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240 roof skin
- Thread starter Wes
- Start date
The Z Farm
Active Forum User
Wes - I'm afraid that it isn't that simple to cut a section of the roof to 'weld up' a sunroof aperture.
Guys who have done this in the past have cut a flat section to match the hole; welded in and fillered-up, then painted over.
Looks alright for about three weeks, then the cracks start to appear, closely followed by the bubbles, and then it looks a real mess. It's the negative vacuum from the airflow running over the roof of a Z, that tries to pull it upwards, and so it flexes up & down all the time. Hence the filler cracks, and ruins the whole damn job. I'm sure that there are several dozen Z Owners ( and ex-Owners) who could tell you the sad tale.
The only way to resolve the sunroof issue ( and it is an effective solution ), is to drill out the spot welds around the perimeter of a decent roof - plenty of decent s/hand ones around if you ask; then do the same to remove the existing sunroof skin, and weld in.
It is an easier job to do than you would think, and only the same amount of work as the 'welding up the hole' idea.
The only slight complication is that you will need to do a bit of 'Lead Loading' to the rear join just below the tailgate hinges. This is relatively easy to do even for a Novice, as it is simply soldering with a Blowtorch & scraper.
This way, if you do a proper job, it will last as long as the car itself; and, as a result, the Z will be worth a lot more in terms of Market Value, let alone the improved looks.
Guys who have done this in the past have cut a flat section to match the hole; welded in and fillered-up, then painted over.
Looks alright for about three weeks, then the cracks start to appear, closely followed by the bubbles, and then it looks a real mess. It's the negative vacuum from the airflow running over the roof of a Z, that tries to pull it upwards, and so it flexes up & down all the time. Hence the filler cracks, and ruins the whole damn job. I'm sure that there are several dozen Z Owners ( and ex-Owners) who could tell you the sad tale.
The only way to resolve the sunroof issue ( and it is an effective solution ), is to drill out the spot welds around the perimeter of a decent roof - plenty of decent s/hand ones around if you ask; then do the same to remove the existing sunroof skin, and weld in.
It is an easier job to do than you would think, and only the same amount of work as the 'welding up the hole' idea.
The only slight complication is that you will need to do a bit of 'Lead Loading' to the rear join just below the tailgate hinges. This is relatively easy to do even for a Novice, as it is simply soldering with a Blowtorch & scraper.
This way, if you do a proper job, it will last as long as the car itself; and, as a result, the Z will be worth a lot more in terms of Market Value, let alone the improved looks.
Legendary5
Well-Known Forum User
The Z Farm
Active Forum User
Hell, No !
You don't need to do major surgery like that to do a roof skin - I do hope that you were only joking !
The framework of the roof still stays in place. The roof skin is like an upturned saucer laid over the framework and welded on around the perimeter.
Jeesus, you'll frighten the poor man off completely !
You don't need to do major surgery like that to do a roof skin - I do hope that you were only joking !
The framework of the roof still stays in place. The roof skin is like an upturned saucer laid over the framework and welded on around the perimeter.
Jeesus, you'll frighten the poor man off completely !
Thanks!
Thanks guys, I'm gonna have plenty else to do with the shell first but I'll be on the look out for a skin in the not too distant future.
My mig weldings getting better so should be just fine by the time I get around to doing the roof!
Thanks
Wes
and yes I was a little scared for a moment there!
Thanks guys, I'm gonna have plenty else to do with the shell first but I'll be on the look out for a skin in the not too distant future.
My mig weldings getting better so should be just fine by the time I get around to doing the roof!
Thanks
Wes
and yes I was a little scared for a moment there!
