Soooooo, whats the go here. We have a car that the owner wants the sunroof removed and the hole filled in.Do you, cut a patch and have it formed to shape and risk warping the rest of it, cut the whole roof off through A B C pillers and put on replacement or unstich the roof at its seams and do it that way. Or convince owner to leave it in LOL. Anyway its done sounds very time consuming and expensive to me. The car is 67 XR fairmont and so far what Ive stripped (doors boot bonnet) this is the best example Ive ever seen. The lack of rust is astonishing and its only had one extra layer of paint from factory in a few places. So whats the best method here.
cuda.340,
Aug 9, 7:13am
i watched a guy do this once. it was stitch welded over about an hour n a half to prevent the heat from warping the roof. it finished up with a light skim of bogg to smooth it all off. take your time is all i can say.
clark20,
Aug 9, 7:14am
Can you get a roof skin from rare spares!
gunhand,
Aug 9, 7:15am
Yea thats the next issue lol, depending how we go about it.
gammelvind,
Aug 9, 7:27am
Could you not instead of welding with all the heat issues, cut a cover plate just oversize and panelbond it in. Either using 3M 8115 or Proform panelbond. Then a nice skim of bog over the top.
gunhand,
Aug 9, 7:30am
True, they do glue things together now and is supose to be as strong as welds. I did actually suggest this, I guess it is an exceptable way to do it.
flat_white_ltd,
Aug 9, 7:32am
[ Sounds about right , if the issue is the sunroof being there at all ( as opposed to because of leaks, etc) (have replaced a Wabasco sunroof on an MG with a fixed pane of polarised {toughend} glass, with good rubber seals. the original set-up leaked like a b*****d, was only reason for changing ).
supernova2,
Aug 9, 7:34am
I suppose its one of those glass aftermarket ones.Whichever way you do it its not going to be a cheap job (even at your low rates) and then its going to need a new hood lining as well.As you will well know bogging/sanding a roof is a real fun job to get it correct.I'd suggest that if you patch and skim, since the linings junk, you put a temp frame inside the roof from the floor to hold it still and stiff whilst blocking it back.Whilst the customer is always right I'd be doing my best to convince him its a period item and it should stay the way it is.
gammelvind,
Aug 9, 7:38am
Recent trade article, projected 60% of cars will be bonded within the next ten years. Currently many new cars have bonded roofs and rear quarters. Considerably stronger than welding, and a bitch to replace lol.
gunhand,
Aug 9, 7:39am
Na, not one that was factory new, its a modern one and looks kinda stupid in that car. There was a rage of putting them in everything for a while 20 years ago lol. And its a 99% resto job, back to bare steal etc etc and the interiour will be redaone as well, back seat a mint but dirty, and cream. Ive filled plenty of roofs and huge panel areas so no issue there, kinda enjoy the challange.
friendly_prawn,
Aug 9, 7:39am
this thread reminds me of the time I got drunk and danced on the roof top of my nearly new holden. Thought i would just push the dents out in the morning. When I had to go to the panelbeaters and get a quote to get it fixed I nearly had a heart attack at the cost.
gammelvind,
Aug 9, 7:42am
Haha dumbarse
grangies,
Aug 9, 7:45am
x1
I reckon a full replacement roof is needed. But where the hell do you get one of them!
Have you considered forming the patch and using something like 3M panel bond to secure it and then filling!.
To lessen the amount of filler needed I'd make the sheetmetal section as precise as possible ( as though it is going to be butt welded ) and then panel bond it on from the inside with either sheet metal or aluminium strips for the over laps.
Bloody major which ever way it is done, but panel bond creates no heat.
Tell the owners to keep the sunroof LOL.
gunhand,
Aug 9, 7:48am
It just looks ummm eeeerr, whats the latest saying for gay or stupid! I dont think you would get another roof a good as this one either outside an already restoed car.Likeing the panel bond idea.
grangies,
Aug 9, 7:57am
x1
Snap.
I wrote my post over a span of many minutes , then pressed enter, and low and behold . The thread has doubled in size, and panel bond is suggested.
quickstitch,
Aug 9, 8:02am
I saw a panelbeater fill my mates capri roof. He did spot welds with a mig, using a wet rag to cool the weld straight after he did it. He did one weld on one side then a weld on the other so not to concentrate heat in on area to stop warpage.He pre-formed the panel to the right contour and it was cut to size, no overlapping. And sanding back the welds was a slow job to, he didn't want excessive heat. Final finish was excellent,
grangies,
Aug 9, 8:06am
Panel bond is great. It cant be butt/flush sectioned though, so securing from the inside is the only way to go on large pieces of sheetmetal where minimum bog is necessary.
Panel bond is so strong it's unreal.
You do need a special applicator caulking gun for it though, to keep the 2 pot mix even.
supernova2,
Aug 9, 8:13am
Anyone ever tried to get a front guard off a Renault Fuego!What ever glue they used is what you want.Will you get a cracking issue with the close fit panel supported on the the bonding strips on the inside!
grangies,
Aug 9, 8:25am
The panel bond wont crack. The cracking issues will be down to the amount of bog/filler needed, whether it's been welded or bonded.
Large pieces of sheetmetal like roof sections are never impervious to bog/fillers cracking, due to their flexible structure.
friendly_prawn,
Aug 9, 8:26am
yep cant argue with that. wasnt the brightest thing I ever did.
thejazzpianoma,
Aug 9, 8:37am
I am probably telling you how to suck eggs with this but just in case.
When I weld a big patch like that I use a big aluminium or copper heatsink pushed firmly up under where I am welding. I suspect your access will allow you to use that technique with this.
With a heatsink on the underneath I can get away with all sorts of naughtiness. I am also a fan of a friction disc on the angle grinder for shrinking back any wobblies in that sort of stuff too. Just in case you still have the odd whoops.
If you want to know about welding in big replacement panels. ask the man who likes old Italian cars!
treachug,
Aug 9, 8:41am
Sorry, have it on good authority that you cannot buy roof skin or roof parts from Rare Spares. (New or used)
zephyrheaven,
Aug 9, 9:57am
The 22 year old making my Mk3 Zephyr ute is all hammer welding, kid is amazing - I wish I had made him, he filled a HZ ute sunroof the other week metal finish - guy didnt want to paint it in the end, just left it filed & clearcoated - looks amazing
edangus,
Aug 9, 10:01am
This, then lead it. Last one i did was 23 years ago.
gunhand,
Aug 9, 10:02am
Wonder if he wants to visit the sunny south.
Since the public registrations are closed, you must have an invite from a current member to be able to register and post in this thread.
Have an account? Login here.