IHADAV8.com - Turbo Buick Tech, and Nonsense

Tech Area => General Buick Tech => Topic started by: instro84 on May 21 2006, 02:19:23 PM

Title: roof replacement
Post by: instro84 on May 21 2006, 02:19:23 PM

anyone have any experience replcing a roof? i'thunking of getting rid of the dealer installed sunroof and half vynl top on my car. TIA

Title: Re: roof replacement
Post by: Turbogn86 on May 21 2006, 10:36:08 PM

no but tell us how it goes, mine has some rust on the top... i might have to do it also...

Title: Re: roof replacement
Post by: Recklessrob on May 21 2006, 11:54:58 PM

I've replaced part of mine because the old one rotted out around the t-tops.
It's a major project. Not recommended , if you have little auto body experience.
Everything must be aligned perfectly, or else you'll have problems
with leakage, wind noise, etc...

Title: Re: roof replacement
Post by: instro84 on May 22 2006, 01:48:47 AM

if i have it done i'll have a shop do it just wondering if anyone's done it and had problems.

Title: roof replacement
Post by: 87natty on May 22 2006, 02:42:43 AM

I think doing a t-top would be nastier than a hardtop. The things is, make sure the shop knows what they're doing, as all your body metal could flex once that top support is gone. That's the biggest issue I can see.

Why not just cut the middle of the roof off the top of a hard top and then tack it in place? Minimal Bondo, and then all you would need is the headliner and dome light. As far as the vinyl goes, I'm sure you can just rip it off and grind the glue off.

Title: roof replacement
Post by: Recklessrob on May 22 2006, 06:14:40 PM

Quote from: "87natty @ Mon May 22, 2006 1:42 am"

I think doing a t-top would be nastier than a hardtop. The things is, make sure the shop knows what they're doing, as all your body metal could flex once that top support is gone. That's the biggest issue I can see.

Why not just cut the middle of the roof off the top of a hard top and then tack it in place? Minimal Bondo, and then all you would need is the headliner and dome light. As far as the vinyl goes, I'm sure you can just rip it off and grind the glue off.

Thats not a bad idea, but it is hard to do without warping anything.

Title: roof replacement
Post by: 87natty on May 22 2006, 06:33:15 PM

True, but if you saw out the top instead torching it, the donor part won't warp. I wouldn't weld it in, because it'll heat up. I'd say tack and fill.

Title: roof replacement
Post by: Recklessrob on May 23 2006, 01:25:50 PM

Quote from: "87natty @ Mon May 22, 2006 5:33 pm"

True, but if you saw out the top instead torching it, the donor part won't warp. I wouldn't weld it in, because it'll heat up. I'd say tack and fill.

Key word = Plasma
There are a number of structural adhesives out there that you can glue it on with too.
Many of the Korean cars are put together that way nowadays. In many cases, its stronger than welding.