Gunsmoke Posted May 31, 2022 Share Posted May 31, 2022 Sometimes luck or good fortune is on your side. Today was one of those times. At suppertime last night I had the 2004 Infinity G35 (great working car only 150KM’s)out for an errand, about 10 miles each way from home. On the return trip I thought I could hear more road noise than normal, checked the windows and doors but everything was closed tight. When I pulled into the yard and got out I realized the sun roof was missing! With rain due any moment, I quickly sealed the opening and decided I would deal with it this morning. Called around to see what could be done, glass companies, dealer, salvage yards, eBay, nothing. The glass sun roof is exclusive to G35’s and coupes only, nothing available. The parts rep at the dealer said “guess you’ll have to scrap the car! So what are the chances the sun roof survived the “pop-off”! So I got in my other car and retraced my trip. 10 miles out, nothing. About 5 miles back and I see something sitting on shoulder of highway in a 100KM zone, about 6” off edge of pavement. Sure enough, there is the sun roof glass, sitting there with not so much as a scratch! Don’t ask me how, I’m assuming it flew up in the air and like a feather wafted back to earth. The glass people say it can be refitted for $75. Must be living right. 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grimy Posted May 31, 2022 Share Posted May 31, 2022 Dodged a bullet there! We need a "whew!" emoji.... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArticiferTom Posted May 31, 2022 Share Posted May 31, 2022 What the HECK do you want that back in there for . Some Ash , Chicken wire and Long grain topping and make something respectable . LOL . 3 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAKerry Posted May 31, 2022 Share Posted May 31, 2022 Am I being too simple, but how does one loose a sunroof whilst driving down the road and not notice it? 4 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1912Staver Posted May 31, 2022 Share Posted May 31, 2022 I think there is an inner fabric layer similar to a head liner under the glass. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunsmoke Posted May 31, 2022 Author Share Posted May 31, 2022 (edited) Yes there is a fairly heavy interior sliding gizmo same look as headliner, tight-fitting, and it normally opens automatically with the sunroof (slides back into roof). I've never heard of a sunroof glass popping off, but learn something every day. Apparently they only secure with 2 sided tape of some sort. BTW Tom I was considering just what I could do if a new glass was not available, did the wire, padding, long grain on my '31 Chevy back in 2013, not that hard! Edited May 31, 2022 by Gunsmoke (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keiser31 Posted May 31, 2022 Share Posted May 31, 2022 (edited) Glad you were able to find it unscathed! Reminds me of a buddy of mine and his 1969 Dodge Charger. He was restoring it and we went for a test drive in it. He pulls out onto the highway and romps on it. We hear a big, "WHOOOSH" noise and all of a sudden the car was full of wind. He had forgotten that he just set the rear window in the rear roof hole temporarily without anchoring it. We looked back to see the rear window fly into the air and land in the middle of the road and turn to powder. Luckily, he happened to have another rear window. Edited May 31, 2022 by keiser31 (see edit history) 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pfloro Posted May 31, 2022 Share Posted May 31, 2022 (edited) 3 hours ago, TAKerry said: Am I being too simple, but how does one loose a sunroof whilst driving down the road and not notice it? After 22 (or more) years since manufacture, that 2 sided tape must have dried out...! I don't think "Nissan Upscale" expected these sunroofed G35s to still be on the road. Paul Edited May 31, 2022 by pfloro (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8E45E Posted May 31, 2022 Share Posted May 31, 2022 2 hours ago, Gunsmoke said: Yes there is a fairly heavy interior sliding gizmo same look as headliner, tight-fitting, and it normally opens automatically with the sunroof (slides back into roof). I've never heard of a sunroof glass popping off, but learn something every day. Apparently they only secure with 2 sided tape of some sort. I'm surprised you wouldn't have noticed the drastic change of air pressure in the cabin when it let loose. Crag Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dictator27 Posted May 31, 2022 Share Posted May 31, 2022 (edited) Studebaker Avantis had a sticker on the dash advising the driver not to open a door window at speeds in excess of 120 mph. Doing so would blow the rear window out of the car. Edited May 31, 2022 by dictator27 (see edit history) 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keiser31 Posted May 31, 2022 Share Posted May 31, 2022 6 minutes ago, dictator27 said: Studebaker Avantis had a sticker on the dash advising the driver not to open a door window at speeds in excess of 120 mph. Doing so would blow the rear window out of the car. Not certain if that was an Avanti item as I have seen that badge on MANY dashboards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunsmoke Posted June 1, 2022 Author Share Posted June 1, 2022 These G35 Coupes are a great driving car, plenty of grunt from the 3.6L six, and road handle (corner)very well. Although the car is 18/19 years old now, it is low mileage (less than 100K miles), my son owned it and when he traded up in 2020 I bought it from him. It is a 6 speed manual RWD and fun to drive, never driven in winter. They are very popular with the local tuner crowd, hardly a week goes by without some young guy asking me if it's for sale. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harold Posted June 1, 2022 Share Posted June 1, 2022 My friend had a similar situation with his fairly modern Ford Focus sunroof. He heard an unusual noise while driving and was poking around the car to pin down the source. As soon as he touched the sunroof glass it popped out of the car and blew away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAKerry Posted June 1, 2022 Share Posted June 1, 2022 OK, that makes a lot more sense. I have heard stories from the Trans Am crowd of t tops blowing off going down the road, fortunately I have never had that problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
28 Chrysler Posted June 3, 2022 Share Posted June 3, 2022 How loud was the stereo when this all happened ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zepher Posted June 3, 2022 Share Posted June 3, 2022 Guess I'll have to keep an eye on the glass on the sunroof of my 2002 Nissan Altima. Twenty years and 250k miles and the sunroof is still hanging on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunsmoke Posted June 3, 2022 Author Share Posted June 3, 2022 Got the sunroof glass reinstalled today, Superior Glass locally did the job, $65Can(about $45USD), as someone suggested I dodged a bullet here. Although the glass was darkly tinted, I suspect UV rays thru the glass over time broke down the adhesive. No adhesive remained on the glass and what remained on the frame was hard as rock but firmly attached to the frame. So anyone with a similar setup (no mechanical fastening) and past 15 years old, should consider having theirs inspected. Likely any glass shop could carefully pry it off and re-afffix for less than $100. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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