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The only sunroof ever offered by Olds in the 1972-earlier cars was the one in the 72 H/O. This isn't that one. Buick did offer the Sun Coupe on the 72 Skylark, but that was a cloth sunroof. The one on this car is a generic leaking aftermarket one that was very common in the 1970s.
The terms sunroof and moonroof are, unfortunately, not regulated. There are a whole different bunch of mechanism terms for the actions, as well. Using the terms as broadly as I can, the 72 H/O could have an "in-roof, sliding sunroof" as it did not pop up, nor was tinted glass with a separate opaque panel underneath it like what is called a moonroof today. That red car has something closer to a moonroof and is from the 90s or later, I would think.
I think we should let the roof opening self-identify with how it "feels" when it is open. Open it during the day- it's a sunroof. Open it at night- Moonroof. Respect the roof's decision. We should all go to our safe spaces now.
I think we should let the roof opening self-identify with how it "feels" when it is open. Open it during the day- it's a sunroof. Open it at night- Moonroof. Respect the roof's decision. We should all go to our safe spaces now.
I would have thought that someone would have had the sense to reskin the roof before painting it. If it had staggered Keystones, Gabriel Hi-jackers, and a psychedelic paint scheme, I could understand the “day two” look. (No offense Copper, I can dig your car!)
Perhaps they should be called astral observational overhead vehicle portals? Yeah, that should clear up any confusion.
Lol.
Ok, best I can tell:
1. In Roof: These go down, and then rearwards, inside the roof, above the headliner.
2. Spoiler. These go up, and then rearwards, above the roof.
3. Pop-up. These pop the back up for air drafting.
4. Panoramic. These are whole, or close to it, glass roofs of which the top section retracts. Usually heavily tinted glass.
5. Folding Ragtops, Like what Joe put above.
6. Removable top pieces a la T top or targa top.
Edit: For completeness:
7: Convertible: Soft top.
8: Retractable Hardtop: first popularly seen on some 50s Fords called Skyliners.
A: Sunroof: a metal panel with headliner material on the inside, and painted body color on the outside.
B: Moonroof: a glass panel, often tinted, that has a separate sliding panel of headliner material on it to cover the glass when it is not wanted.
Most modern cars have an OEM device that is a moonroof that will both pop up, or retract in roof. They will typically hook the sliding headliner piece with them to open as one, and the operator can manually slide back the headliner piece by itself for just the view without opening the window, and also must slide that piece back closed as a separate motion due to the mechanism.
Most of the aftermarket sunroofs installed back in the day, before air conditioning became for all intent and purposes standard, were installed in non-A/C cars, vans, and pickup trucks. Surprised this has one installed. Hopefully it was installed correctly, as many amateurs destroyed the roof supports. Sunroofs were available on most Chrysler corporation vehicles from the factory back then, including their muscle cars. Other than the Hurst cars, and select Buick models, GM & Ford did not offer them on their muscle cars.
Last edited by anthonyP; July 10th, 2021 at 09:28 AM.
June 24th, 2021, 07:00 PM
1971 Oldsmobile 442
Open it during the day- it's a sunroof. Open it at night- Moonroof. Respect the roof's decision. We should all go to our safe spaces now.
