Sunroof query

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Lesanne

New Member
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6
Location
UK
Hi All,

It been suggested by a member here that I post this question to this section of your forum, so here goes ...

I am looking for some info which is a bit of a cheek as not really Landy related :oops:... I understand if Admins delete this post ...

I am trying to source a replacement sunroof seal for a 1990 Mk 2 VW Golf. Its a Britax Sunhatch and no longer available. Most VW forums I have asked on are very dismissive and just say seal it up permanently as not worth the hassle, but we feel sure we can make it work. Searching online for something we might be able to adapt I came across the pop-up/lift latch type sunroofs on the 1980's Defenders. From the pics I have seen, they look almost identical to the sunroof we have, only the latch has a Landrover sticker on it instead of the Britax one. Please would someone with one of these glass roofs be able to measure the dimensions of the glass hatch, possibly with a couple of photos please, to see if a seal for this sunroof would be a possible fit for ours. I have found a couple of suppliers of replacement seals for the Defender one, but at £50'odd I don't want to order if there is no way we could modify to fit.

Thank you for any replies or advice and apologies for taking advantage of your forum ... :)
 
Not sure it its even the correct seal as found lots of "bodges" since we bought the car. The seal is stuck in with loads of mastic so not easy to remove and reuse, but its very flat and even though we have tried silicone grease and "plumping" it up with thin rubber flex threaded through the worst places, still leaks. Car is great condition for its age and interior is spotless, so hate letting the seats get ruined. We taped it up over the winter, but now want to tackle it properly if we can find a seal that might fit or we can adapt. Thanks for taking time to reply :)
 
The britax sunhatch was made in three sizes if I remember right, small medium and large, for all makes of car, I would have thought a golf would have had a medium in ( I used to fit them a long time ago). The seals are able to be cut to fit, but you need to remove Any old trace of silicone from the frame when you remove the old one, and then silicone The new one in. Another trick was to put extra washers on the handle latch to tighten the shut and gently bend the two front forks.
Good luck
 
Hi,

Thanks for replies. I think the measurements of ours did tie up with it being a medium. Its just getting the seal that is the issue as Britax are long gone (still make pushchairs and car seats but not sunroofs). We cannot find a genuine one, and the profile of others doesn't seem to look as if it will fit. The Landy replacement seals seem the closest yet. I have attached some pics as requested ... excuse the "gunk" as not removed the tape adhesive properly yet.

IMG_20200519_153702[1].jpg
IMG_20200519_153809[2].jpg
 
The Land Rover one I’ve seen seems identical, just use silicone to join it if it’s too long.
The other option would be to remove the sunroof and weld a piece of tin, you could then either respray or cover with a vinyl roof, but you would also have to replace the headliner.
 
Thank you ... the headliners for Mk2's are also rare and expensive, and unlike many others, ours is also spotless so a shame to rip it out for the sake of it. Its a nice change having a car with a sunroof again and a shame not to use it. We are not even sure if the seal in it is the correct one, as its covered in silicone and looks like a cut and paste job. The guy we bought from said it leaked a bit, but looks like he just chucked a load of sealer in and hoped for the best. The Landy option is an idea, but wanted to confirm the dimensions, as if it is shorter than we need, not going to work :(. If anyone can confirm the size/dimensions of the similar Landrover sunroof it would be helpful. Cheers ... :)
 
1998 Defender (circular wheel for tightening the sun roof) - glass is 40cm x75cm, but there is a an ali surround which is a crush-fit to the hole cut out of the roof, and the seal locates horizontally flush with that **- the seal wouldn't work for the photo you've sent over.
You could just buy the right looking seal profile off ebay and join the two ends together?

** actually the seal doesn't, and the glass is curved, but the roof is flat, and so it leaks... After 15 years of fighting it I sealed mine up last winter, and not looked back
 
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