So guys, I wouldn't attempt this anytime soon but I want opinions..... I love driving my Fiero with the sunrroof removed, but its kind of a pain to load it in the front of the car. Also the glass is very skinny so it hardly feels like I have the top off you know? I loved T-Tops on my T/A it really felt like a convertible.. I've seen all the work that goes into a T-top Fiero just to deal with two panels of glass to store. So I had an Idea... What if I enlarged the sunroof opening and installed a larger power sunroof? It would open the top up more and obviously be easy to open. However I cannot find anyone who makes a glass big enough, so what if I got myself a hard top, and Installed 2 smaller power sunroofs??? The goal to still have a bigger hole but then have 2 separate pieces of glass? Seems like it could work, obviously gotta brace the roof more.... Im talking about the kind that goes up and hangs over the roof, since it will be a couple feet higher than the decklid I wouldn't think exhaust or heat would be sucked back in.... thoughts?
Dunno what your car has, but the Fiero factory sunroof is freakin' HUGE. It opens up the car almost like a targa top.
Same sunroof, Oh I know I love how wide it is, its just skinny imo. I almost have to actually look up to see out of it, my thinkin is I could cut another 4-5 inches forward to the windshield.
I would be concerned with structural strength when removing that much material towards the windshield. Plus you would have to do some good metal fab to create a suitable frame for an aftermarket sunroof just because of how the stock sheetmetal is formed under the roof skin. Photo stolen from Bloozeberry
The biggest concern in my books is that most power sunroofs have much of their mechanism to the rear of the sunroof. Obviously the Fiero doesn't have much room to begin with, so fitting a larger roof in there might be a problem. One in which I plan on tackling someday.
If you want T-tops, the best thing to do would be to find a car that has T-tops and buy it. Finding the necessary parts to do a conversion will be hard enough to do in itself, then the task of doing the conversion is not exactly a half hour job either. If you're unhappy with the factory sunroof, and want more open area at the roof, your best bet is to just buy a car that already has t-tops.
Although some have done the t-top conversions, that is maybe the MOST that you will want to do if you are not happy. But as mentioned above, it is very labor intensive.
[This message has been edited by IMSA GT (edited 06-15-2014).]
OK....looked at this from many different angles and options for about 3 years now...my findings:
* Almost had a slider sunroof that was the same size as the Fiero's stock sunroof, but they stop making them about 4 years ago...because they were too large and caused issues. * Had not considered two smaller ones and not sure how well that would work for several reasons. * What I found to be the most sensible option was to have a custom sized electric soft top...need to go find the manufactures name...one of the largest in the world...name escapes me at the moment. This will allow you to have the largest opening while open and also have the convince of electric open and close.
Good luck with the project and can't wait to see which way you go.
If you want to cut that much away and possibly create a structural problem - why not just install the cross bracing (since you would need it anyways) and make it a targa and completely open it up?
have you looked up a 00+ mercury couger sunroof assembly, I wouldn't recommend the sunroof itself as they had problems, however im pretty sure the motor assembly and all is located in the front, the track is also narrower and longer so I don't know that it would actually fit a fiero but maybe you could adapt the motor somehow?
I myself want to do something with my roof. I have an aftermarket presently on mine. I have a thread open now tring to get opinions on it. I posted this link in the other thread. It's not as open as the OP wants, but it is a power one.
Hmm interesting ideas... I like the convertible top, like on those mini trucks... I'd love a targa but all the sealing problems and bracing turned me away. Yeah well ideas that come late at night arn't always best aha. I figured if I enlarged the hole with either a bigger one or two still having the roof attached would be better... Anyone try like a fake targa? Ie. instead of being able to remove the whole roof, what if you cut it out so you would still have a few inches of roof connecting the sides of the car? Seems it would be stronger and be easier to seal just putting the roof skin on and off in the middle...
Hmm interesting ideas... I like the convertible top, like on those mini trucks... I'd love a targa but all the sealing problems and bracing turned me away. Yeah well ideas that come late at night arn't always best aha. I figured if I enlarged the hole with either a bigger one or two still having the roof attached would be better... Anyone try like a fake targa? Ie. instead of being able to remove the whole roof, what if you cut it out so you would still have a few inches of roof connecting the sides of the car? Seems it would be stronger and be easier to seal just putting the roof skin on and off in the middle...
...as soon as you cut into the metal you are going to affect the structural strength of it. You would still may have a sealing issue regardless - the OEM hole has a channel for water drain and gasket - still could be made properly with a targa if a person was so inclined using t-top locking mechanicals and a fairly ridged panel (hey it works on the Corvette, but you would have to build a fiberglass/carbon fiber one vs using glass).
I have seen a couple convertibles made without any additional support and the people that have then seem to think they are just fine (even though you can see the difference in the door gaps), so knock yourself out.
[This message has been edited by Mickey_Moose (edited 06-18-2014).]
The big thing already mentioned, is where to put a 4' sunroof mechanism in a 3' roof. Some Porsches (and some other brands) solve it by opening the glass and extending it off the back of the roof. That sunroof runs about $5500 and you still have to figure how to install it.
The big thing already mentioned, is where to put a 4' sunroof mechanism in a 3' roof. Some Porsches (and some other brands) solve it by opening the glass and extending it off the back of the roof. That sunroof runs about $5500 and you still have to figure how to install it.
Roger, check the link above that I posted. 5500? Nah. I will do more research. If I'm wrong I'll buy you a beer at Mid-Ohio!
The big thing already mentioned, is where to put a 4' sunroof mechanism in a 3' roof. Some Porsches (and some other brands) solve it by opening the glass and extending it off the back of the roof. That sunroof runs about $5500 and you still have to figure how to install it.
I meant using a sunroof like on a Grand Prix where it goes up and back, seems $350 is going price. My idea was instead of 2 T-top panels and latches. Why not install 2 power sunroofs?
The big thing already mentioned, is where to put a 4' sunroof mechanism in a 3' roof. Some Porsches (and some other brands) solve it by opening the glass and extending it off the back of the roof. That sunroof runs about $5500 and you still have to figure how to install it.
One of my friends had a newer (2006 I think) 997, and the roof glass slid down under the rear glass when opened. The Scion TC sunroof does the same. But neither of those is going to work on a stock-ish Fiero. The Fiero would need very significant modifications to make such a design work.
Thats what I was quoted for the power sliding sunroof from the Porsche dealer for a customer car a tree limb crushed. It looked like it went over the roof, but wasnt enough there to really tell if it went over or under the rear glass or not.
