Roof Panel Replacement

[legopnuematic]

Yikes, that’s rough.

 

[brooksman9]

Decent mig setup about 500 if you can swing it. I would think mostly spot welds to fill which are easy enough. Never done a roof panel though. Would you have need of a welder for other things?

 

[Doppleganger]

Decent mig setup about 500 if you can swing it. I would think mostly spot welds to fill which are easy enough. Never done a roof panel though. Would you have need of a welder for other things?

Not really. Was offered to be taught by 2 of the best welders I knew - one moved away and the other died. Would love to know how though.

After looking at Tank's pics and then this fellas video:

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I'm not as intimidated by it as I was before. My biggest hurdle right now is what will this cost if I hit another roadblock and have zero help once its off? Wife and I had an agreement this would be in the assembly mode....in 2022. Uh.....yeah.

The roof panel can be had for about $300 out the door (can pick it up and save shipping). If I could weld it up it'd be a no-brainer. What someone would want to tack the front and back spot welds.....no idea. There are a couple of mobile welders around - one told me $350/hr with a $250 min. The other did that beautiful job I posted a pic of. There was 3 other holes to do but after watching that disaster happen, I told him that was enough. If I knew how to do this, pizza-beer and a c-note and I'd make it happen for someone else.

Not meaning to whine but this has gone on long enough. If there wasn't so many freak 'issues' I think I could have done this beginning to end no problem. 4 buddies that were great at this are all gone, so that kind of left me twisting in the wind. Been married 24 yrs and the 3 biggest arguments we ever had was over this truck. Everyone has their limits and I'm about at mine.

 

[peats]

I would mud it and move on. Only you and Square body members will know. You still have a long road ahead of you.

 

[legopnuematic]

My 79 had sat outside since 1993, it was a company truck and had received a paint job at some point in-between 1979 and 1993. Let's say it was done in 1988 for easy math as I acquired the truck in 2018, so 30 years after the paint job.

When the truck got painted it had some bodywork done to it, most of it had long failed during its tenure outside, but what I didn't know, until I was a fair ways into the project, was the roof had a fair amount of filler, filling dents.

There was no indication of that other than the paint had worn off the roof and revealed the original Santa Fe tan and some orange primer spots. Spots perhaps 1/4" deep, couple of harder creases a little deeper maybe. I'm sure it was done the "traditional" way, 36 grit, mud over bare, sand, lacquer primer, maybe a sealer (doubtful), then painted.

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So you know what I did after removing the old filler? I sealed it up with a high build urethane primer and put mud right back where I had removed it. If it lasted 30 years in the worst conditions and total neglect, I figured it should be alright again, with better materials used this go around.

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Less filler is not a bad goal, but honestly, done right, it should hold up fine for a long time.

There are a lot of vehicles out there with a lot more filler than one might imagine and bring home trophies and get thumbs ups and compliments. A lot of them you'd never know until they get into an accident and have damage, or get stripped to be redone again.

What's the final color/paint scheme for the truck?

 

[Doppleganger]

My 79 had sat outside since 1993, it was a company truck and had received a paint job at some point in-between 1979 and 1993. Let's say it was done in 1988 for easy math as I acquired the truck in 2018, so 30 years after the paint job.

When the truck got painted it had some bodywork done to it, most of it had long failed during its tenure outside, but what I didn't know, until I was a fair ways into the project, was the roof had a fair amount of filler, filling dents.

There was no indication of that other than the paint had worn off the roof and revealed the original Santa Fe tan and some orange primer spots. Spots perhaps 1/4" deep, couple of harder creases a little deeper maybe. I'm sure it was done the "traditional" way, 36 grit, mud over bare, sand, lacquer primer, maybe a sealer (doubtful), then painted.

You must be registered for see images attach

So you know what I did after removing the old filler? I sealed it up with a high build urethane primer and put mud right back where I had removed it. If it lasted 30 years in the worst conditions and total neglect, I figured it should be alright again, with better materials used this go around.

You must be registered for see images attach

Less filler is not a bad goal, but honestly, done right, it should hold up fine for a long time.

There are a lot of vehicles out there with a lot more filler than one might imagine and bring home trophies and get thumbs ups and compliments. A lot of them you'd never know until they get into an accident and have damage, or get stripped to be redone again.

What's the final color/paint scheme for the truck?

Wish mine looked that good. Here's the pic I have been avoiding to post. Outside - it doesnt look that bad. But with shadows showing all....only thing thats missing is Michael Collins in the command module.

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[30-06]

I'm in the process of doing the skin replacement with AMD s skin pretty straight forward on the removal. I used a cut off wheel to remove it be aware there is sub structure you don't wanna cut. Along the rear of the cab the spot weld are hidden and can't be re welded you will have to meticulously clean up that area and use a 3m impact panel bond adhesive there and then spot weld above doors and windshield area. Also the brazed area on the A pillars I ground that other with a 3/8 belt sander and will mig weld it back.

 

[Fat 454]

I would mud it and move on. Only you and Square body members will know. You still have a long road ahead of you.

and we won't tell...

 

[Fat 454]

I'm in the process of doing the skin replacement with AMD s skin pretty straight forward on the removal. I used a cut off wheel to remove it be aware there is sub structure you don't wanna cut. Along the rear of the cab the spot weld are hidden and can't be re welded you will have to meticulously clean up that area and use a 3m impact panel bond adhesive there and then spot weld above doors and windshield area. Also the brazed area on the A pillars I ground that other with a 3/8 belt sander and will mig weld it back.

you can weld the seam above the rear window, however to gain access you have to first remove the upper rear window section from inside the cab by cutting either side with a super thin cutting disc, and drilling out the window rubber pinch weld, and then welding back in afterward ( ask me how I know ). Not a small job to get "right", but if you are planning to weld in a new roof panel anyways - just another step.
The challenge to a large single skin ( like doors and hoods ) is to get enough tension across the panel as it goes in, so that it does not "sag" or oil can when complete. However you do not have a folded flange like on a door or hood skin to gain tension. You will need some of those screw in panel clips ( from Eastwood or evilbay ) to lock in the sides, and then work across the panel with spot welds, like torqueing down a head.

 

[Fat 454]

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[legopnuematic]

Wish mine looked that good. Here's the pic I have been avoiding to post. Outside - it doesnt look that bad. But with shadows showing all....only thing thats missing is Michael Collins in the command module.

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Ok, that is a little rougher than I had expected.

The real shame is if these trucks weren’t double walled it would be easy to planish/work that type of stuff out.

Where is OH-MI? Ohio Michigan?

 

[Doppleganger]

Where is OH-MI? Ohio Michigan?

Yessir. People's Republic of Toledo to be exact. About 5 blocks from the imaginary line.

 

[Grit dog]

Wish mine looked that good. Here's the pic I have been avoiding to post. Outside - it doesnt look that bad. But with shadows showing all....only thing thats missing is Michael Collins in the command module.

You must be registered for see images attach

Yeah idk, maybe your roof is fcked… still hard to tell from here.
Hindsight being 2020, looks like alotta work on that cab if the roof needs replaced too.
I know this has been a frustrating deal for you. It takes the right combination of money, skill, space and time to restore a vehicle.
Maybe you started with the wrong vehicle or the wrong combination of the above things.
If you decide to diy fix it, that’s still a lot of work. I’m not experienced enough to advise if panel adhesive would work although my gut says when dealing with attaching new to old and what little I know about cutting into the cab structure of my truck, I’d be more comfortable with welding.
If you’re doing this, get over your fear of not knowing how to weld.
This task is 95% other skills and 10% welding skill, tops. Spot welds can be done by anyone with a little mechanical aptitude. Plus it’s super easy to practice first.
One advantage to welding is even if you were able to bond it together, there will certainly be a need for some tack welds, holes filled, etc. so you’ll spend double if you gear up for both methods. And welds can be drilled out, ground off. Adhesive if done right is permanent. You fck up and you can’t just grind off a tack and start over.
That said sounds like the fun is gone. Those parts should bring good money in the rust belt and there are sooo many solid reasonably priced (under $10k) K20s out west it’s almost not worth the hassle to bring one back from the dead.

 

[bucket]

I wish I had time. I'd offer to come pick up your cab and work the thing over to get everything dandy on it. But I don't think you want to wait several years on me. Because with my schedule, a month or so turns into a few years.

 

[Doppleganger]

The rest of the cab is cherry - no rust or damage. I believe I know how this roof got so damaged - was a freak thing. I'm just so at the end of the ATM machine that every little thing that continues to pile up is wearing on me. If I knew I could get a GOOD welder to reattach everything for a c-note or 2, I would do it and move on. But cant just throw money at it when literally no one around here knows their arse from a hole in the ground, and if they do, they want the title to the thing to try. Would love to learn but on something less valuable.

I've got stuff I could peddle to offset it, but been no interest above free (Q-Jet, spare parts, pew-pew 'toys', etc).

Thanks fellas.