53 Sunroof

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Gary A Melancon
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53 Sunroof

#1 Post by Gary A Melancon »

I have a 53 356 SN 51090. When was the sunroof installed in early 356’s. I purchased a sunroof clip from 55 356 SN 53921, have no idea what happened to this car. I’m installing this sunroof in SN 51090. Does anyone have any info/pictures?

Gary
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Bob Watts
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Re: 53 Sunroof

#2 Post by Bob Watts »

HI Gary,

Welcome to the Sunroof Inventory. Thanks very much for including the VIN.

Bob
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Gary A Melancon
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Re: 53 Sunroof

#3 Post by Gary A Melancon »

Bob,

Thx for the info, this will help. The sunroof clip was taken from a 55 356 SN 53921, it has #’s 921 on it.

Gary
Penn Valley, Ca
Last edited by Gary A Melancon on Sat Oct 20, 2018 9:36 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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James Davies
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Re: 53 Sunroof

#4 Post by James Davies »

The steel sunroofs started being installed in mid-1954. In 1953, sunroofs would have been the fabric type as one VWs of the period.

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Brett Johnson
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Re: 53 Sunroof

#5 Post by Brett Johnson »

According to Conradt, sliding steel sunroofs were first installed June of 1954.
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Brett Johnson
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Re: 53 Sunroof

#6 Post by Brett Johnson »

Speaking of sunroofs, I have yet to see a 1955 or earlier car with any trace of its original headliner. Anybody have one? I can provide photos of the one in #54205, but I'm certain that it is not entirely accurate around the perimeter. I assume that water damage is why few (if any?) original sunroof headliners survived.

There are also two distinctly different sliding mechanisms. By the time my car was built the second type was being used. One thing I am confident about is that in this later version, the sliders on the insert have to show, since there is no way to install or remove them with headliner covering them.

As others have said, cloth sunroofs were used on earlier cars. I'd like to see detail photos of these, as well.
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Trevor Gates
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Re: 53 Sunroof

#7 Post by Trevor Gates »

Here’s the thread I started on cloth sunroof 356’s.

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=41617
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Brett Johnson
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Re: 53 Sunroof

#8 Post by Brett Johnson »

I'm not positive, but I believe that this is #50927. Photos are from 1992.
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Bil Brown
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Re: 53 Sunroof

#9 Post by Bil Brown »

Gary.......where on the sunroof clip are the numbers "921" stamped?
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Trevor Gates
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Re: 53 Sunroof

#10 Post by Trevor Gates »

Brett - Great pics, can you post them in the cloth sunroof thread?

Gary - Sorry, it feels like we’re high jacking your thread. When talk turns to sunroofs, things get interesting; when they turn into talks on a mid-54 or older car, they get really interesting (to me) because of my interest in cloth sunroof 356’s.
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