Sliding ragtops have been a really popular way to let the sun shine in since the late '60s and a minitrucker staple since the early '90s.
But over the years, manufacturers have come and gone, leaving only two options: custom-built sliding ragtops and one-size electric sliders. Our project truck, a 2000 S-10 Blazer two-door, is the perfect candidate for the Webasto Hollandia 400 power-folding sunroof, and the size fits the truck nicely. This particular ragtop has three different settings: full open, halfway, and just vented, making it versatile as well as functional. Plus, it's a one-touch system, so cranking back the roof takes a quick touch of a button and the rest is automated. Overall, it takes a few hours to put in one of these bad boys, but the results are well worth the time and effort. For more information, contact the companies listed in the source box.
1. Here's the start of our...
1. Here's the start of our project: the bare roof of our Blazer, ready to get cut.
2. Todd at Lowboy Motorsports...
2. Todd at Lowboy Motorsports double-checked the measurements a few times to ensure everything was straight on the body and then taped the template that's provided with the slider directly to the roof.
3. Next, the slider was taken...
3. Next, the slider was taken out of the packaging and laid out on a work surface to prep for installation.
4. Todd started cutting the...
4. Todd started cutting the roof using a grinder with a metal cut-off wheel.
5. Once the initial cuts were...
5. Once the initial cuts were made, he switched to a reciprocating saw to make the rest of the necessary cuts.
6. With the exterior sheetmetal...
6. With the exterior sheetmetal cut out, the only problem left is one of the crossbraces on the roof's interior.
7. Todd finished removing...
7. Todd finished removing the brace using the grinder to cut the corners down as the Sawzall had already done most of the major cutting.
8. Some of the interior braces...
8. Some of the interior braces needed to be trimmed out to allow for the interior panels on the slider, so the grinder was the weapon of choice and the cuts were made.
9. Next, the slider was placed...
9. Next, the slider was placed and the interior part of the slider was bolted in place. There are no holes to drill for this kit, the separate pieces of the frame sandwich the roof between them.
10. With the frame installed,...
10. With the frame installed, Seth from Lowboy Motorsports could move on to wiring up the sunroof. He started by plugging in the provided wiring harness.
11. The green wire was grounded...
11. The green wire was grounded on a screw in the top of the pillar, and the red wire was run to an ignition source under the dash.
12. With everything tightened...
12. With everything tightened and the wiring finalized, it was time to open it up and go cruising.