I called it a "sun roof" . . . .

[seattle smitty]

.  .  .  but that got me no hits in the Search function here.  So what's the correct name for the openable and even removable glass panel in the top of the cab of my '81 720 King Cab??

This vehicle is a non-running and somewhat rusty old beater which I am slowly restoring to functionality.  Previous owner had removed the (whatever-it-is), maybe it was leaking, and I want to put it back after clean-up and repair.  I pulled away the molded rubber seal from the periphery of the glass, leaving remnants of a thin rubbery substance behind on the glass.  What I want to know is the nature of this little bit of sealant so I can reproduce it, which the factory evidently thought was needed to seal the molded rubber gasket to the glass.  Is it some kind of goop, maybe silicone seal, that's squirted from a tube or caulking gun into the cavity in the molded gasket?  Or some sort of thinwall molded sub-seal?  I had to scrape it off the glass, but couldn't tell for sure the nature of the stuff. So far all I've done is clean up the glass, and clean the molded gasket with Bleche-Wite, wonderful stuff for cleaning white or blackwall tires, oxy/acetylene hoses, anything rubber.

Next Q,  after I wire-wheel and otherwise scour out the rain gutter stamped into the top of the cab, over which the (whatever-it-is) is fitted, I expect to find one or more drain-holes connecting to rubber or plastic tubing running down inside the windshield pillers  .  .  .  is that right?  One corner of this gutter has the bottom of it rusted through, which I can repair, and I suspect it had a drain-hole/hose-nipple.  Who can tell me about all this?

I don't expect ever to pop open the (whatever-it-is), much less ever remove it again, and am considering using silicone sealant between the molded gasket and the top of the cab, to ensure permanent water-tightness.

I just trailered this poor old derelict to a place that's a lot more convenient for working on it semi-regularly, so I expect to be harassing y'all with more odd questions.

Edited January 22, 2019 by seattle smitty

[weldingrod]

Beleive it or not, for some reason or other the advertising idjits decided to call it a "moon roof". Probably because in hot climates who the hell wants a sun roof. I just googled "1984 Nissan 720 Moon Roof" and it popped right up.

[Charlie69]

I also just picked up a 1984 720 2wd King Cab with the "Moon Roof".  I have not and will not get to working on the Moon Roof for a long time as mine does not leak so I am taking the approach of "if it ain't broke don't fix it".

 

My 84 720 King Cab 2wd has moon roof, rear sliding window, clock & tac, variable speed intermittent wipers, power windows & power locks.  It is a 5 speed.  It is odd though this one does not have the oil pressure and volt meter on the console but will have in the near future.

 

Pictures Please.

Edited May 19, 2019 by Charlie69

[seattle smitty]

Thanks for the replies, but I'm still hoping someone will know about the corner drains (four?) for the gutter. are there actual rubber tubes going down inside the pillars, how long, how routed??

[datzenmike]

On 1/22/2019 at 12:01 AM, weldingrod said:

Beleive it or not, for some reason or other the advertising idjits decided to call it a "moon roof". Probably because in hot climates who the hell wants a sun roof. I just googled "1984 Nissan 720 Moon Roof" and it popped right up.

 

 

Nothing to do with the heat. Some time ago everyone started to be afraid of the sun. Everything these days has some sort of SPF rating to 'prevent' UV exposure. Advertising neatly skirts around the SUN roof frying our heads with killer UV caused skin cancer by now referring to them as  MOON roofs.

 

 

I'm pretty sure there are no 'drains' for a SUN roof. The glass is higher than the gutter so the water just sheets off and away as you drive. You would never be able to keep drains from plugging up. 

[Charlie69]

I have a 1984 with the factory moon roof but I have not tried to open the glass as here in Phoenix if it is not leaking do not open it!  Next time I run across one in the wrecking yard I will look at it closely for drains but I am thinking like Mike said and there are no factory drains.

[Lockleaf]

I've had the roof liner out of 2 different sun roof trucks.  Neither has any drains. 

[seattle smitty]

Darn, forgot to report what I found with rust scraping and mainly closer inspection.  Again, this is an '81 720 with factory "moon roof," I guess it is.

Anyway, it does have drains, four of them, one in each corner of the gutter, at the bottom.  Factory welded-in sections of thinwall steel tubing, I'd guesstimate about 3/8" I.D., so about 9 or 10mm.  I stuck a piece of vaccuum hose in the end of each one and blew into it to see that each drain was unobstructed.  I never seem to have a helper handy, or I would've asked him/her to put an ear next to the bottom of each roof pillar to see if and where the air came out to locate the end of the drains. 

 I don't know how I missed seeing them before, because I expected the factory would surely have made this provision (for something like an unanticipated rain shower when the moonroof was open). Probably bad light, old age (me), and not standing on something (I'm about 5' 9" nowdays) to get me high enough to get a good look down into the gutter.  Once I'd got high enough, the drains were not at all hard to find. Anyway, that's all I know about this for now.

Edited May 15, 2019 by seattle smitty

[Draker]

pics?