The sunroof glass is already glued into place on my 2000 XJ Limited. I am wondering if I can remove all the other junk that's attached to the interior part of the roof. My headliner is gone so housing for the sunroof/ retactor/ wires etc, is visibile and ugly. I am asking if I can remov

e all of that junk attached to the ceiling and leave the sunroof glass there in place permenately. Has anybody done this?

 

It will depend on how you glued the glass in. Typically the hole cut in the roof will be oversized compared to the glass itself, leaving room for a seal around the glass and a seal around the roof. The glass is supported by the sunroof body, If you remove the body (and motor, track, etc) the only thing holding the sunroof up will be the rubber seals and whatever adhesive you use. I wouldn't want that much weight shaking around over my head with nothing but rubber and glue holding it in.

I removed a sunroof last year and welded a patch panel in. See my build thread for details. After a year of having it done, I'm very happy to have it gone. No more roof dripping down onto me and wet floors. I don't miss it.

 

Just confirming...
I'm going to say no... As stated, the sunroof tray has the track for the glass and also serves as the anchor for the components around the glass..Although the glass is "sealed in" you'd be breaking that seal to take the assembly out... That tray is a wet tray.. The drains are in either all four corners or just the back {you can see one in the back corner of your pic}...The glass was never meant to be water tight.. The water runs around the glass,into the tray and out the drains and you'll have no options when that tray is removed...
You'd be better off taking the whole thing out and getting a whole new roof panel or just a section that would cover the hole as was mentioned previously if you're set on getting rid of it ...