Long term project Engine Build 440

[wally426ci]

Ive never pulled a roof, were they only spot welded every inch or so? or was there a continuous welded seem?

just curious.

[Chlngrcrzy]

Spot welds every inch or so. Real easy to remove with a broach cutter. I only went through 6 cutters.

[Chlngrcrzy]

I thought i would post a few pics to kind of show where i am at in the roof project. Hope to finish the metal replacement this weekend, and then wire brush everything down good and treat either with Por 15 or Rust bullit, before i lay the roof down. Anybody know if adhesive sticks to Por 15? i know it is some tough stuff to weld through. I think someone has asked this before, but i can't remember what was the general feeling on it. should i sand off the black coating on the roof panel in the areas where i will be welding or glueing?

[farmboy70]

I would coat it as you have planned then after it has dryed well grind the area that you are giong to glue or weld.
The glue needs a clean ruff surface, same for welding.
Dave

[Chlngrcrzy]

Got the frame coated with Por 15, where the new roof will sit. that is some nasty stuff. I have the roof almost prepped now, black primer coat sanded off where welding, front and back holes punched. I will work on the side holes probably tommorrow. I went with holes 1.5" apart in the front, and about 2" in the back. Overall, i am pleased with how it sits. I will have to come up with some clamps to clamp the sides without gouging or bending my roof. But other than that i think i might be brave tommorrow and fire up the welder.

[Chlngrcrzy]

  I must have been sleeping, i forgot to post some pics.

[Chlngrcrzy]

Heres afew of the roof laid in place and getting ready.

[1970RTSE]

Got the frame coated with Por 15, where the new roof will sit. that is some nasty stuff. I have the roof almost prepped now, black primer coat sanded off where welding, front and back holes punched. I will work on the side holes probably tommorrow. I went with holes 1.5" apart in the front, and about 2" in the back. Overall, i am pleased with how it sits. I will have to come up with some clamps to clamp the sides without gouging or bending my roof. But other than that i think i might be brave tommorrow and fire up the welder.

Question for you.  How long did it take to remove the old roof?  I have a 70 Challenger that looks like an elephant jumped up and down on the roof.  I popped the roof back into rough shape, but I am starting to attack all the areas where there were bends and folds.  I found two areas that will need some metal shrinking to get rid of some oil can effect.  I have a perfectly good donor roof.  I need to weigh out the cost of taking the skin off versus the many hours of hammer and dolly work (and the fact I will have some filler in the roof).

[Chlngrcrzy]

Question for you.  How long did it take to remove the old roof?  I have a 70 Challenger that looks like an elephant jumped up and down on the roof.  I popped the roof back into rough shape, but I am starting to attack all the areas where there were bends and folds.  I found two areas that will need some metal shrinking to get rid of some oil can effect.  I have a perfectly good donor roof.  I need to weigh out the cost of taking the skin off versus the many hours of hammer and dolly work (and the fact I will have some filler in the roof).

If you can get some good broach cutters and locate all the spot welds, it will take about an afternoon to remove the old one. Its taking me a bit longer to put the new one on, but then i am trying to get it as close to perfect as i can.
If it was me, i would pull that old one off right away before you waste any more time on it. The investment in my new roof was well worth every penny spent. Good luck.

[Chlngrcrzy]

  Well here it is. These are a few pics of some of the problem areas i had with the new roof. I have mentioned a few issues earlier, but let me show you up close with them.
Along the sides, above the doors or drip rail, the lip is a little narrow and does not sit completely  down in the drip rail. Some of that is from repairs i made of rusted drip rails and didn't quite get the new peice in exact. That is probably the biggest issue.  I had to do some welding along the lip in a few places, and i used a larger hole punch, so i could make sure i had a good connecting weld to the frame underneath. 
Rear window corner to quarter on the passenger side. Did not fit. Had about a 1/4 gap, and i tried everything i could to get that lined up before i statred welding. Impossible. 
Overall stress factor for the whole thing 8 out of a 10.
Overall labor involved, 5 out of a 10, relatively easy with the right tools.
Would i do it again. You bet i would.

[Chlngrcrzy]

I finished up welding the roof today. I will post pics a bit later today, as soon as i can get time to resize the pictures.

[wally426ci]

 

Congrats!!  awaitng pictures!

[Chlngrcrzy]

Here are the promised pictures of the finished roof. I still have a lot of work ahead of me in grinding welds, but i should be able to finish up that in no time at all. For those of you that are debating about changing out your roof, i hope these pics are what you need to help in your decision.

[IMNCARN82]

   I think it looks FANTASTIC !!   NICE JOB !!   

[backtobasics]

 

LOOKS AWESOME!