Re-skinning the 911 Roof

911hillclimber · Post by **911hillclimber** » Sat Oct 17, 2009 8:08 am

Ha! I'll pass that on from both of you to Trish.

The day of the shoot and the Custom Car Shows I did at AllyPally in the early 70's were 'interesting', but for another day!

The light ivory is a great mask colour to hide my awful bodywork 'skills' where ever a car suffers my touch.

My roof arrives today!

The re-paint will be for next summer, but this clean roof is local and it is worth buying while I can find on.
My mega new shed is filling fast.

It has been 7 weeks since I've touched the Lola, but will crack-on in Nov.

Body in silver with Martini stripes, but I've been quoted £2K to have it done! Cripes.

Matt black70 · Post by **Matt black70** » Sat Oct 17, 2009 11:32 pm

Have you tried Clive at CSK autos for your paintwork?,he did the rear of mine.
I was talking to him the other day about how he sprays f/glass bodies, he was doing an early v low mileage vette at the time.

911hillclimber · Post by **911hillclimber** » Sun Oct 18, 2009 7:05 am

I have 'your man' in mind Matt.
I was told yesterday you can get silver metallic which does not need a clear coat yesterday (for the Lola) and can be DIY sprayed.

I certainly want to paint it myself if I can as well as the 911 in the summer, cost and satisfaction in that order.

buzz808 · Post by **buzz808** » Fri Oct 30, 2009 4:37 am

funny just got home from finishing fitting a new roof on a 911,we are in the middle of doing a 73 rsr replica,but donor veh has sunroof,solution take the roof of my 69,we made a tool out of an old screwdriver to pry up the gutter edge,drilled out the spotwelds front and back,hack sawed through the pillar outers lift of roof,took about 2 hours per roof,and about 4 hours to reweld on new car,refold gutter using hammer and dolly, a bit of bog work at each corner, job done,you wouldnt know it was done,dosent lose any strength because you leave the inner frame intact,i will post photos if interested
gday from down under
alex

911hillclimber · Post by **911hillclimber** » Fri Oct 30, 2009 6:48 am

Buzz: Thank you for the info. Please send or post pics you have.
That is THE way to do this I'm sure as my glass has to come out anyway, but I was not to confident I could get the guttering straight enough to hide what had happened.
When I fitted 2 new rear wings I managed the guttering swage then, but a roof length is another matter.

There is an air tool designed for re-skinning that will do the job I believe.

Look forward to the pics please!

Graham.

ps: I trust your scooter is a Lambretta!

buzz808 · Post by **buzz808** » Sat Nov 07, 2009 9:49 am

hi graham
get some photos to you as soon as,just having trouble loading on to my computer at the mo,sorry on to vespas now,had my time on lambrettas
as for getting the gutters right its not to bad,just use hammer and dollie,and finish with a panel files,piece of cake,but then i do do this for a living
speak soon
alex

Barry · Post by **Barry** » Sat Nov 07, 2009 12:33 pm

I'm on a project at the moment which is also involving a complete (scuttle plus window apertures) roof panel.

The workshop manual suggests using oxy along the gutter tops to soften the metal. I have to confess that I only read that after I'd unpicked them (doh

), but once you get them started, they come away O.K.

As will be revealed sometime soon, the problem we've got is there is not actually very much to attach the new roof to. It's more or less a case of hanging the roof from the workshop ceiling, and building a new car underneath it.

Anyway, we're well underway, and as I get further I'll post up any tips that come to light.

Overall though, from what I've done / seen so far, I'd suggest that the 'proper' way is likely to be the only way, especially if you've already mastered doing the rear wing seam. Be a different story if it was a factory sunroof that was being filled, in which case Tea Boy's method (which was also what I did on my Gulf Blue car) would be my choice by far (lovely job, BTW: not easy to get that smart

).

911hillclimber · Post by **911hillclimber** » Sat Nov 07, 2009 5:15 pm

When I welded the Volvo roof to my Y Type Ford hot rod (above) I gas welded the lot. (this was back in 1973)

About 12 feet of welding by gas.

It distorted in one place only and I lead-loaded the lot. It took ages to get right before paint, so not too keen on long mig welds.

I think the best way is to remove the existing panel by grinding the seams and drilling the window recess spot welds and un-picking the donar roof/spots.

Fit the donar in reverse order with small MIG welds across each pillar corner and a touch of lead after.

I'm not looking forward to removing the roll cage to replace the roof lining...

buzz808 · Post by **buzz808** » Sun Nov 15, 2009 2:38 am

a few pics as promised,as for the welding up just the sunroof hole,unless you are a good metal finisher you will be boging the whole roof to get it straight,this way just a little bog on all 4 pillars,and you end up with a sellable sunroof panel,this is now going onto my 69,just a bit more work involved in fitting drain tubes,i hope this helps
alex

911hillclimber · Post by **911hillclimber** » Sun Nov 15, 2009 7:40 am

Excellent!
Thanks for the pics.

I took a long look at my car and the roof panel i have as a rest from the Lola. It all looks quite straight forward for next summer so i can repaint the whole car in my garage in celulose again I hope.

The cage on my car will have to come out after the roof is one to do the new lining (it's a road/race car)

Thanks again.

Graham.