wrote:
Bent cranks are silent but gather no moss. I mean, ah, something like that.

[Nacho_74]

[Mike Fisher]

Don't try to weld all the pillars!
Cut the assembly out of the roof crown and weld it in.
_________________
https://imgur.com/user/FisherSquareback/posts
69 FI/AT square Daily Driver
66 sunroof,67,70,71,71,71AT,72,72AT,73 Parts
two 57 oval ragtops sold
'68 Karmann Ghia sold

Society is like stew. If you don't keep it stirred up you end up with a lot of scum on the top! - Russ_Wolfe/Edward Abbey

[Nacho_74]

[Nacho_74]

[capedave]

Look under you have to take the tray and drains, plus fish the drains out the bottom of car,

[Nacho_74]

[Nacho_74]

Cut the sunroof out today.

Created a template from the cut sunroof for reference on the body

Enough measuring....time to cut with my CNC hand grinder

Inserted the sunroof into the precision CNC hole. Sunroof has 1 inch of extra metal around the entire edge. Later I'll add some spot welds around the sunroof and then make a nice clean cut through both pieces of metal for a nice clean edge for butt welding.

[Mike Fisher]

Very nice job cutting & fitting!
_________________
https://imgur.com/user/FisherSquareback/posts
69 FI/AT square Daily Driver
66 sunroof,67,70,71,71,71AT,72,72AT,73 Parts
two 57 oval ragtops sold
'68 Karmann Ghia sold

Society is like stew. If you don't keep it stirred up you end up with a lot of scum on the top! - Russ_Wolfe/Edward Abbey

[Kafer_Mike]

Lookin' good. I like your approach.
_________________
Kafer_Mike
Build 'em fast...or let 'em sit.

[Nacho_74]

Thanks So far everything is going to plan...if it wasn't raining so much here in SoCal I would finish cutting & fitment. I don't like to cut and grind inside my garage, it makes to much of a mess and I have two other cars in the garage. More to come...

[Nacho_74]

Update to the sunroof install now that it finally stopped raining. I was able to do my final cut around the perimeter. Next is to strip and epoxy coat the structural area of the sunroof itself. VW doesn't apply and coatings to the inside prior to installation so there's surface rust. Also, discovered my original roof wasn't in perfect condition, found body filler and some waves in the rear half. oh well!

Deburred edge

Rear edge

Driver side

[Nacho_74]

Progress update

Used OSPHO and a lot of elbow grease to get the rust removed from the bucket.

Epoxy primed the bucket. I thought about painting it but nah...

Getting everything lined up for tacking in place

Tacking done

Next will be a lot of tack welding and jumping around to keep the metal from getting to hot.