New Project VA485 - RPJ 7L

[Tony Burd]

Hi Dave,

That would be my preferred route but it looks as if some of the gutter rail is also rotten. I may be able to repair sections it depends how bad it is. I plan to remove just the roof skin to begin with to see how bad the rot is.

Not a job I am looking forward to.

[Robert 352]

Tony, I was faced with the same problem when I restored my car a few years ago.

My suggestion is that you find a good donor rear end with a good solid roof and do what is termed a cut and shut. Cut the A and B pillars at the join line which is visible from the outside if you melt the lead off, or visible from the inside when you remove the trim. Cut the donor rear at the front of the join in the chassis floor, cut the rear off your car at the rear of the join in the chassis floor, unpick the strip off where the floor is to be joined and wheel the two halves together. Rehang the doors in order to get all the shuts correct, tack weld, sit the windscreen in place and if it all fits remove the screen and doors and weld up.

Somebody like James would have the job done in a matter of minutes and then if you mount the body in his rotating jig you would sort the sills out in no time at all. Take note of the comments he makes concerning working on the roof and how it will "move" when you attempt to repair it. I recommend leaving it well alone.

The chassis plate and body identifier on your early car remains untouched.

I have three spare donor bodies here if you get stuck. I have shown a photo of one of the spares elsewhere where Alun and Steve pondered the option of shipping it back to the UK. Perhaps I could send back all three - all from a non-smoking, pet and covid free country/home!!

Robert

[Tony Burd]

Hi Robert,

Thanks for you email, I remember reading your thread about this.

I think this is a step too far for me, it really would need to be aligned on a jig, plus replacing half the shell sort of reduces the historical value of this car being one of the 1st 2000 made.

I am going to pursue replacing just the roof & gutters if needed.

Tony

[new to this]

Tony

When you split the welds on the gutters and front and rear screens i think thats it, the brace bars under the head linning i think are only guled to the roof

Dave

be nice to see how its done not sure yet may have to do the same thing on mine

[Tony Burd]

Yes I think you are correct, maybe not bonded at all, this car has a full length sunroof so the bars have been removed, I think there is only 1 across the middle?

Been having a look at the roof structure tonight, from the inside I think I can unpick the gutter rail from the A, B & C posts at these points:
Inside Top of A post

B post

C post


Then as Steve said cut the outer skin low enough to remove all rust, that's the plan anyway.

[new to this]

Tony

I may have this wrong but i thought the roof skin was separate panel to to inside roof structure, meaning you just drill out the spot welds on the out side gutter, not sure how you get the chrome trim off

Dave

[Tony Burd]

Hi Dave

It is, but on this shell the gutters are rotten as well.

[Carledo]

Tony

......... not sure how you get the chrome trim off

Dave

Carefully!

It comes off from the bottom (underside) I have had most success with a rather brutal sounding method, I use common household pliers with a bit of thin card (Weetabix box is good) wrapped round the trim before the pliers are applied to save scratching it.

Then, using a gentle grip, I rotate the pliers upwards, just enough to get the lower edge off, start at bottom of the A post and work up to the corner, then move to the back of the roof and work forwards so the corner comes off last. It's a bit of a black art, all done by "feel" and impossible to describe in words exactly how much torque needs applying to tread the fine line between not getting them off and damaging them irretrievably in the process! As with all things, practice makes perfect, I learned the art removing already damaged (by roofrack) ones on a couple of cars. Now I have it down pat and have at least 3 spare pairs if you cock up, though shipping them is a bit problematic!

Putting them back is fun too, the method I favour is painful, but effective, I thump them on with the heel of my hand! I've seen sissies doing it with a rubber hammer, but that's a bit vicious for my taste! Too localised an impact and harder to control the strike accuracy. It's gobsmackingly easy to dent them and almost impossible to get a dent out successfully.

Steve

[xvivalve]

I use an old style pair of 'pincers' to remove the gutter trims; one jaw goes in the gutter, the other under the bottom edge and upward rotation gently eases it off. I start at the front and work backwards.

though shipping them is a bit problematic!

Nonsense; I sent a pair to Malta last year!!

[xvivalve]

Stuart Chorley has just removed his roof skin, though he prefers the facebook group to here.

Are you aware the gutter panel runs all the way down the A post to 'screen bottom as a single panel? To replace it, you'd need to remove the 'screen scuttle...

[Tony Burd]

Stuart Chorley has just removed his roof skin, though he prefers the facebook group to here.

Are you aware the gutter panel runs all the way down the A post to 'screen bottom as a single panel? To replace it, you'd need to remove the 'screen scuttle...

I don't know Stuart where does he post on FB I've not seen it on any of the groups I'm in, if you could post a link that would be great or PM me, thanks.

Yes I realise the gutter goes all the way down the A post. Luckily this part of the gutter is perfect it has only rotted where the vinyl roof has trapped moisture so the plan is to butt weld the gutter around where the roof skin joins the top of the A post. The scuttle area seems to be solid so hopefully won't need any work.

[Tony Burd]

A bit of good news the floorpans appear to be solid



Although there is a hole at the bottom of the drivers side A post on the sill.

[Carledo]

I use an old style pair of 'pincers' to remove the gutter trims; one jaw goes in the gutter, the other under the bottom edge and upward rotation gently eases it off. I start at the front and work backwards.

though shipping them is a bit problematic!

Nonsense; I sent a pair to Malta last year!!

I know you did! And I saw the work that went into doing it with lengths of timber screwed together. Really not worth the effort unless leaving the UK. Mario was lucky you were prepared to do it!

Steve

[Tony Burd]

400 mile round trip to get this today, no excuse now not to swap the roof.

[James467]

That looks perfect!

VA276 arrived today for some welding, it's gone in pretty much the same places as VA485!