From RonStygar_at_aol.com Thu Jun 14 20:23:21 2001
From: RonStygar_at_aol.com
Date: Thu, 14 Jun 2001 23:23:16 EDT
Subject: Lets easily remove the sunroof on my '01 M coupe
To: dale_at_unofficialbmw.com

The sunroof on the M coupe tilts open and shut. Because of space restrictions it does not slide back. The rear of the roof is held in place with two 4 mm pins locked in place with E nuts.

The front of the roof has two male tabs that fit into female slots attached to the car body.
If you push/pull off the E nuts on the rear pins (a magnetic pick up tool helps grab the E nuts as they come off of the pins) and then push/pull out the pins, you can raise the rear of the roof upward. Pull the roof towards the rear and the front tabs of the roof will come out of the female slots. You are now sunroof less:).

To make this easier, I designed some ball pins with a male thread at the end. I also designed a tool that screws onto the pin to make it easy to install and remove.
Richard Mix refined the design and made up the pins and tool for me. I add multi layers of shrink tubing to the tool. I sell the one of a kind stainless steel pins, spacers and aluminum tool for $126.00, shipping included.
The pins install from the rear with the flat on the pin upward against the spacer you glue in as shown in one of the following pics. When closed or full open the pins are under tension. You have to lower the roof a little to remove the pins. If you drive the car with the roof somewhere between full open or closed, keep your eyes on the pins to make sure that they are staying in place. BMW cautions that if there pins come out the roof may go bye bye.

My buddy Al Corey's wife Denise made me a fleece lined Vinyl case for the sunroof. Materials for this were around $42.00.

Ron_at_unofficialbmw.com, FLI BMW, FLY BMW, Marlborough, CT
http://www.unofficialbmw.com/ronstygar.html
Unofficial RS/SS bender/shortener/installer +