Amar Akoya's A3 build (panoramic roof retrofit)

[amar06fbr]

since last year i have been on the lookout for apanoramic roof, it would had been easier to buy a new a3 but i didn’t fancy gettingrid as this car got history and i have spent loads on it. so iv ended upsourcing one out from a breakers yard and dug in to it i will upload all pictures once ihave when i get my memory card out of my mates car tonight.. it has been a verynail biting process as i didn’t want to weaken up the body structure of thecar, no1 was willing to take on the job local, so i got on the phone with mybrothers old mate (ex body repairer for Mercedes) and decided to take the jobon ourself.

first want to say the thanks

Shaad (my mate for finding the panoramic roof)
Nemo (brothers old mate, was involved in most of the project)
Lee @ Autoglazing Solutions
Nigel, nhn (for telling me how to get the roof working temp an still wired upthe way you told me)
Julian, 3.2 ju (for clearing all errors)

all pics and write up will be posted tonight. and a few other lil suprises

 

[NHN]

Most welcome & at last mate, what took you so long

 

[FranA3]

fair play to you mate it takes balls to take on a job like that get pics up soon

 

[N8]

Thread is nothing without pics.

 

[ScottD3]

:sign_pics:

 

[Khufu]

I've seen a few befores!

glad your almost there, I was wondering how you were getting on the other day there.

 

[*Müllërz]

i did not think this was possible
would love to see the pics

 

[cloughy]

Pics! really interested to see how it's turned out

 

[macpdm]

:sign_pics:

 

[amar06fbr]

Most welcome & at last mate, what took you so long

yea i kno at last its almost done.. started to lazzy around painted the car ourself and couldnt be asked with flattin it lol

lol got home late last night uploading them right now to photobucket..

 

[amar06fbr]

right here the pics,

this what the car was looking like before i decided to get serious

this is what i received from the breakers,

....

spent a full day stripping out the whole interior,

..

had the windscreen removed the main frame for the panoramic roof as it is bonded down like the windscreen so this job was ideal for Lee @ autoglazing solutions

before the plans was to cut the roof from the main pillars but i didn’t want to do it that way so decided to cut the roof skin before and see the differences between them and it looked bang on the same and decided to do it ..

here is the old roof

this middle bar had to be removed to make space for the panoramic frame.

N8 look at my sline suspension

the front windscreen support bar was different so had to unstitchit and spot weld the top part of the bar and corners on to my car (the bottompart of the bar is the same so do not remove this as it may weaken thestructure of the car, i did not remove mine) getting ready to spot weld..

this was what i was left with the panoramic frame,

all the grey stuff is seam sealent, this stop water getting in between both metal pieces and rust.

this was a test fit made sure evrything fitted perfect inc the windscreen,

i think the car looks good without the window regs

n8 look its gettin higher!

painted all the blue in akoya

old frame took to much room so i had decided to have some fun

 

[Khufu]

that's mental! Your one brave or insane guy!

 

[volvo1980]

Youre gonna need a bigger car with those Balls!

 

[amar06fbr]

this was all the hard work done and Lee come back to refit the windscreen and bond the panoramic frame in (there is a middle support bar wich holds the frame down look at pic 4 the bar is in between the front and back glass)

did a water test and we didnt have no leaks


wired the motor u temp and made sure it run ok

couldn't source anyone decent to paint the car so nemo got hold of a spray booth and decided to get our hand dirty

of to the body shop

late nights in the spraybooth and in two days this what the car was looking like

goin back togeather (nigels old bumper )

started to get colder so lighted a fire hehe

was bored of the s3 back end so decided to go for rs3 andi wasn’t going to put the old copy spoiler back on so i put the extra money inand went for the rs3 spoiler as well

and last minute decided to change the color on the grill..

i am planning to change the wheels soon and maybelower the car not sure yet..
More pics will be up soon

 

[Brendan12]

Wow. Top work there! Took some guts!

 

[ScottD3]

I'm not sure what to say.
Fair play for attempting it and that looks amazing.

Nice one. you must be so happy with the result.

 

[amar06fbr]

I'm not sure what to say.
Fair play for attempting it and that looks amazing.

Nice one. you must be so happy with the result.

thanks mate, just glad it all over started to lazy around at the end

 

[rOb_A]

your braver than me... looks good lad

 

[amar06fbr]

that's mental! Your one brave or insane guy!

Ewan you kno me you got any new mods lined up?

 

[Goner]

I mean this in the nicest possible way pal, but you are ****ing mental. You must have balls the size of Bradford to do something like that.

 

[Khufu]

nothing that can remotely top that! I'd really need to start thinking outside the box! Lol

 

[mikex709]

Fantastic EPIC build mate, love it wish i had balls like you, lol
keep up the good work..!!

 

[drnutta]

You very brave !

perhaps one of the most radical mods on here...

 

[The Engineer]

Incredible work, you deserve a pat on the back.

Car looks beautiful, Can't wait to see your updates.

 

[N8]

Hats off to you for this Amar, well done my friend. It takes a person of real steel and guts to do something like that. But to be honest, I'm happier the fact you've got an S3 front bumper, as the votex is just AWFUL man.

Well done and keep up the good work.

 

[volvo1980]

Just started planning how i am going to do a hover conversion to my Avant! If only to stop my wife kurbing the wheels!

 

[poli84]

Holy hell man, that is absolutely insane.
Like others have said, that has got to be gutsiest mod I have ever seen.
Well done for having the balls to do it. Looks great.

Have you noticed a difference in the car? Is it creaking or rattling?

 

[Virdee]

Balls of steel mate! Well done for pulling it off

Quick q - does the RS3 rear valance fit straight on? And where did you get it from and roughly how much? TIA

 

[Baffles]

Awesome mod mate, great job..

 

[DixonH]

thats an amazing piece of workmanship, nice one.

 

[Ash187]

WOW! what else can i say?? thats amazing work there bro!
where are the other mods? you need some shots of the interior! and get a few close ups on the RS3 bits!

cant wait to see this in person bro... you need to come down asap!

 

[NobberUK]

Balls of steel and one hell of a result, looks top drawer.

 

[Sandra]

That has got to be the most spectacular mod that I have seen so far here on ASN. That is awesome, the pictures and quality of your work and the finished result are amazing. Very well done.

 

[Ads]

Amar.... effort-wise, mod of the year.

Please will you impregnate me.

 

[warrenlord]

GRAFT is what's gone into this. Hands on doing stuff yourself is always a better feeling at the end. You've done great on this, hardly anyone said about the RS3 parts!! Looks great

 

[Goner]

GRAFT is what's gone into this. Hands on doing stuff yourself is always a better feeling at the end. You've done great on this, hardly anyone said about the RS3 parts!! Looks great

Yeah true i agree, but i'd be major ****** with myself and i ****ed it up, 11.5 large down the **** pan for me then!

I laughed when i saw the photo of him on the roof setting too it with a angle grinder lol, looked ruthless!

 

[Goner]

Amar.... effort-wise, mod of the year.

Please will you impregnate me.

You've killed the thread with that one.

 

[warren_S5]

Absolutely amazing job; well done. That's gotta be the bravest mod on an A3 I've ever seen.

Do you resemble this bloke?

 

[Jameze]

Was that wheelbarrow for your carting around your massive cojones?

I'm speechless, this takes some serious balls to do!

 

[Lings]

Finally sorted it .fair play mate