How To: 92-96 Prelude 5th Gen Moonroof Conversion
 

92-96 Honda Prelude Moonroof Conversion Install Guide/FAQ
By: IHIPrelude94

Required Tools:
>10mm Socket
>Socket Wrench
>Phillips Head Screwdriver
>Large Flat Head Screw Driver
>Masking Tape
>Large Piece of Paper
>Utility Knife/Razor Blade
>Dremel or grinding tool (I personally used a lawnmower blade sharpener attached to a power drill
>Power Drill
>21/64" Drill Bit
>Gloves (Optional)

Required Parts:
> 97-01 Honda Prelude Glass Moonroof
> 97-01 Honda Prelude Moonroof Bracket Bolt Covers
> 97-01 Honda Prelude Moonroof Brackets (As Templates, Optional)
> Black Touch Up Paint

Sunroof Removal:

1) Open Sunroof 50%

2) Grasp rubber sunroof opening surround and pull gently to remove
http://www.superhonda.com/photopost/...319Image_1.JPG

3) Remove 2 phillips head screws located at the front of the sunroof panel.
http://www.superhonda.com/photopost/...319Image_2.JPG

4) Insert a large flathead screwdriver in between the sunroof panel and grey vinyl headliner covering it.

5) Gently pop 2 plastic clips located on either side (close to where the screws were) loosening the sunroof headliner.

6) With your hand, reach up between the headliner and the sunroof and pop loose 3 more plastic clips (2 are 2/3 of the way back on either side, and the 3rd is in the center).

7) Get out of the car, and walk to the rear of the sunroof panel. Push up and forward on the sunroof headliner until it pops free.
http://www.superhonda.com/photopost/...319Image_3.JPG

8) At this point you should be able to reach the headliner from the front and slowly work it out of the sunroof opening (If you want to save it, like I did), or just bust it up and pull it out (If you don't care to save it)

9) Remove 8 10mm nuts attaching the sunroof panel to the slider brackets (4 on each bracket).
http://www.superhonda.com/photopost/...319Image_4.JPG

10) Lift the sunroof free of the car and set aside. Save E shaped spacers for the installation of the 97-01 moonroof.

11) Remove 8 Phillips Head screws holding sunroof slider brackets (4 on each bracket).
http://www.superhonda.com/photopost/...319Image_5.JPG

12) Remove brackets

Moonroof Modification: Required for moonroof panel to fit properly.

1) Use a utility knife to cut 1/4" from the 2 rubber slider guide strips on each side of the moonroof.
http://www.superhonda.com/photopost/...319Image_6.JPG

2) Place masking tape around 2 rubber bump stops.
http://www.superhonda.com/photopost/...319Image_7.JPG

3) Use a large piece of paper and masking tape to mask off the glass moonroof.

4) Use a dremel or grinder to grind down the metal/rubber bump stops.
http://www.superhonda.com/photopost/...319Image_8.JPG
http://www.superhonda.com/photopost/...319Image_9.JPG


5) Remove Tape/Paper

6) Use black touch up paint to touch up any scratches you may see on the inside of the moonroof panel to avoid future rust.

Mounting Bracket Modification: Required for moonroof panel to fit properly.
1) Tape the 97-01 moonroof bracket on top of the 92-96 Sunroof bracket so all slider mounting holes line up. Only the outer moonroof mounting holes will line up.
http://www.superhonda.com/photopost/...19Image_11.JPG


2) Drill through the 2 inner 97-01 bracket holes into the 92-96 bracket. This will allow the 92-96 sunroof bracket to accept the 97-01 glass moonroof.

3) Touch up all bare metal on brackets to prevent future rust.

Moonroof Installation:
1) Install Modified 92-96 sunroof brackets with 8 phillips head screws (4 for each Bracket)

2) Lower 97-01 Moonroof onto modified brackets.

3) Insert E shaped spacers in between brackets and moonroof (1 @ each mounting point)

4) Lightly tighten down 8 10mm nuts to attach moonroof to brackets.

5) Close moonroof

6) Install 97-01 moonroof bracket bolt covers (1 phillips head screw per side)

7) Re-Install rubber sunroof surround

FINISHED PRODUCT!
http://www.superhonda.com/photopost/...19Image_12.JPG
http://www.superhonda.com/photopost/...19Image_13.JPG


FAQ:
Q: How hard is this retro-fit?
A: Not very. Suprisingly simple actually! About 2-3 on a scale of 1-10.

Q: Is the 97-01 Honda Prelude Moonroof a perfect fit for the 92-96 Prelude?
A: Yes and no. The size of the moonroof is exactly the same. However, the moonroof and 92-96 mounting brackets must be modified to accept the glass.

Q: Where Can I find a 97-01 Prelude Moonroof?
A: First place to start would be the Superhonda.com classified forum. Second place to look would be local junkyards.

Q: How much does the 97-01 moonroof cost?
A: I've heard anywhere from $150.00 US, to $250.00 US.

Q: How long does the install take?
A: If I had this FAQ when I started it would probably take about 1.5-3 hours depending on your skill and if you have a helper or not.

Q: How much does the 97-01 Moonroof weigh vs. the 92-96 sunroof?
A: The 92-96 sunroof weighs approximately 14.5 lbs including the headliner piece. The 97-01 moonroof weighs exactly 20 lbs, making it 5.5 lbs heavier.

Q: Can the 97-01 moonroof brackets be used in the installation?
A: No, because they are too tall to allow the moonroof to sit flush with the roof of the 92-96 Prelude

Q: Can the entire 97-01 moonroof assembly just be installed rather than doing all of the modifications?
A: No, because the entire assembly is roughly 1-2 inches larger in every direction than the 92-96 assembly

Special Thanks: Superhonda.com/Prelude Forum for being a good source of info for years now, Si_g for helping me out with some questions I had, fengxzhang for selling me the moonroof at a good price and for his Prelude's sacrifice, and finally my Dad for helping me out with the install.

~Peace

Hey guys! New to the board... my old one is kinda sucky now. Anyway, this was an FAQ I did a while back I'm transplanting here. Don't know if you want to sticky it in the Prelude FAQ or w/e, but it's a pretty good writeup.

~Peace

Spectacular write up. :eek5:
Thank you very much and welcome to the board. :cheers:

awesome write up, but i have a question:


since the new piece is glass. sun glare could be a problem. is there anyway to install the sunshade from the 97+ into the 92-96 ludes so that it can be pulled to be shut when we want to?

No you can't use the shade

Nice write-up! Email me at stan@netlegion.com if you want the 5th gen glass - I took mine out to replace it with a CF plug... can't say that was the best idea.

Hi every one , i just did the conversion on my 94 Prelude Si , i got the car a couple months ago and the sunroof was all rusty , i got a 2000 Prelude glass moonroof on Ebay for 65 bucks including S&H , the conversion took me about 1 hour and 30 minutes , it was really easy just following the instructions ,it looks and works great,thanks a million.

sunroof conversion help
 

So I recently have done this conversion,but the problem I have ran into is that it its a little to high and isnt flush with the roof, it also leaks a little when raining hard. And ideas how to fix?