Falcone
07-21-2009, 08:49 PM
Well I figured I'd make a write up while I installed a sunroof in my first gen 1992 GMC Sonoma, here it goes. I used a sunroof I took out of a truck same as mine from the scrap yard so I knew it would fit the contour of the roof make sure yours does as well.
Tools needed:
-Drill
-Air Nibbler or possibly small cut off wheel. Air nibler preffered.
-Sharp knife
-Urethane Windshield Adhesive
-Cardboard or other template making material
-Painters tape
-Small tarp is nice to have less mess.
-double sided tape, I used extorior trim tape
-Earth magnet (makes things easier)
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b187/falcone28/DSCN2878.jpg
I'll do my best to explain the steps I did hopfully this turns out well. There isn't pictures for the steps I though were self explainitory. First off drape the tarp over your interior to try and minimize the metal shavings which will fall into your seats and feel amazing when you sit down.
1. Clean all old gasket/sealent off of the sunroof
2.Remove headliner from truck
3. Place earth magnet infront of the doubled up "roll bar" on the roof. This is to makesure you don't cut into this and to get your layout point started.
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b187/falcone28/DSCN2875.jpg
4. After masking off the roof with the painters tape use a drillbit or another magnet to find the one on the inside and make a mark.
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b187/falcone28/DSCN2874.jpg
5. Make a baseline to measure off of to makesure your sunroof will be square. I pressed a 2 foot level (or something straight and rigid) against my back window and measured off of it to get my line. Then make a center mark on the baseline.
6. Make a template of the sunroofs required opening size out of carboard or something you can cut easily. I used rigid insulation. Make a center mark on it as well. You can see my template in the tools picture I'll see if I can just get one of it later.
7. Now place your template on the roof and center it and make sure square and where it needs to be and trace it out.
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b187/falcone28/CopyofDSCN2876.jpg
8. Double check everything and make any minor adjustments you need to to your cut lines. Makesure to mark the lines you wish to follow as there's no metal strechers.
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b187/falcone28/CopyofDSCN2882.jpg
9. Make sure once again that your lines are correct and your not going to cut a hole thats too big. IMPORTANT!
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b187/falcone28/CopyofDSCN2880.jpg
10. Now for the fun part, time to make a hole in your roof. Take the drill with a good sharp bit which is large enough to slip your airnibblers head through and drill a hole about 3" away from your cut line (I went to the middle because I've never used a nibbler before and wanted to test it before I got to the endge.
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b187/falcone28/CopyofDSCN2886.jpg
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b187/falcone28/CopyofDSCN2887.jpg
11. Now get your air nibbler out and start cutting, makesure you stay to the INSIDE of your marks as you can always take a little more away alot easier then you can add back to it. Wear safety glasses or cantacts! (haha)
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b187/falcone28/CopyofDSCN2888.jpg
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b187/falcone28/CopyofDSCN2889.jpg
12.Use some blocks or tools or a buddy if you can to hold up the sheetmetal as your cutting so it doesn't droop and bend the rest of your roof.
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b187/falcone28/CopyofDSCN2891.jpg
Shazam You now have a sunroof your all done.
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b187/falcone28/CopyofDSCN2893.jpg
Moving along..
13.Once you've cut the hole now try and test fit the sunroof bracket to see if it fits, and slowly take away the spots which are not letting it slip in.
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b187/falcone28/CopyofDSCN2894.jpg
Tools needed:
-Drill
-Air Nibbler or possibly small cut off wheel. Air nibler preffered.
-Sharp knife
-Urethane Windshield Adhesive
-Cardboard or other template making material
-Painters tape
-Small tarp is nice to have less mess.
-double sided tape, I used extorior trim tape
-Earth magnet (makes things easier)
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b187/falcone28/DSCN2878.jpg
I'll do my best to explain the steps I did hopfully this turns out well. There isn't pictures for the steps I though were self explainitory. First off drape the tarp over your interior to try and minimize the metal shavings which will fall into your seats and feel amazing when you sit down.
1. Clean all old gasket/sealent off of the sunroof
2.Remove headliner from truck
3. Place earth magnet infront of the doubled up "roll bar" on the roof. This is to makesure you don't cut into this and to get your layout point started.
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b187/falcone28/DSCN2875.jpg
4. After masking off the roof with the painters tape use a drillbit or another magnet to find the one on the inside and make a mark.
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b187/falcone28/DSCN2874.jpg
5. Make a baseline to measure off of to makesure your sunroof will be square. I pressed a 2 foot level (or something straight and rigid) against my back window and measured off of it to get my line. Then make a center mark on the baseline.
6. Make a template of the sunroofs required opening size out of carboard or something you can cut easily. I used rigid insulation. Make a center mark on it as well. You can see my template in the tools picture I'll see if I can just get one of it later.
7. Now place your template on the roof and center it and make sure square and where it needs to be and trace it out.
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b187/falcone28/CopyofDSCN2876.jpg
8. Double check everything and make any minor adjustments you need to to your cut lines. Makesure to mark the lines you wish to follow as there's no metal strechers.
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b187/falcone28/CopyofDSCN2882.jpg
9. Make sure once again that your lines are correct and your not going to cut a hole thats too big. IMPORTANT!
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b187/falcone28/CopyofDSCN2880.jpg
10. Now for the fun part, time to make a hole in your roof. Take the drill with a good sharp bit which is large enough to slip your airnibblers head through and drill a hole about 3" away from your cut line (I went to the middle because I've never used a nibbler before and wanted to test it before I got to the endge.
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b187/falcone28/CopyofDSCN2886.jpg
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b187/falcone28/CopyofDSCN2887.jpg
11. Now get your air nibbler out and start cutting, makesure you stay to the INSIDE of your marks as you can always take a little more away alot easier then you can add back to it. Wear safety glasses or cantacts! (haha)
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b187/falcone28/CopyofDSCN2888.jpg
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b187/falcone28/CopyofDSCN2889.jpg
12.Use some blocks or tools or a buddy if you can to hold up the sheetmetal as your cutting so it doesn't droop and bend the rest of your roof.
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b187/falcone28/CopyofDSCN2891.jpg
Shazam You now have a sunroof your all done.
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b187/falcone28/CopyofDSCN2893.jpg
Moving along..
13.Once you've cut the hole now try and test fit the sunroof bracket to see if it fits, and slowly take away the spots which are not letting it slip in.
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b187/falcone28/CopyofDSCN2894.jpg