How to Remove Sunroof on 2500M?

[tvrinsf]

Someone punched a hole in the fabric sunroof of my 2500M today. I've removed the screws at the rear of the sunroof and those securing the side rails, but it's not clear to me what else needs to be removed to remove the sunroof material. Looks like there is a thick metal bar that slides along the side rails, but there isn't enough free play to dislodge the side rails and free up the bar.

Thanks,
Steve

[KANEIT]

The nasty rotters!
Mine is a 78 car so I am assuming it's the same sunroof.
After removing the bolts that hold the back plate to the roof and lifting it off, shouldn't it be possible to rotate the front plate round a bit so that it come out of the channels without even loosening the channels? That is how I removed mine.Would that not have been the reverse of how TVR got them in in the first place?
I couldn't even loosen the channels first as I had to then drill out the grub screws that held the alloy aperture surround to the roof. I fibreglassed it over with a section from one of the specialists to reduce the risk of opportunist thieves tearing the roof and to stop the leaks.

Edited by KANEIT on Sunday 26th August 12:22

[tvrinsf]

Thanks. I just tried rotating with the side channels in place. Unfortunately, there's not enough play to rotate the center bar out of the side rails. At least there isn't on my car. I'm at a complete loss as to how to remove the sunroof. There's got to be an easy way to do this. But maybe not?

Steve

[pumpkin]

There is enough room to rotate the front bar sidesways. That was how it was put in. It is sometimes easier one way than the other. Open a few inches then grab the front on one side from outside the car and pull back hard. You dont need to undo the back of the top unless you want to detach it completely (which you do in this case). A bit of lubricant on the tracks sometimes helps and, if it is like mine, the side tracks have been bent a bit to open up the groove. This means that there might be a best place for the end you are not pulling back on where it can go a bit deeper into the side track. The front bar is strong so don't worry about pulling hard. Try hard to get it out this way because you need to be able to put it back in in the same way.

[tvrinsf]

Ok. I'll give it another try and see if I can dislodge the center bar.

Steve

[tvrinsf]

Thanks for the advice guys! It worked. I just twisted the bar within the two side slides and it popped right out.

Steve