Can A Sunroof Be Sealed Properly And Look Standard?

[Rick-Manta]

I've been lucky enough to have most of my mantas as non sunroof models, my current berlinetta however has a sunroof and opening rear quarters which is making the car a bit leaky to say the least and I really need to prevent any future rot issues.

Does anyone know if I can permanently seal up the sunroof? As long as from the outside it looks like it's an original and functioning sunroof, I don't mind not using it. The car will only need a respray on the lower half as the roof and bonnet are in good order so ideally I don't want to involve welding it anywhere.

Thanks :-)

[Julian]

Alright there Rick?

I did that with the first Manta I had, and as you can appreciate it has to be done from the outside, so I got a tube of that clear bathroom silicon,and squeezed it down into the gap between the sliding part and the roof, I was surprised how much went in, but I didn't fill it up to the roof level so that anyone looking at the car would just think Ah a sliding roof!!! I did brush in with a childs paint brush, some paint similar to the colour of the car, and it looked good, and no leaks letting water into those perished drain pipes that run from the roof to the stern end.

Julian.

[Rick-Manta]

Not bad thanks and hope you the same.

Thanks for the tip. I think this was quite common back when people used old cars with sunroofs that started leaking but I could do with having the seal (that doesn't seal) still in it though, so from up close and at a car show, it would appear to be factory/showroom rather than just at a glance. I'd tape the thing up for now, but I don't want to ruin the paint as the roof and bonnet paintwork are good, so I can save myself the effort of removing the windscreen when it comes down to respray day.

[stradacab]

Leaking is caused by blocked drain tubes or a build up of grunge preventing water getting to the drain tubes.

Removal of the sliding panel is not difficult and you can then clean out the cassette of any muck and clear the tubes. (also check they have not been obstructed further down.)

Sealing the panel to the roof with silicone jizz should be saved as a last resort I would have thought.

[rutts]

i used four tubes of sika flex black, did not care if it ever opened again. looks standard. or you could fill with sika flex then put seal back in then it would be perfect looking.

[opelmantagsi]

Last resort for sure, sika flex automotive rather than silicone based product.

Wurth also do an excellent windscreen bonding product which sets, not the windscreen sealer which does not set.

Don't expect to ever remove or return to operation once it's done.

[Julian]

Last resort for sure, sika flex automotive rather than silicone based product.

Wurth also do an excellent windscreen bonding product which sets, not the windscreen sealer which does not set.

Don't expect to ever remove or return to operation once it's done.

I'm not sure if sika flex was around when I did it, about 1984-5, just grabbed a tube of what was available in the stores! Done the job though lasted until I sold the car nine years later, but I do know that the car was put into a body shop and he had the whole sliding roof repaired.

[Rick-Manta]

Thanks gents, I was given the impression that even when the tubes are unblocked, they're still bad news to have water channelled inside the car only to run into the jacking point area. To be honest, I was hoping somewhere was a larger seal (from a different car perhaps) that could be fitted into the aperture that would jam the sunroof shut but prevent any water ingress at all.

Edited February 3, 2014 by Rick_Manta