Roof troubles

[Guest]

While working on my Bird today, I discovered the roof rails (the parts over the top of the door windows) are all rusted out. I already knew about the front corners of the roof, but this? There isn't even enough metal left to attach new mouldings if all I wanted to do was cover it up.

What can I do? Install a new roof? Make it a convertable?

[Guest]

RE: Roof troubles

The only thing I can suggest is to cut out the old and make some new. You've really had a time already I know. I just found out today while stripping the paint off off mine that it had been hit on the passenger side front. There was some "bondo" and I kept sanding to get it off.........and found a 12 inch crease about a 1/2 inch deep.

Is there enough metal left to support any kind of fix??? Por-15 makes a super hard polyester fiberglass filler that I have used on mine. You can neutralize the rust with their metal prep and paint. Then fill in the eaten out parts with the fiberglass. Its VERY strong and sands down with some elbow grease. I used it on the creases where I welded my new rocker panels and front fender sections. Its permanent and wont absorb moisture. Hang in there !!!

If you you have a big open section..........place some flat metal behind it for support.....and then spread the fiberglass over it. You have to work in small sections since it sets up pretty quick...........wish I was there to help :-) Rip the headliner out if you are going to replace it...........it will make things much easier !!!

[Guest]

RE: Roof troubles

If you want to spend a little more.........there is a filler called "metal to metal" which does the same thing.......but even stronger than the fiberglass.

[Guest]

RE: Roof troubles

>The only thing I can suggest is to cut out the old and make
>some new. You've really had a time already I know. I just
>found out today while stripping the paint off off mine that
>it had been hit on the passenger side front. There was some
>"bondo" and I kept sanding to get it off.........and found a
>12 inch crease about a 1/2 inch deep.
>
Sorry to hear about your crease. I have a couple of those in the left tailfin. ::heavy sigh::

> Is there enough metal left to support any kind of
>fix??? Por-15 makes a super hard polyester fiberglass filler
>that I have used on mine. You can neutralize the rust with
>their metal prep and paint. Then fill in the eaten out parts
>with the fiberglass. Its VERY strong and sands down with
>some elbow grease. I used it on the creases where I welded
>my new rocker panels and front fender sections. Its
>permanent and wont absorb moisture. Hang in there !!!
>
Honestly, I'm not sure there's enough left to do anything to it. I can see how it's supposed to look... I suppose I could maybe weld some flat stock to the remaining roof section, and bring that forward. But what's that gonna look like? If you check out my website, you'll see a pic of how the roof looks. And that's the problem ... The roof (at the edge) is rotted. So there isn't anything to weld to. I'll need to weld in a section for the roof just to be able to weld the flat stock to. And that's gonna look like **** ... I just know it's gonna warp.

I'm ranting ... sorry. Maybe my best bet is just to find another complete roof that isn't full of cancer and go from there.

> If you you have a big open section..........place some flat
>metal behind it for support.....and then spread the
>fiberglass over it. You have to work in small sections since
>it sets up pretty quick...........wish I was there to help
>:-) Rip the headliner out if you are going to replace
>it...........it will make things much easier !!!

Headliner is already out. The interior roof bracing is fine, but all the thinner sheet metal is rusted.

And I wish you were here to help too .. I'm pretty frustrated right now, and I'm about to say the **** with it and cut the **** roof off.

What's really ironic is that I told the wife that I wasn't gonna work on the body first .. I said that it could look cherry but if the dang thing couldn't drive ... It would all be a waste. At this point, I couldn't even make a go-cart out of it.

At this point I'm seriously considering parting the **** thing out.

[Guest]

RE: Roof troubles

If you are really up to it............Go to main site and somewhere there is a convertible hardtop 58 thats silver and gorgeous. If you are willing to cut the top off........you could easily find one from a doner 59 or 60. Ive seen pictures on the internet of another 60 that has the treatment.......the roof is held into place with special clamps and it looks like a stock hardtop. Then they lift the roof off.......set it aside.........and it looks like a stock convertible. You would definately have something different !!! Dont despair.........once I finished the mechanics on my car and redid the interior.............I decided to save up and have a pro do the body work and paint. I took my car there........agreed on a price.......... made a hefty down payment...........and sat back and waited for my dream to come home in 10 weeks all shiny black and finished. This idiot decided to buy another shop (he was working on 3 cars) and instead of doing the work on our cars...........he spent the time moving only to go belly up and lost everything. All of us have taken him to court........my hearing is in 2 weeks. BUT >>>> My car was brought back home with no work done what so ever.............the drivers side glass was cracked....the bumpers had been removed....and the mufflers were dragging the ground. SO...........I did it all myself !!! body work and all. Within the next few weeks im painting it myself.........and if Im done in time (im not rushing) My *** is driving it to the courthouse with a HUGE smile on my face.

The car Im refering to is also for sale on the site called Collector car trader............just go to the search and type in 1958 Thunderbird. There are several good pictures of it.

[Guest]

RE: Roof troubles

The car I mentioned is still there and has about 6 pictures............check it out before you decide.

[Guest]

RE: Roof troubles

> The car I mentioned is still there and has about 6
>pictures............check it out before you decide.

That's the same car that was on Ebay ... For 6000.00.

Now I know where the scammer got all the pics.

[Guest]

RE: Roof troubles

>If you want to spend a little more.........there is a filler
>called "metal to metal" which does the same thing.......but
>even stronger than the fiberglass.

Tell me about this stuff please?

[Guest]

RE: Roof troubles

Man, what a bummer.

Have you looked through the whole car yet so you know "everything"?

Sometimes it's good to know if you are at the end of the sruprises or there are other possible surprises still out there. Don't let the last one get you to throw in the towel.

I have not tried any of them yet, but there are quite a few places that advertise bodies to cut up for parts in Hemmings. Seems like the top would be pretty easy to get sections to weld back in. Sounds like you are considering welding anyway so maybe it would make sense to get the real thing if possible.

Just my opinion, but I kind of like them as close to original as possible. I think about disc brakes alot, but not sure when it comes the time if I'll be able to do it.

Having a '58 is pretty unique....

[Alexander]

RE: Roof troubles

Now I know where the scammer got all the pics.

The scammer used my exact pictures? If he showed the engine compartment, it is of the engine compartment of a 1958 Hartop on this site.

Alexander
1959 Hardtop
1960 Golde Top

[Guest]

RE: Roof troubles

>Now I know where the scammer got all the pics.
>
>The scammer used my exact pictures? If he showed the engine
>compartment, it is of the engine compartment of a 1958
>Hartop on this site.
>
They used the pictures from the Classic Car Trader advert, which by the way is showing the car being sold for 35K+ and being in St Louis (if I recall correctly).

[Guest]

RE: Roof troubles

Travlin...............go to AutoBody101.com

Register and post your website link and ask some of the guys who have been doing this type of work for a living. When they see your pictures they can tell you for sure if you can save the top.........Post it in the painting section and ask how they would handle it. Personally I saw the pictures and it still looks salvageable to me. Some of these guys love a challenge and many restore old cars. You will learn tons !!!

[Guest]

RE: Roof troubles

"Go to main site and somewhere there is a convertible hardtop 58 thats silver and gorgeous. If you are willing to cut the top off........you could easily find one from a doner 59 or 60. Ive seen pictures on the internet of another 60 that has the treatment.......the roof is held into place with special clamps and it looks like a stock hardtop. Then they lift the roof off.......set it aside.........and it looks like a stock convertible."

I wouldn't suggest doing this unless you have a metal shop at your disposal and where experienced in this work. This could cause you to waste alot of time to have a piece of junk in the end. Even though you are just making the top removable there would still be alot of fabrication involved. I would say that it would take less time to fix the roof you have. I am in the same situation and I am going to try to fix it with metal first and if I can't get it I might be looking at paying someone to do it.(if they'll take the job) As for the rest of the car just know that these cars didn't last nor were they made to last. The roof is a prime example of this.

By the way there is a sit that might be of some help for you. It is www.ycitythunderbirds.com. They have alot of old squarebirds that they are parting out. If I had more money I would actually try and get something from them first. By the way I am not affiliated with this company at all. I think they're located in Ohio. They do ship and seem very resonable.

To the issue of parting out your old bird, don't. I am a firm believer of "if it can be done do it." Don't ruin one of the few left out there. But if you do deside to, then give me a shout.:7 Really everyone who sees my car just kinda laughs at me, but someday I'll have a classic that I built myself. Just so you know my car is sitting on stilts right now with nothing but the dash left in it. Every thing that could come off did. no bolt left intact. You should see the mess. I haven't been able to do alot to it yet due to the fact that I just moved here and haven't stocked my shop yet. But, soon I plan on starting on the body work. Begining with a good alkaline dipping.

Remember this is supposed to be fun.

Brian Costello

[Guest]

RE: Roof troubles

>Travlin...............go to AutoBody101.com
>
> Register and post your website link and ask some of the
>guys who have been doing this type of work for a living.
>When they see your pictures they can tell you for sure if
>you can save the top.........Post it in the painting section
>and ask how they would handle it. Personally I saw the
>pictures and it still looks salvageable to me. Some of these
>guys love a challenge and many restore old cars. You will
>learn tons !!!
>
Thanks for the tip!

I reg'd this a.m. I plan to post and ask exactly as you've suggested. Have already picked up some good info in the welding dept.

[Guest]

RE: Roof troubles

>I wouldn't suggest doing this unless you have a metal shop
>at your disposal and where experienced in this work.
>

I hadn't planned on going that far, much as I'd love to have a car like that. I was refering to making it a "permenant convertable."

>By the way there is a sit that might be of some help for
>you. It is www.ycitythunderbirds.com.
>

I'll check them out. In the meantime, I've talked to the guy in TX I bought my front fender from (today). He said the fender donor has a good roof -- And wants a pic with what I need highlighted. He's been really reasonable pricewise so far ($280 total for fender, splash shield AND shipping). He knows there are a few more body parts I'd be willing to buy IF the price is right. So we'll see.

>To the issue of parting out your old bird, don't. I am a
>firm believer of "if it can be done do it." Don't ruin one
>of the few left out there.
>

I'm kinda with you on that one. I really don't wanna part her out. That's more of a last resort kinda thing. Someone else said that I shouldn't let the "last suprise" make me throw in the towel on her. Problem is that I just "know" there are more suprises.

>Remember this is supposed to be fun.
>

Oh yeah.

I seem to have forgotten that part. Perhaps I'll make it my mantra. "This is supposed to be fun ... This is supposed to be fun ..." Heh.

Thanks Brian, I needed that.