Sun Roofs?

Jack Spaniel · Jul 25th, 2014, 11:52

I have a question.
Looking at many for sale ads for 240s, and many quote a sun roof.

Are these after market items where you cut a hole in the roof with a jig saw and fit them yourself?
or
Was there a factory fitted sun roof option? Electric or otherwise?

Stephen Edwin · Jul 25th, 2014, 12:31

Others will know better than me and a search of the forum will produce some information.

I'm fairly sure my metal tilt/slide sun roof is genuine Volvo, factory fitted? It has a proper Volvo dashboard switch.

I understand some other sun roofs were fitted by the Volvo dealers as extras.

I tend to the view that it is better not to have a sun roof. It's something else to leak or otherwise go wrong. Fitting it might well involve cutting some strength out of the roof.

john.wigley · Jul 25th, 2014, 13:12

In general, I'm inclined to share 'Stephen Edwin's' view that simpler is better when it comes to cars. Having said that, I do love my sunroof and leccy windows!

None of our 240s - and we've owned five, including DL, GL & GLT - had sun-rooves fitted but that doesn't mean that they weren't! I have seen some horrible after-market glass panels, often badly fitted, that caused me to reject an otherwise suitable car.

All of our 740s, of which we've had three, and my 940, have been equipped with factory-fitted sun-rooves. The 7's were / are manually operated and the 9's was electric - all were / are leak free and reliable.

Jack Spaniel · Jul 25th, 2014, 16:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by john.wigley

have been equipped with factory-fitted sun-rooves. :

I had quite an argument with myself over roofs versus rooves. Thought about horses and hooves, but rooves just did not look right. Still don't know which is correct.

wooble · Jul 25th, 2014, 18:39

If a saloon has a sunroof it is probably factory, quite a lot of saloons were equipped with a metal hand-cranked tilt and slide roof from the factory. There was an accessory kit to convert it to electric operation (basically a blanking plate + motor that fit over the winder and a dash switch, this might even have become standard-fit later on? I've never owned a saloon, so I'm open to corrections.

A factory fit sunroof on estates is incredibly rare. I would have said nonexistent, but last time I made that claim somebody popped up and said they'd seen one. either way, 99.999% of sunroofs on estates are aftermarket, and worth avoiding.

The only factory roofs were metal tilt + slide, anything with a glass pop-up style one is a retrofit. Some were offered by dealers even, but they're generally still awful. I've stripped two cars out which were so equipped, and in both cases I found that the installer of the sunroof, finding the transverse reinforcing bar (which runs between the b-pillars and provides strength in case of side impact or rollover) was in the way, had neatly solved the problem by cutting it out and throwing it away. I don't want to thing what that must have done for the impact resistance of the car.

Lucien · Jul 25th, 2014, 22:15

Steel sliding sunroofs were a factory option and fitted as standard to the later ('87 on?) GLT saloons (not estates). They didn't tilt though other than downwards so as to slide under the rear of the car's roof.

Dealers also sold the dealer-fit moonroof option (pop up only and a glass (plastic?) panel). They weren't nice.

An electric sunroof is very rare. I've only ever seen a couple before. Would appreciate pictures if you have them!

Kind regards
Lucien

Stephen Edwin · Jul 25th, 2014, 23:50

My 92 SE estate has a metal electric tilt or slide decided by a switch on the dashboard, sunroof. Where it was fitted, I don't know.

Clifford Pope · Jul 26th, 2014, 11:27

I had an early (round headlight) saloon which had an original metal sliding roof (not a window).

My 1989 DL estate had a tilt-up window. It was real glass, not plastic, and marked Volvo.

rusty244 · Jul 28th, 2014, 13:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lucien

Steel sliding sunroofs were a factory option and fitted as standard to the later ('87 on?) GLT saloons (not estates). They didn't tilt though other than downwards so as to slide under the rear of the car's roof.

Dealers also sold the dealer-fit moonroof option (pop up only and a glass (plastic?) panel). They weren't nice.

An electric sunroof is very rare. I've only ever seen a couple before. Would appreciate pictures if you have them!

Kind regards
Lucien

Yep, my granddad's '91 saloon has a factory option manual metal sunroof. Only slide operation available, doesn't have a tilt feature.

Jack Spaniel · Jul 28th, 2014, 16:39

OK got all that. Now about this roofs/rooves dilemma, what do you think?

Jul 25th, 2014, 11:52	#1
Jack Spaniel Senior Member Last Online: Jun 20th, 2017 19:13 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Portsmouth	Sun Roofs? I have a question. Looking at many for sale ads for 240s, and many quote a sun roof. Are these after market items where you cut a hole in the roof with a jig saw and fit them yourself? or Was there a factory fitted sun roof option? Electric or otherwise? __________________ Previous Cars 1 x 1999 V70 2.0 10v 3 x 245 1 x 244

Jul 25th, 2014, 18:39	#5
wooble Stay gold baby! Last Online: Jul 24th, 2022 16:15 Join Date: May 2009 Location: Bristol	If a saloon has a sunroof it is probably factory, quite a lot of saloons were equipped with a metal hand-cranked tilt and slide roof from the factory. There was an accessory kit to convert it to electric operation (basically a blanking plate + motor that fit over the winder and a dash switch, this might even have become standard-fit later on? I've never owned a saloon, so I'm open to corrections. A factory fit sunroof on estates is incredibly rare. I would have said nonexistent, but last time I made that claim somebody popped up and said they'd seen one. either way, 99.999% of sunroofs on estates are aftermarket, and worth avoiding. The only factory roofs were metal tilt + slide, anything with a glass pop-up style one is a retrofit. Some were offered by dealers even, but they're generally still awful. I've stripped two cars out which were so equipped, and in both cases I found that the installer of the sunroof, finding the transverse reinforcing bar (which runs between the b-pillars and provides strength in case of side impact or rollover) was in the way, had neatly solved the problem by cutting it out and throwing it away. I don't want to thing what that must have done for the impact resistance of the car. __________________ Click to see 240 parts I want to give you money for!

Jul 28th, 2014, 16:39	#10
Jack Spaniel Senior Member Last Online: Jun 20th, 2017 19:13 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Portsmouth	OK got all that. Now about this roofs/rooves dilemma, what do you think? __________________ Previous Cars 1 x 1999 V70 2.0 10v 3 x 245 1 x 244

Jul 25th, 2014, 12:31	#2
Stephen Edwin Premier Member Last Online: Oct 26th, 2023 20:42 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Thurrock	Others will know better than me and a search of the forum will produce some information. I'm fairly sure my metal tilt/slide sun roof is genuine Volvo, factory fitted? It has a proper Volvo dashboard switch. I understand some other sun roofs were fitted by the Volvo dealers as extras. I tend to the view that it is better not to have a sun roof. It's something else to leak or otherwise go wrong. Fitting it might well involve cutting some strength out of the roof.

Jul 25th, 2014, 13:12	#3
john.wigley VOC Member since 1986 Last Online: Yesterday 23:39 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Leicestershire	In general, I'm inclined to share 'Stephen Edwin's' view that simpler is better when it comes to cars. Having said that, I do love my sunroof and leccy windows! None of our 240s - and we've owned five, including DL, GL & GLT - had sun-rooves fitted but that doesn't mean that they weren't! I have seen some horrible after-market glass panels, often badly fitted, that caused me to reject an otherwise suitable car. All of our 740s, of which we've had three, and my 940, have been equipped with factory-fitted sun-rooves. The 7's were / are manually operated and the 9's was electric - all were / are leak free and reliable.

Jul 25th, 2014, 22:15	#6
Lucien VOC Member Last Online: Yesterday 13:46 Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Walton-on-Thames	Steel sliding sunroofs were a factory option and fitted as standard to the later ('87 on?) GLT saloons (not estates). They didn't tilt though other than downwards so as to slide under the rear of the car's roof. Dealers also sold the dealer-fit moonroof option (pop up only and a glass (plastic?) panel). They weren't nice. An electric sunroof is very rare. I've only ever seen a couple before. Would appreciate pictures if you have them! Kind regards Lucien

Jul 25th, 2014, 23:50	#7
Stephen Edwin Premier Member Last Online: Oct 26th, 2023 20:42 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Thurrock	My 92 SE estate has a metal electric tilt or slide decided by a switch on the dashboard, sunroof. Where it was fitted, I don't know.

Jul 26th, 2014, 11:27	#8
Clifford Pope Not an expert but ... Last Online: Yesterday 19:44 Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Boncath	I had an early (round headlight) saloon which had an original metal sliding roof (not a window). My 1989 DL estate had a tilt-up window. It was real glass, not plastic, and marked Volvo.

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