13 replies to this topic

[Dr cooilio]

Can you buy a new webasto kit anymore? What’s peoples views on them are they worth it, thinking of when we tow our mini abroad it will be nice on days out to have the roof open, but are they horrible in reality?

[viz139]

I had to add drain pipes to mine because of the shrinkage. The wind noise at motorway speeds is terrible .Not enough sun in Ireland to enjoy it. 

[bangermadness08]

I love mine although if your looking to by one it’ll cost near to £1000.
Have to admit it does leak when the rain is torrential but having the bright blue skies above pays for it

[cooperd70]

I had a rust bucket of a 1275 GT back in the late 80s that had a Webasto and I loved it. Think it had been fitted from new and it never leaked once...it was just the rest of the car that leaked {from the ground up}. Wish I'd have kept that car!

[Midas Mk1]

I never had any wind noise from the factory fitted one on my Sportspack, however when they break, they break real good, most spares for the Rover version are NLA. 

It is great with the wind in your hair, though the doubt of it getting stuck open (happened to me, failed mechanism)  puts me off another. 
Would I have one again? no. 

Edited by Midas Mk1, 11 July 2024 - 06:39 AM.

[Chris1275gt]

I have the large 70’s manual webasto. The car is very soundproofed and I can’t say the roof is noisy, though I very rarely go at motorway speeds. The car is de-seamed and I would say the sunroof noise probably replaces the wind noise you get with from the side seams. I generally have it open, weather permitting and call it old fashioned air conditioning. It’s also not noisy open either.

[mab01uk]

I always found the hinged perspex tinted wind deflector eliminated most of the wind noise when the sunroof was open.

Below is a sunroof i got from a scrapyard back in the 1970's and fitted to the Mini i owned at the time.

 

Edited by mab01uk, 11 July 2024 - 08:17 AM.

[cooperd70]

Mine had one of those tinted perspex flip up wind deflectors....worked a treat.

[Gaz66]

I've often wondered if there is any strengthening put in after the roof is cut out.
I would say there's quite a lot of strength lost when they are fitted

[Chris1275gt]

I've often wondered if there is any strengthening put in after the roof is cut out.
I would say there's quite a lot of strength lost when they are fitted

There is a 2”x2” beech wood frame around the opening so no not much strengthening.

[mab01uk]

I've often wondered if there is any strengthening put in after the roof is cut out.
I would say there's quite a lot of strength lost when they are fitted

 

The Weathershields branded roofs I found in breakers yards often had flat steel stiffener strips each end of the sunroof hidden up behind the head lining to further brace the larger roof panels.

Edited by mab01uk, 11 July 2024 - 10:40 PM.

[imack]

I've often wondered if there is any strengthening put in after the roof is cut out.
I would say there's quite a lot of strength lost when they are fitted

The Weathershields branded roofs I found in breakers yards often had flat steel stiffener strips each end of the sunroof hidden up behind the head lining to further brace the larger roof panels.

My Weathershield has the steel stiffners front and rear of the roof. They're riveted to the can't rails and are the same profile as the roof skin. From memory, they're around 30mm wide and abot 3-4mm thick. The front and rear sections of the roof bolt or rivet through them and the ends of the side frames rivet through them too.

[Dr cooilio]

Thanks for all the replies everyone, kinda get the feeling I’ve got a good roof I should keep it and not give myself more headaches with something I don’t need to. Just that dream of the sun coming in on French south coast is making me contemplate hahaha

[mab01uk]

For interest this is a very neat New MINI into Classic Mini panoramic sunroof conversion....

 

 

 

 

Putting A BMW MINI Panoramic Sunroof Into A Classic Mini?

https://www.theminif...o-a-rover-mini/

Edited by mab01uk, 13 July 2024 - 08:23 AM.