Replacing the roof?

[Arne]

Here's what I'm thinking.

1. The original owner of my red 240Z had a glass, split-pane sunroof installed in it in the late '70s.
   
2. The recent discovery that the rust in my yellow 240Z is far more severe and pervasive than I had thought has led me to decide (reluctantly) to part it out rather than repair it.
   
3. The proceeds from parting the yellow car, plus not paying to have the car repaired and painted this winter as I had planned, has accelerated the timeline for having my red 240Z painted. Probably next Spring.
   
4. I expect the yellow car to be a mostly bare shell by next Spring. A bare shell with a nice, un-dented roof.
   
5. I don't have to draw a picture of the conclusion, do I?

So here's the question - Anyone out here have any personal experience with having a roof replaced on an S30? Or know anyone who has this done?

While it seems to me (in my total lack of skills in this area) that any shop that can handle major collision work should be able to pull this off successfully, I'm still a bit reluctant - it's the ROOF of the CAR, for crying out loud.

Done right, I'd expect less creaks and such in the body, no possible leaks from deteriorating sunroof seals, possibly better resale value someday, and almost certainly wider acceptance of the car by knowledgeable Z enthusiasts which would likely make it easier to sell someday.

The resale aspects are not the main goals here, as I have no plans to sell it in the foreseeable future. But the lack of leaks, and increased structural rigidity would be a big plus, not to mention the increased headroom.

Any thoughts?

[xray]

Arne,

My body guy wanted to replace the roof on mine just for some dents but no rust or sunroof. I convinced him to just pull the dents and not go through the trouble of a new roof, fearing that fitment would be a problem (along with scarcity of a donor roof).

The problem is if the donor roof doesn't fit right (duh)--35 years of sun, tweaking from unibody flex etc between the cars may make it look good on the donor body but not so much on the recipient body. I would imagine that you would cut above the windows/hatch/windshield, but if not there's significant alignment issues with new seals. I guess if you're looking to fill the sunroof gap only, then the problems would be minimized to some degree.

Like you said, definitely need an expert body guy to do this kind of job, because if it's off, even in the slightest I would imagine it would be exceptionally noticeable. That metal's really thin, so I imagine the welder would have to be more careful than usual...

I think you're right on about resale, whether it be in price or how quickly someone buys it.

Good luck,

Steve

[zanthus]

Yeah shops can put that roof on for ya. It's probably gonna cost a pretty penny because they have to reinforce everything on the inside to keep it all square. They should be able to do it, heck, I've seen them do it. Hope it all goes well. I'd start calling shops now to get a quote.

[ktm]

Arne, check out Hybridz for roof repair/replacement. There have been a few threads, one quite recent, regarding replacing the roof.

Another option you may explore is to modernize the seals or sunroof. Pull the old sunroof, strip, treat, and repaint the metal, reinstall the old sunroof or install a new, modern sunroof.

[geezer]

This first scan is from the Mitchell Collision Estimator Guide. Although the prices aren't current the time estimates are probably not too far off the mark.

I have not replaced a roof or do I need to, but I have noticed how easily the thin metal roof panel can be pushed in. I plan on using a stiffener of some kind to reinforce the roof panel before the headliner is installed during reassembly.

One thing I have thought someone in your situation could do when eliminating a sun roof is this. It would be a real time saver and would give your roof increased rigidity, but maybe not something you would want to do, simply because of the originality factor of your car. It would be a relatively easy job to cut out the sunroof and replace with the corresponding piece from your donor. By using a tool similar to this one sold by Eastwood you can carefully bend an offset flange and position the replacement panel perfectly flush with the surrounding roof. Then get someone to weld it up and lead it in nicely. It would actually be stronger & better and only you would know it was not an original unmolested panel. I have replaced quite a few panels on other vehicles with a similar tool and method. Just a thought.

[a7dz]

I tend to lean towards Ron's Idea of just replacing the metal that was cut out. Not disturbing the door posts or windshield frame.

[Arne]

So Mitchell said 11 hours? That sounds reasonable to me.

Yeah, I'll need to do some serious chat with various shops to find one who is a) willing, and able to do this job. I'd still be interested in talking to anyone who has personal experience with this.

[Arne]

I tend to lean towards Ron's Idea of just replacing the metal that was cut out. Not disturbing the door posts or windshield frame.

I like that idea too, but (as a bodywork ignoramus) wonder how hard it might be to match the contour properly. Plus hiding the seam on the inside, since the headliner is just a glue-on foam pad.

[240Z-Fan]

Arne,

I also think that not disturbing the structure is the best Idea.

A first class metal worker/ welder could cut the new section to fit, then butt weld the entire patch.

Alternately, I would investigate cutting the existing roof sheet metal back to the-best-place-to-hide-the-seams. Then reskin using the yellow cars sheet metal.

Al

[a7dz]

After doing the quarter repair and straighting the roof on my 70. It appears to be the best practice to just do the metal. It will take a little effort to get the lay out right but, most practical as the structure of the door frames has not been compromised.

[a7dz]

The head liner won't show the slight juggle of the sheet metal. It covers up bigger variances in the roof structure already on the stock installation.

[geezer]

Arne, you can do most of this job yourself easier than you think. First remove the sunroof. Then after determining the nessesary size & shape of the replacements panel, carefully draw it out and cut it from the donor. Now you can lay it perfectly flat in position on your car to trace the outline. I would use a flange just to gain the rigidity but buttwelding would also stiffen it. Best bet is to get the opinion of the guy you choose to weld it for you, but there is no reason you couldn't prep the job. Coincidentaly I just bought this tool and haven't tried it out yet. Your roof would be a good test, too bad it's a few thousand miles too far away.