Sun Roof

[andyf]

I quite like the idea of having a Webasto sun roof fitted to my Series 2 2 plus 2. I was wondering if anyone has had one fitted and what was there opinion. I reckon it would cost about £2000 supplied and fitted.
Any experiences, comments would be gratefully appreciated!

[chrisfell]

I know of one S2 2+2 which has a Webasto manufactured electric sliding steel sunroof.
Apparently Webasto made similar items for Rolls Royce coachbuilders.
It was a very nice installation.

[mgcjag]

Hi Andy.....I have a manual webasto folding in my S2 2+2 it really transforms the car......it was a must for me when i was looking for one.....there is a company down near Ramsgate Kent that i have heard good reports from.....have a look befor you decide as thete are at least 2 sizes of the folding type that ive seen fitted to Es...mine is of the larger type

[Simon P]

They tend to polarise opinion - but I like 'em!

AFAIK they were never a factory option, but they were a very common dealer fit option. Mine's had one from new, and they are definitely a feature that is 'of the period'.

Main criticisms tend to be that they leak and that the (hidden) internal framework means that you lose headroom. I have to say that properly set up they don't leak (they're probably the least leakiest point on an E-type ) and I've never had any head-framework interface issues (I'm 5'10", plus my head sits under the roof panel itself which follows the contours of the original roof); if you're tall it might be worth seeing if you can sit in a 2+2 with a Webasto first before you commit to cutting metal.

The other points to be aware of obviously are that fitting one will entail cutting a big hole in your car's beautiful bodywork, and as a general rule cars with Webasto roofs command lower prices than 'unmolested' cars.

On the plus side, they really do enhance the experience. To my mind, OTSs have always been a bit 'hairdressery' and getting the roof up and down is something I could happily live without. On the other hand, the cabin of a FHC can be quite claustrophobic and can quickly become quite stuffy. On my car I've got (as I see it) the best of both worlds: a fixed head when I want it, and open fresh air driving when I want it too. It takes two seconds to open or close the roof, and on all but the very coldest days, or if its raining, or if I'm about to head out onto a motorway* I have the roof open. (*At speed you get a lot of cabin boom, which I love, but it can become a bit tiring on a motorway - especially if you've got a passenger because it will kill off any attempt to converse. For normal driving it's rarely an issue though.)

[mark10337]

There is this firm in Warrington.
http://boundarycarcare.co.uk/sunroof-in ... arrington/

No idea how good or bad they are.

A webasto was fitted to a cortina on a Car S.O.S. episode. It depends if you just want a vinyl roll back or a full metal sliding electric option.

[malcolm]

My 2+2 was fitted with a webasto from new. It never leaks, and rather than restrict headroom, if anything, it increases it a fraction. My head fits under the sliding roof, the frame is to the side, and the sliding roof isn't as thick as the rest of the roof. By the way, I'm nearly 6ft 2ins,
One thing though; when I was buying my car, I was also looking at others that didn't have webastos and checked out having one fitted. A number of dealers flat out refused, saying the shape of an E roof was such that there system wouldn't work. Some said you need the right original tooling which doesn't exist now. In the end, the one I found had the Webasto, so I didn't pursue enquiries. Maybe there are some outfits that could do a great job.
I do love them though. The open air feel without the buffeting (with the wind deflector up) and without the noise. Also, when it starts to rain, just a second to close it without getting out of the car.

[andyf]

When I was looking for my car, I would have preferred a sunroof already fitted. However, that wasn't a deal breaker. Most of my previous classics, mainly Morgans were soft tops and I do miss that "wind in your hair" (still got most of it!) experience. Thanks for your comments. Because I live in the North West, I will check out the company in Warrington. There is a company that supplies the original type Webasto (supply only) and they offer a choice of colours. You can download the original fitting instructions and it is not something I would try at home! My car is willow green so a green option might be preferable to black. Any thoughts on that?

[mgcjag]

Hi Andy....its your car...so whatever colour your happy with......mine is the Vinyl covered type.....however a friend only last year had his sunroof restored and recovered in mohair....quite common in modern cabrioles......looks realy great

[christopher storey]

I have a friend who has a 2+2 with a fabric roof ( not Webasto but Weathershields or the like ) and it is very pleasant with it open . However, before you go for it, there are some drawbacks to consider

1. If you come to sell, it restricts the market for your car as many people are put off by them

2. The Webasto I had in my FHC restricted the headroom ( it had a much deeper wooden surround than the Weathershields), but

3.Because of the extra depth of the frame, the roof is much stronger in the Webasto than in the alternatives

4.When I rebuilt my FHC I got rid of the Webasto because I found it intolerably noisy with the roof closed because of leakage of air at speed - it was fine when open

[NickJ]

Having moved from a TR3 - which I ran on aero screens- to a 62 FHC I can honestly say that I love the webasto. Smells and sounds are more acute and it avoids the claustrophobic element often associated with the FHC. The lever is getting a bit sloppy so does anyone know a specialist in the W Midlands who can sort this?
NickJ Ludlow

[JagWaugh]

You can still get parts for the folding roofs, even complete new roofs. I got one for my S-Type, but my bodyman refused to cut a hole in the roof - unfortunately he didn't inform me of this until I had glued the frame together, so if anyone is looking for a new Tudor Webasto folding roof for a small Saloon, then I've got one almost ready to fit. You'd have to come and pick it up as the frame is about 4x4 feet.

http://www.tudorwebastosunroofs.com/

[mark10337]

There are a good few references on here and on the wider internet.

Great picture of a sliding steel roof
viewtopic.php?t=6025

Chuck at Monocoque did a project overview for a webasto but doesn't give much detail
http://www.monocoque-metalworks.com/mai ... verview-3/

Some quote that cars were fitted from new with a Hollandia electric sliding sunroof which is a webasto product line still available today.
https://www.webasto.com/int/markets-pro ... g-sunroof/

From George Camp on the JCNA website
"there is sufficent documentation to "prove" that your car could have been ordered with the Webasto and delivered as such but the "factory" installed is a misnomer. The cars would have been sent out after completion to a "Webasto" fitter and the work done there. The quality was high in these fittings and the paint would be under the runners."
http://www.jcna.com/webasto-sunroof

[nefematic]

Would this be the Webasto roof with the wooden frame. Ran across an ad his morning claiming this to be for E-Type. The handle is engraved with Monte Carlo.

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[malcolm]

Handle looks the like the same mechanism as on my Webasto, although I don't have the words "Monte Carlo" on mine.

[Simon P]

Different from mine: my handle hangs down rather than being recessed like that.

[JagWaugh]

The "Monte Carlo" was a style of roof, they came in different sizes, but the fittings are for the most part the same. The new folding roof I have is a "Monte Carlo", the handle is stainless, and recessed, as in the pics above, but I don't think the handle is engraved (I'll have to have a look at that the next time I'm at my storage area.

[nefematic]

OK just one more here. Another post on the forum about an auction car, happens to have the the larger sun roof:

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=10113

Pictures here for archival purposes:

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If you want/need better res pics go to the link and download there as long as they are still available there.