No more sunroof

[240dkw]

After following the work Arnie had done to his car, I thought I would give it a try.:nervous:I removed the roof skin that had a sun roof and replaced it with one from a donor car. It went very well and only a day to complete. The first photo is of the sunroof on the car, second one is with the skin removed and the third is the "new" skin on the car. All that is left now is the rocker panels, floorboards, lower rear 1/4's, small parts of the firewall, spare tire well, and front rails.

[Carl Beck]

Good for you!! Looks like a good job too.

You didn't by chance take pictures of the area where the rear quarter panel, merges under the roof structure, over which the roof panel goes - did you? If so I'd love to have a copy.

FWIW,

Carl B.

[DeMoore]

Yeah, looks great!

[240dkw]

Carl; Sorry, I had a look at all the photos and none show that well.

Dan

[Carl Beck]

Hi Dan:

I appreciate your looking... thanks.

Most people do not realize that the quarter panel extends into the roof structure and is sandwiched between the inner and outer roof structural panels for strength. When you cut the old quarter off, at or just below the visible seam - then weld a new quarter back on there - you can wind up with a much weaker uni-body as the result of a poor butt joint weld.

FWIW,

Carl B.

[Arne]

Nice work, Dan! Another Z with it's entire roof!

Most people do not realize that the quarter panel extends into the roof structure and is sandwiched between the inner and outer roof structural panels for strength. When you cut the old quarter off, at or just below the visible seam - then weld a new quarter back on there - you can wind up with a much weaker uni-body as the result of a poor butt joint weld.

Carl, when Scott did mine, he talked about that. That was one of the reasons that he cut higher up and above the factory seam. He also welded in a piece of sheet metal to bridge the new seam, so that there was more there than a simple butt-weld. Here are some of the pictures he gave me that show the process.

[240dkw]

Arne: After looking at the pics, I would agree that cutting above the seam would be the best way to go. Cutting the skin off right at the original seams was by far the hardest part of removing the roof skins. I did drill a few holes to use as weld spots on the seam of the replacement so I think it will be stronger than a butt weld. Time will tell if any stress cracks show up in the paint.

Dan