Have anyone done this with any success? Im guessing what i need is a new roof skin and a non sunroof headliner?
How difficult is it to do (for a professional shop)?

Will the result end up janky or can you get it "perfect" and indistinguishable from factory?

 

Bog covers many sins!

Seriously though, the car here had the sunroof removed. More or less a case of drilling out lots of spot welds (in this case, the donor shell too!). If you're getting someone to do it unfamiliar with FDs, they might have a temptation to panel beat the double bubble flat.

Availability of linings might be a bit of an issue, but I think somebody on here got a new skin a few years ago?? There's a strut that goes fore and aft between the lining and the skin too......overhead switch thing different iirc.

 

Yes, I've done it, it wasn't that complicated. Just get a good body shop.

If the factory skin isn't available (it was like $180 when I did it), Marsh Composites makes a dry carbon replica.

 

I believe there's also a brace that runs north-south under the skin that you would need, that may be a bit harder to get from what I've heard.

Dig around in the Build Threads, I know this has been done and covered in that thread before.

Besides the stated parts I think the sun visors MAY be different. And you'll also want to plug the sunroof drain tube holes in the bottom of the car.

And the map light cluster doesn't have a sunroof button.

This is a fairly decent job for a body shop to do, it definitely has to be done with care and attention to detail to turn out right.

Dale

 

Yes. The brace is definitely no longer available. I got my skin 2 years ago though. Based on the note below, may also be NLA.

 

I think A.I. One designs over on FB is actively developing a roof support bracket that is modeled after the OE piece. No clue what his ETA was for a project completion date, but it may be worth reaching out to him.

 

I picked up a roof skin from Ray earlier this year, they were still available then. And yes, I believe A.I. is working on a brace solution, that's the really hard to find item in the conversion.

@Molotovman just converted his FD over to having a slick top, he may have some current insight.

 

Used parts needed- map light, brace, and non-sunroof headliner

New parts- slick top roof skin, windshield, windshield seal, and new drip rail moldings aren’t a bad idea. As mentioned you’ll also
need plugs for the sunroof drain tube holes.

Peter inspired me to do it years ago and any good bodyshop can get the work done. If your paint it’s bad and can’t be blended you’ll probably want to have the whole car resprayed.

A lot of folks get hung up on the brace, it isn’t much and any decent metal worker with a brake can fabricate something that will work. You just need to be able to have a front to back cross section with seam sealer dollops on it to prevent flexing of the panel. Here’s a link to when I installed the brace on my roof.

 

I believe this is true… I also sold A.I. Designs the slicktop headliner from my base model when I swapped to a cleaner one in my car. Fingers crossed there is a solution for the headliner in the future too!

 

I spoke with A.I designs, and he had made and sold one of the roof bars for $1500, but he wont make any more of them because it is to costly and low interest for it. Im guessing the same is true for headliners.

 

Wow thanks for the information! (and another FD guy to follow on instagram)
How is the roof brace mounted? Just by screws? I was sure it would be welded in place
Are the windshield still available from mazda? I thought it was NLA, but that might just be rumors :P

 

there is a part number that works, but importing glass from Japan is an issue

 

I was unable to purchase an early or late model OEM windshield. It’s my understanding that one of them is not NLA but the batch is sold out, this I went aftermarket which was readily available and has an earlier mirror mount.

Your roof structure already has the holes for the roof brace screws, they are short pan head coarse thread screws similar to most of the hidden interior screws. There are two screws on each side and seam sealer dollops on the outer edges of the brace spaced about an inch apart running down the length of the brace. There is no seam sealer or bonding glue at each end of the base where is mounts.

The brace itself is a pretty flimsy part and does not seem like something that has any structural value. I’m convinced it is only in place to serve as a flexibility bonded component to reduce wind noise and fluctuations in the roof skin while in motion.

 

Rather than go for a sunroof delete, my friend simply cut an inch of foam out of the OEM seat.

That you need to change the windshield is a surprise.

Fewer RHD cars had sunroofs so roof liners from JDM pop up fairly often (I have three).

I also have the roof off a 1997 Type R.

I have seen people asking quite a bit for a package of sunroof components.

So if you are careful, you might be able to fund your conversion by selling the deleted sunroof parts.

 

Thanks for all the helpfull input!
It is not a space or height issue for me. Its more of a "this is the real FD".
And i am currently very much on the fence, but im considering getting the parts "just in case"

 

Always good to keep a sawzall handy!

 

I wonder if the center brace could be replicated in composite materials. That would fill a market void and be racecar cool.

 

Funnily enough, most cars here with any "racecar" intent discard it, as it's in the way of the roof cross bars of the roll cage.

As said above, I think it's just to stop panel flex noise transmission into the cabin. Did have one here somewhere, but think it was thrown out in the last year or so. One of the guys here who runs an importing side hustle, brought in another FD part out job in the last few days......not sure he's very keen on selling offshore, but more than likely the body shell will be cut up, as it can't be registered.

 

Dibs on the rear seat clamp bracket pedestals!

 

https://buyee.jp/item/yahoo/auction/...uggest_history

Typical Buyee pricing. Shipping cost would be brutal though.

 

I contacted him (Blue RZ or RS with regular seats i think) and he said the shipping would be horrible and also the items to large for Aus post. So no luck.

 

Wow Gotta pay better attention there then, and have Jesse seafreight it here

 

It just may fit within seamail dimensions. Best investigate. Big win if it does.

Jesse will make good effort to make things fit.

Buyee seems to just throw things in an even bigger box.

 

I would bet it only cost $300 to ship, and you'll get it within a week. I don't mess with seamail, air is typically similar in price for this kind of stuff and doesn't get lost for months.

 

Buyee rates for their "air package service" seemed to have dropped with EMS/Seamail coming back on stream.

Rates for oversize items are still severe.

The Japan post rates and sizes are available on line.

It seems the courier companies will soak you for anything over the Japan Post acceptable dimensions.

(It also seems that Japan Post size restrictions are smaller for the US. Maybe a different postal treaty?)

A roof liner can easily be bent, so seamail would be a risk.

I have had to abandon several items I bought through Buyee, that Jesse would have managed to get within Japan Post limits, and Buyee had no interest in even trying.