reskin a rusted roof

[PaleBlue90]

so as some of you kno i bought a 79 mustang. well after ive had 3 people that want the car....they have fell through. after i get my pile of crap chebbie running im going to be in the market for a muscle car. i still have the stang and it hasnt sold. so im kinda thinkin of fixing the sunroof thats rusted through. after that if it doesnt sell i mite build it for myself. my question is; how should i go about repairing the roof. (pics below)

i had the sunroof laying on the roof made a run to the parts store;came back and it was gone. so i have a tarp over it but id like to repair the roof. it would make it easyer to sell

 

[PaleBlue90]

no one has any ideas?

 

[PaleBlue90]

i was thinking of takeing a pice sheet metal and welding it over the hole.

 

[BlackBII]

You can do that...

but it will be pretty tough to get the panel curved with your roof so it matches and doesn't look silly.

I would find a roof from the same car that does not have a sunroof (they exist) and then cut your roof off at the pillars and weld on the new roof at the top of the pillars. This will be the easiest way, with minimal welding/grinding/bondo-ing

I may have a pic of what i mean...

 

[BlackBII]

That's if your looking to eliminate the sunroof...

If you want the sun roof, I would sandblast the rust, and then repair wherever it is rusted through, and then put in another sunroof and make sure to seal it well.

So someone stole your sunroof??

 

[PaleBlue90]

You can do that...

but it will be pretty tough to get the panel curved with your roof so it matches and doesn't look silly.

I would find a roof from the same car that does not have a sunroof (they exist) and then cut your roof off at the pillars and weld on the new roof at the top of the pillars. This will be the easiest way, with minimal welding/grinding/bondo-ing

I may have a pic of what i mean...

that could work, i havent seen any fox body mustangs at junkyards. idk if i should buy another just for the roof

That's if your looking to eliminate the sunroof...

If you want the sun roof, I would sandblast the rust, and then repair wherever it is rusted through, and then put in another sunroof and make sure to seal it well.

So someone stole your sunroof??

id like to just get rid of the sunroof all together.

i bought the car from out on the eastern plains. it smelled all musty, so i cleaned the car, and left in in the driveway with the windows out and the sunroof laying on the decklid while i ran to the parts store. came back and it was gone. jokes on them. the latch was busted

 

[BlackBII]

If your looking to eliminate it, getting a whole new roof is the easier option. You merely cut the pillars and weld on the new roof.

Just bring a sawzall to the junkyard.

You can try welding a piece of sheetmetal over the hole, but I'm telling you right now if you have never done extensive body work, your in for treat. Making it match the rest of the roof will be a pain!!! I promise.

 

[PaleBlue90]

If your looking to eliminate it, getting a new roof is the easier option.

Just bring a sawzall to the junkyard.

You can try welding a piece of sheetmetal over the hole, but I'm telling you right now if you have never done extensive body work, your in for treat. Making it match the rest of the roof will be a pain!!! I promise.

thats what i was thinkin, just get a new roof. but thats not a easy task finding a donor. in the past 4 months ive seen 2 mustangs of the same year at the yard and they were both convertables. they were only there a week

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Personally, I would be leary of a car that someone cut the top off of and welded back on. Foxbody's are not rare, I would rather go down the street and buy one that someone hasn't taken a sawsall to.

 

[PaleBlue90]

Personally, I would be leary of a car that someone cut the top off of and welded back on. Foxbody's are not rare, I would rather go down the street and buy one that someone hasn't taken a sawsall to.

i understand what you mean but i need this roof fixed and i dont want to spend more money for another car

 

[shadetree]

Personally, I would be leary of a car that someone cut the top off of and welded back on. Foxbody's are not rare, I would rather go down the street and buy one that someone hasn't taken a sawsall to.

If done correctly, you would never know, and the roof is just as good as the original. You may be driving one and not know it.shady

 

[mhughes165]

If done correctly, you would never know, and the roof is just as good as the original. You may be driving one and not know it.shady

what do u think happens with cars that have been rolled before

 

[PaleBlue90]

so what does everyone think i should try?

 

[MountainMike]

If you can find another roof definetly go for the pillar cut option, but if you can't then try to find another sunroof frame and weld it in.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

If done correctly, you would never know, and the roof is just as good as the original. You may be driving one and not know it.shady

My Ranger has been rolled, someone put a different cab on it. Not really an option for a Mustang though. And its electrical gremlins due to someone being in over their head in wiring is what makes me leary of something someone has been deep inside of besides me. At least I usually know what I don't know how to fix.

I didn't find out about it until one of the guys friends told me a couple weeks after I got it. I did some poking around and the cab is newer than the rest of the truck. Had I known that (and what I know about it now) I probably wouldn't have gotten it.

No offense to Paleblue, but I doubt it will come out perfect if you haven't done it before and have no training on how to do it. It very well might be worth more now with a junkyard sunroof in the trunk as a project car than if someone used it as a learner car on how to swap a roof.