| Author | Message | ||
     Mark Anson Experienced User Username: mark_anson Post Number: 20 Registered: 11-2006 |
Hi Folks, sorry I just seem to be asking for help in everything I touch on this car! Why did Bentley use 20 screws when 4 would do? I am trying to remove the sliding sunroof out of the car to bead blast and repair some corrosion. I also would like to check and lubricate the runners so I can actually use the roof in the future. What are the steps required to get the panel out? I don't want to remove unnecessary items as time is critical at the moment. Many thanks Mark | ||
| Laurie Fox Frequent User Username: laurie_fox Post Number: 68 Registered: 6-2004 |
Mark See Workshop Manual Section U, Sub-Section BU.4 Regards Laurie | ||
| Mark Anson Experienced User Username: mark_anson Post Number: 21 Registered: 11-2006 |
Hi Laurie, My service manual stops at the letter M - Electrical hence my request for information sorry. If anyone has disassembled a sunroof before can they let me know what I have to remove please. I don't want to strip too many unnecessary items off. Many thanks Mark | ||
| Mark Anson Experienced User Username: mark_anson Post Number: 22 Registered: 11-2006 |
UPDATE! Have removed headlining and still no obvious way the roof comes out. The roof has a double skin and I am unable to see what keeps the roof on the rails. The wood around the sunroof is still in place. I am worried about removing this as its very delicate and about to break. This seems the last option. Can someone please confirm if the wood needs to come out or am I missing something? Also does the roof come out from above or below and from the rear? Thanks Mark | ||
| Laurie Fox Frequent User Username: laurie_fox Post Number: 69 Registered: 6-2004 |
Mark It is all in the Workshop Manual which you can download. Regards Laurie | ||
| Mark Anson Experienced User Username: mark_anson Post Number: 23 Registered: 11-2006 |
UPDATE!!!! I finally got the sunroof out (without a manual!) The previous owner had snapped the two screws on each of the front runner guides so thought it would be great to just weld them back in place. This was the reason I could not see how the roof came out as the welding looked original. The guides look like some sort of rubbing block was once attached looking at the folded ends. Can anyone say what was there originally. I am presuming the slider took up any slack and made the mechanism smoother? Cheers Mark | ||
| Laurie Fox Frequent User Username: laurie_fox Post Number: 70 Registered: 6-2004 |
Mark Your problems with the sun roof might be made easier if you were to download some more of the Workshop Manual and read what it says in the sub-section about the roof. Regards Laurie | ||
| Mark Anson Experienced User Username: mark_anson Post Number: 24 Registered: 11-2006 |
A link to the manual would be good. I have been looking for the last ten minutes and I am still no wiser. | ||
| Laurie Fox Frequent User Username: laurie_fox Post Number: 71 Registered: 6-2004 |
http://rrtechnical.info/mkvi/wshop.htm | ||
| Martin Cutler Prolific User Username: martin_cutler Post Number: 139 Registered: 7-2007 |
Hi Mark, I took the sunroof out of my MK 6 to paint it, came out the top, 2 person job. Can't remember exactly, but it was fairly easy once you took the cover off, one screw on either side at the front from memory. The R Type sunroof is next, it works OK, but the drains are missing. As for the Freestone & Webb MK 6, I bought the car with the sunroof disassembled, lots of rusty bits. I have no idea how it goes back together, as I didn't take it apart, and the runners have corroded to such an extent I'm not sure what they should have looked like. Needless to say the panel was sikaflexed in, and will probably remain that way for some time to come... Ran down to Wollongong last weekend, went down through Douglas Park, on the way from Camden, never been that way before, the gorge down through Douglas Park was great, a real drivers road. Did Wollongong back to Rydalmere in 1 hour 40 minutes. Came up Mt Ousley in top gear all the way at 55mph, the temp gauge never moved off 75 degrees, and I didn't use the electric fan at all. Happy boy! | ||
| Mark Anson Experienced User Username: mark_anson Post Number: 26 Registered: 11-2006 |
Thanks Laurie for the link I never knew that existed! Hi Martin, you no doubt saw my post above, my roof screws had been snapped off and welded. I am presuming its because the previous owner could not work out how to remove the roof and drill and tap the broken screws. I have similar problems with my roof drain channels. They are rotted away and look like part of the car so no chance of removal and repair. The purists out there please block your ears... I am considering filling a modern sunroof to the car. I might cut the whole roof out and weld a complete modern roof in. As my car is used solely for weddings I need as much light in the car for Bride and Groom photos etc. Most of the modern roofs are electric, glass, flush fitting and neat. As the car is at the moment I cant use the roof anyway so I will just have to seal it up once painted as any rain will just pour through the roof lining again. Cheers Mark | ||
| Mark Anson Prolific User Username: bentleybloke Post Number: 98 Registered: 11-2004 |
I am working my way through the restoration of my Bentley and had a thought looking at the empty shell. I would like to use the sunroof in the future as it lets a lot of light in, unfortunately with the corroded rain channels and roof runners I might have to take some drastic action! Purists please stop reading now... I have made a template of the roof curve and I am going to search in some breakers yards that have a modern car with a large electric sunroof and a similar curve to the Bentley. I am planning on grafting the new roof panel and glass into the opening and lead filling the join. This will give me an electric waterproof sunroof that I can use with ease. Two questions please... As the body shell sits on a chassis would there be a problem in trimming some of the internal sunroof bars and sunroof guides to make space for the cassette of the modern unit? I am presuming there is not as much support in the roof like in a modern car? Also, can anyone think of a modern vehicle (perhaps you once owned) that had a huge factory fitted electric glass sunroof? Many thanks Mark P.S. Advice on how to upload photos to this site would be appreciated. I can show the cut and shut if it goes ahead. | ||
| Paul Yorke Grand Master Username: paul_yorke Post Number: 482 Registered: 6-2006 |
Mark, surely it would be less work to repair the original sun roof? Re photographs, what problem are you having? Click UPLOAD ATTACHMENT In the new window BROWSE to the correct file. Make sure that there is not a POP up blocker that is preventing the new window opening. Make sure the photo is not too big. | ||
| Mark Anson Prolific User Username: bentleybloke Post Number: 99 Registered: 11-2004 |
Hi Paul... its not that's why I am going down this route. My sunroof panel is shot, as are the runners and guides. So are the rear roof drains and catch tray. There is excessive corrosion to all the roof gullies plus the lock mechanism for the roof is seized/faulty. The vehicle is a working wedding car so the sunroof is ideal for letting light in for the photographer etc. Fitting a panel with integrated sunroof is the easiest option believe me. Re photos, what is the maximum size that you can upload? Thanks Mark | ||
| Mark Anson Prolific User Username: bentleybloke Post Number: 100 Registered: 11-2004 |
Just found this link... any thoughts? The VW Beatle has the same sort of curved roof like the MkVI Cheers Mark http://www.streetbeatcustoms.com/Streetbeatcustoms/Ragtops-Sunroofs/Sliding-Vintage-VW-Ragtop/557565/ | ||
| Stefan Morley Prolific User Username: myupctoys Post Number: 148 Registered: 7-2009 |
Mark, 640 * 480 was the largest I could post. Would probably need to resize digital photos, I use Paint Shop Pro, but there are plenty of others. Dont know if it matters but I always save the pictures as a jpg (not bmp, file gets too big) and 256 colours. Stefan | ||
| Martin Cutler Prolific User Username: martin_cutler Post Number: 140 Registered: 7-2007 |
Hi Mark, That is a Webasto sliding roof, very cool! I was thinking about getting one fitted to my MG Magnette, they where available in the 50's, and are still made to the same design. You can still get them installed here in Sydney. I was quoted around $3500 about 10 years ago, not sure what they would be worth now. At the time the sunroof would have been about half the value of the car, so I didn't go through with it. Now that the MG is a garage queen again, not a daily driver, maybe I will look at it again. Cheers Marty | ||
| Richard Treacy Grand Master Username: richard_treacy Post Number: 2026 Registered: 4-2003 |
Glad that you didn't, Martin. That particular squishy concertina and leaky Webasto type looks just almost OK, albeit decidedly aftermarket tack-on, for 6 months before looking tatty. Also, it is the worst of a convertible and a fixed head rolled into one in my opinion. Webasto made all types of sunroofs. If my memory is correct, the standard MkVI-R-SD sunroof is a steel Webasto. Mercedes electric roofs, and worse their horrible cheapo windy-handle ones, are tiny compared to the generously-proportioned fast-sliding Crewe ones. At least a good metal sliding one behaves as a saloon when closed. The drop-rear Crewe variety is exceptional. I remember a very tired S1 registered NSW RB-052 tarting around Sydney U in 1975-8 with a ragged soft Webasto, new sunroof at5 first then worn within a year. Awful. What happened to that poor car ? RHT. | ||
| Mark Anson Prolific User Username: bentleybloke Post Number: 101 Registered: 11-2004 |
Thanks guys for your input... keep it coming, its nice to see some activity on this site for a bit. I must admit I have seen the tatty Webasto roofs myself in the past but most of these cars were unloved and not garaged. I wonder if looking after the thing will keep it looking good. I just love the idea of having the whole roof open to shower light onto the married couple. Photographers always complain its dark inside the car! Here is my attempt of sending a photo (thanks Stefan). This shows the car just back from the bead blasting. She is a bit naked at the moment. If this picture works I will post others as I progress. Cheers Mark  | ||
| Mark Anson Prolific User Username: bentleybloke Post Number: 104 Registered: 11-2004 |
Here is a picture of one of the corroded items. Its the front O/S roof drain. Has anyone ever removed this and made another?  | ||
| Martin Cutler Prolific User Username: martin_cutler Post Number: 141 Registered: 7-2007 |
If the copper pipe going down the A pillar is OK, ( ie, nobody put too long a screw into the timber and screwed into the copper pipe), can't you just fit a bit of rubber tubing between the copper and the rusted end? Worth a shot. Only Webasto's I have seen in the flesh are on MGBGT's, haven't seen any tatty ones. Had to fix an electric roof on a 10 year old VW Golf, what a piece of poop! Marty | ||
| Mark Anson Prolific User Username: bentleybloke Post Number: 105 Registered: 11-2004 |
Hi Martin, unfortunately its not as simple as that. The whole roof drain channels have rust and holes in them. These are part of the roof (like a second skin) and are too much effort to repair. This is why I have two options... weld the roof up or fit a new sunroof. Just had a price for the Webasto type full length sunroof fitted at £1600. On top of that I have to pay £600 one way for delivery of the car as the company is over 300 miles away. Cheers Mark | ||
| Paul Yorke Grand Master Username: paul_yorke Post Number: 484 Registered: 6-2006 |
Mark, surely fitting a Webasto is much less work than you were thinking of doing with the chop and shut from another car . . . can't you just by the roof? | ||
| Mark Anson Prolific User Username: bentleybloke Post Number: 106 Registered: 11-2004 |
The Webasto roof is tailor made for the car. The coach builders make an ash wood frame that is shaped to the exact contours of the MkVI roof. The roof I want is not made off the shelf. The standard Webasto roof is for 30 inch holes as most modern cars have narrow roof panels. I did trek round the breakers yards but found nothing big enough. The MkVI sunroof cutout measures 47 inches wide. The other problem is the curvature of the roof, most modern cars are flat. I found a Merc S class roof that was nearly big enough but the gutters were just on the cut line. If I go for the big cut and take most of the roof out this will be more desirable for Brides, at the end of the day this car pays my mortgage so I am looking at going this way. I will try and get some pictures up soon showing the other corrosion points so everyone can understand my dilemma. I am not taking this roof decision lightly I know how important it is. Its also harder for you guys to understand as you don't have the car in front of you. Cheers Mark | ||
| Omar M. Shams Frequent User Username: omar Post Number: 87 Registered: 4-2009 |
Mark, There is someone selling a a genuine MK6 sunroof for 99p on ebay. You may want to look at it. The item number on ebay is 110460879311. good luck. Omar | ||
| Mark Anson Prolific User Username: bentleybloke Post Number: 109 Registered: 11-2004 |
Thanks Omar but that's not the part that's a problem. Its all the internal tracks and drain trays that are part of the roof (second skin). Thank you though for thinking of me. Cheers Mark |
