I could see some rust starting to form on the steel frame under the sunroof glass, visible at the back edge even when the sunroof was closed. I thought a good job for a Sunday afternoon would be to take action before it got any worse.
To remove the glass panel, I opened the sunroof and unscrewed two Torx 15 screws on each side, unscrewed the aerial (just the upper stem part), and slid the panel backwards off its runners. The panel is quite a handful so it might make more sense to have an assistant, and lay the glass carefully on towels etc.
I started by cleaning around the seals and the general area, using a toothbrush and soapy water.
The rust (picture one) turned out to be very superficial, caused by the original black paint being too thin.
I used purple Scotchbrite pads to scrub off the paint and the rust, and then I wiped everything clean (and dry) with methylated spirits. I decided that it wasn't worth removing the various little plastic bits and bobs - and the rubber seals are glued in place, so removing those would only lead to disappointment.
Next came the longest part of the job - the patience-fraying task of masking - using two types of masking tape and loads of annoyingly-small newspaper sheets. Of course, opening a newspaper causes the weather to suddenly become very blustery, with gusts of wind from all directions and perhaps even the odd spot of rain.
I used a VHT aerosol enamel that claims to have 'anti rusting properties' - CRC Black Zinc would have been my preferred choice, but I couldn't find where I'd put it. I applied three coats in a few minutes of satisfaction.
Despite some dust in the paint and blobs from an intermittently-splattering nozzle, I was happy with the result
-Alex
To remove the glass panel, I opened the sunroof and unscrewed two Torx 15 screws on each side, unscrewed the aerial (just the upper stem part), and slid the panel backwards off its runners. The panel is quite a handful so it might make more sense to have an assistant, and lay the glass carefully on towels etc.
I started by cleaning around the seals and the general area, using a toothbrush and soapy water.
The rust (picture one) turned out to be very superficial, caused by the original black paint being too thin.
I used purple Scotchbrite pads to scrub off the paint and the rust, and then I wiped everything clean (and dry) with methylated spirits. I decided that it wasn't worth removing the various little plastic bits and bobs - and the rubber seals are glued in place, so removing those would only lead to disappointment.
Next came the longest part of the job - the patience-fraying task of masking - using two types of masking tape and loads of annoyingly-small newspaper sheets. Of course, opening a newspaper causes the weather to suddenly become very blustery, with gusts of wind from all directions and perhaps even the odd spot of rain.
I used a VHT aerosol enamel that claims to have 'anti rusting properties' - CRC Black Zinc would have been my preferred choice, but I couldn't find where I'd put it. I applied three coats in a few minutes of satisfaction.
Despite some dust in the paint and blobs from an intermittently-splattering nozzle, I was happy with the result
-Alex
Attachments
Last edited:
