Hi everyone,

Realise that this is likely to be a controversial post but will ask anyway....

Has anyone ever fitted or seen an XJS coupe with a full-length fabric, slide-back sunroof? In the UK they were be made by firms like Webasto or Tudor - my MGB GT had one. I think quite a few Reliant Scimitars had them too. Note that I am not referring to the smaller plastic pop up sunroofs that were once a popular aftermarket fitment.

I'm guessing the coupe body is stiff enough to withstand having a hole cut in the roof and pondering this as a possible option to convertible / cabriolet purchase. I realise that this would probably lower the value of my coupe but that will be the kid's problem when they eventually inherit!

Cheers,
LeeP

 

You will lose a great deal of stiffness with a full length one, I am pretty sure. The Webasto puts in place a square bolted-in perimeter, but it cannot possibly be as stiff as the original roof. Essentially you are removing the top of a rigid braced box and turning the car into an open topped floppy box.
Also the XJS roof is not that long and is more curved in both axis than it looks, so only something smaller than you want might be feasible. So my suggestion:
There are cheap convertibles all over the ads right now, buy one, remove the top, make it a lovely sleek roadster, install a tonneau, strip out the un-needed extra weight (heater, aircon, ducting, blowers, side glass, hood motor, etc etc) and have a wonderful, fun, sunny-day roadster! If I was 15 years younger....

 

Yeah dont cut up a perfectly good coupe. Buy a roadster

 

Thanks for replies - much as I expected.

I like Greg's idea. Reminds of a schoolfriend who had a Triumph Herald saloon and he used to unbolt the roof and leave it off all summer regardless of the weather, but we were both younger then!

Oddly enough I have just discovered the following advert which shows a car with the sort of aftermarket sunroof I was enquiring about. First one I have ever seen, see below:

1976 Jaguar XJ-S V12 5.3 Pre-HE For Sale by Auction (carandclassic.com)

Not sure what has happened to the rear bumper either.
Cheers,
LeeP

 

There's some nice touches on that early car, Lee, including the webasto roof (which could be original), black infill panel on the boot and the early door mirrors.

Just looking at the state of the engine bay + missing exhaust pipe, I'd suggest it's going to soak up a lot of money.

Oh, and the rear bumper is an original pre-HE type.

Paul

 

When l lived in Switzerland many years ago, had a full length webasto roof on my 1985 Range rover. As already said,above. it had a metal frame bolted to what was left of the roof. It was manually folded and unfolded and with the A/c unit made the car a super summer and winter car. I enjoyed having it fully open so much that l put up with it leaking and the wind noise. I had the vinal replaced as they shrink after a few years. After a lot of years l fitted a roof from a later RR with a sunroof, ended the leaking....BUT really loved that roof. I was a lot younger then and could put up with the small inconveniences. Finally sold the RR BUT still miss it today.

 

Yes, those webasto roofs were great. Glad you enjoyed yours as much as I did the one on my MGB GT. Apparently, Webasto have gone out of business now - a great loss.
Cheers,
LeeP