I know how to open the sunroof, but I can't get the gray cover out of there and I don't want to
break anything. Is there a secret, or do you just muscle it out?

I want to remove it and try to make something thinner so I can gain that extra half inch of headroom.

Are you referring to a sunshade that sits in the sunroof opening? If so, I'm pretty sure that you just have to remove the sunroof glass and then you can pull the sunshade out from the top. I don't know for certain because i don't have a sunshade. The sunroof glass comes out by opening the sunroof, then pushing the two buttons on the side of the handle while simultaneously lifting the handle up and towards the front of the car. Once the handle is free, the sunroof glass must be lifted up and back until it comes free from the car. And if you already knew that trick, I'm sorry for insulting your intelligence.

Kind of a stupid question here....I have one of the sunshades, never used it, and don't quite get the point of it. The sunroof is tinted (at least mine is) to keep the heat out so I don't see the need for the shade unless it is just for privacy.

To answer your question, I do believe the sunroof has to be removed using the technique mentioned above to remove the shade.

Thanks. I didn't realize the glass was removeable. Is that what those two buttons on each side
of the latch are for?
-Tim

Yepp push the two buttons and push up on the window ... It will release the window from the latch.... then you can pull out on the window toward the rear of the car ..... this window can be stowed in the front compartement... over the spare tire you will see holding ledge... usually your wind deflector should be there too...
------------------


http://www.tylerstoy.com

[This message has been edited by Danyel (edited 01-08-2011).]

Yep. But I've never even heard of a sunshade before. Is it an aftermarket thing? I'd like to see a picture of one if someone has the time... not that I want one, I'm just curious.

quote Originally posted by Bloozberry: Yep. But I've never even heard of a sunshade before. Is it an aftermarket thing? I'd like to see a picture of one if someone has the time... not that I want one, I'm just curious.

Saxman is selling one in the Mall:

quote Originally posted by IMSA GT: Kind of a stupid question here....I have one of the sunshades, never used it, and don't quite get the point of it. The sunroof is tinted (at least mine is) to keep the heat out so I don't see the need for the shade unless it is just for privacy. To answer your question, I do believe the sunroof has to be removed using the technique mentioned above to remove the shade.

I hardly ever remove my sunshade, but I live in west Texas. Without the sunshade I would bake my brain. Even the factory tinted glass is no match for the sun here.

Tim....it's a factory piece that came with the car. As mentioned above, push the buttons in on the sunroof handle, and all you have to do is swing the sunroof glass up a bit and the shade will come out from the top. In the summer here it's a must, but where you live not so much.

It stows in the vinyl sleeve that's under the the hood (the cover, not the glass). Guess I should have showed you that.

quote Originally posted by Frizlefrak: Tim....it's a factory piece that came with the car. As mentioned above, push the buttons in on the sunroof handle, and all you have to do is swing the sunroof glass up a bit and the shade will come out from the top. In the summer here it's a must, but where you live not so much. It stows in the vinyl sleeve that's under the the hood (the cover, not the glass). Guess I should have showed you that.

Actually, you (or it might have been Pat or Jeff) showed me the little case in the front under the "hood".
I knew the shade had to come out because it was a separate piece. I was just out there tinkering and trying to
remove it not realizing the glass can flip up all the way out of there. I think I'm going to try to find
some real thin opaque plastic and use that as the shade (using the factory shade as the template).
The stock one is taking up valuable noggin space.

I think I'll try Rick88's suggestion as well and cut out a little of the carpet around the seat rail "legs". I can use all
the help I can get.

[This message has been edited by BigGuyTinyCar (edited 01-09-2011).]

Tim....you'll need to remove the 4 nuts that hold the seat in place and then trim the carpet so it's not acting as a spacer between the seat rail and the floor panel. About a 15 minute job. They won't be rusted or anything....I've had the seat out a couple of years ago when I replaced the lower seat skin. BTW....if you find any cash under there, it's mine

I had 2 glasses for my sunroof. One was the original smoked, other was sandblasted on the outside and painted body color to keep the sun out.

quote Originally posted by Frizlefrak: Tim....you'll need to remove the 4 nuts that hold the seat in place and then trim the carpet so it's not acting as a spacer between the seat rail and the floor panel. About a 15 minute job. They won't be rusted or anything....I've had the seat out a couple of years ago when I replaced the lower seat skin. BTW....if you find any cash under there, it's mine

Yeah, it was a pretty easy removal. It ended up not being worth trimming the carpet because it was squished down to less than a mm,
but I did take some measurements. I'm thinking I might try removing the seat rails and making a plate (or plates) to hold the seat directly
on the floor. That would be gain of about 1.5 inches of headroom which would be about perfect.

No money but I did find a deed to a ranch in Montana. Finders keepers...

quote Originally posted by BigGuyTinyCar: Now that is a great idea!

Hey Tim,

I have a couple extra glass sun roofs. You can have one if you want to come get it!!!!!!! I'll ship it but I can't guarantee it would show up in one piece. PM Carver1 in ALB. If he has a spare one I know he'd give it to you. I like the idea of painting one body color. Another option is a Fiberglass plug - I think one of the Fiero vendors sell one with a "roof" Scoop.

http://www.fierofiberglass....es/SunroofPanel.html
http://www.tlg-auto.com/Fie...-Sunroof-Insert.html

Or maybe just have yours "tinted" with the darkest tint you can find! Then you don't need the shade!

In a junkyard we found a sunshade bag with the original sunshade instructions from GM. We scanned the instructions and you can download them here:

http://fierosails.com/image...hadeInstructions.pdf

Paul McKibben
Norcross, GA

quote Originally posted by katatak: Hey Tim, I have a couple extra glass sun roofs. You can have one if you want to come get it!!!!!!! I'll ship it but I can't guarantee it would show up in one piece. PM Carver1 in ALB. If he has a spare one I know he'd give it to you. I like the idea of painting one body color.

Thanks Pat, that's very generous of you. I don't think I'll be down El Paso way any time soon and you're right about the shipping.
Maybe I will ask Carver1 and see if he has any that he'd be willing to sell.

quote Another option is a Fiberglass plug - I think one of the Fiero vendors sell one with a "roof" Scoop. http://www.fierofiberglass....es/SunroofPanel.html http://www.tlg-auto.com/Fie...-Sunroof-Insert.html

Those are nice, but a little too rich for my wallet.

quote Or maybe just have yours "tinted" with the darkest tint you can find! Then you don't need the shade!

That's a possibility too. Hopefully, if I can figure a way to mount the seat without the rails, the sunroof will become a non-issue.

Just remember paint wont stick to the glass as is. Sanding or scuffing the glass dont work either. A hand sandblaster, coat of primer and paint worked like a charm. My Ferrari kit was red with a black roof, so I just painted the extra one black. It held up great for 4 years. You could also glue some headliner fabric on the inside if you wanted, but I didnt find that necessary.

quote Originally posted by rogergarrison: Just remember paint wont stick to the glass as is. Sanding or scuffing the glass dont work either. A hand sandblaster, coat of primer and paint worked like a charm. My Ferrari kit was red with a black roof, so I just painted the extra one black. It held up great for 4 years. You could also glue some headliner fabric on the inside if you wanted, but I didnt find that necessary.

Great idea! Did you just use standard blasting sand? I thought the glass might break if it was blasted.

Plain ole body shop blasting sand....like $8 a bag and a $10 handblaster from the paint store. All it does is completely pit the glass. You dont want any smooth spots left. It should almost look like a piece of frosted glass when its ready to primer.

quote Originally posted by rogergarrison: Plain ole body shop blasting sand....like $8 a bag and a $10 handblaster from the paint store. All it does is completely pit the glass. You dont want any smooth spots left. It should almost look like a piece of frosted glass when its ready to primer.

Thanks, Roger. That's good to know.