Moparts
B Body Roof Skin Installation
Posted By: Anonymous
B Body Roof Skin Installation - 10/16/09 04:37 PM
Hey Guys I have a 68 charger and im looking to purchase one of the AMD roof skins for replacement. Has anybody done a roof skin on a B body? Can you tell me what is involved and will i need to replace the drip channels mine are in exceleent condition. Any help would be appreciated I have done floorpans patch panels quarters etc. Thanks in advance
Posted By: IMGTX
Re: B Body Roof Skin Installation - 10/16/09 05:25 PM
I have not done a 60's body but the later models were spot welded along the drip rails. Then slathered with seam sealer before painting. You will need to keep your existing drip rails.
Get a 3M mesh rust/paint removal wheel and go to town in teh drip rail. You will probably find 5000 spot welds hiding under the body sealer.
Even though the skin isn't supposed to be the only structural part of the roof I suggest you level and block the rocker panels to help support the car before removing the old roof. Probably not needed but definitely not going to hurt. Especially if you have any other weak part like the floor pans.
Have fun.
Posted By: 1hot68
Re: B Body Roof Skin Installation - 10/16/09 05:53 PM
I used an AMD roof skin on my 69 Charger and it fit pretty well. I used new drip rails ,but only cause my Charger needed new ones due to rust. If yours are fine then reuse them.
Posted By: Anonymous
Re: B Body Roof Skin Installation - 10/16/09 07:44 PM
Thanks I appreciate it. Does the roof skin attach were the windshield lip is in the front all the way to the rear windshield lip on the back is? I have to go look at the car but im assuming were the sking attaches in the front and rear by the winsheilds are mostly spot welded on. And were the drip channels are there appears to be some kind of compound that needs to be removed like the gentleman indicated above that will reveal spotwelds. In the Front it looks like the skin goes down the front pillar towards the fender is the factory roof skin terminated there as well or did you graft it in up higher? Apreciate the responses experience is worth alot and Id like to know what im dealing with ahead of time. Thansk Again..
Posted By: 1hot68
Re: B Body Roof Skin Installation - 10/16/09 08:46 PM
The AMD roof skin is just like the original in where it attaches and stops.....It spot welds all the way around, just like you said.
Posted By: Anonymous
Re: B Body Roof Skin Installation - 10/16/09 10:13 PM
Thanks alot I really appreciate it.. I can see no wi better order a couple more spot weld cutters thanks for the pictures
Posted By: Anonymous
Re: B Body Roof Skin Installation - 10/16/09 10:16 PM
Hey one more quick question is the skin tacked to the braces at all or does it just lay on top of it for support?
Posted By: 1hot68
Re: B Body Roof Skin Installation - 10/16/09 10:28 PM
NO. THe skin is not welded to the braces. They siply have seam sealer type caulk on them ,to hold the roof tight but let it flex too. I used windshield urethane myself.
Posted By: 67Charger
Re: B Body Roof Skin Installation PICS??? - 01/13/10 06:08 PM
Can someone give a closeup of the weld area? I'm going to be doing the roof skin on my '68 Charger soon and want to get as much info in advance as I can.
Posted By: elitecustombody
Re: B Body Roof Skin Installation - 01/13/10 06:21 PM
don't forget to pick up a good spotweld cutter,use seam sealer or low expanding foam on braces,you want the skin to float on braces
Posted By: 67Charger
Re: B Body Roof Skin Installation - 01/13/10 06:41 PM
I've got a blair cutter, and it will be a while before I have the skin to put on. I have to blast the body first. The roof skin is trash from a weathered vinyl top letting moisture in and I want to remove it before blasting so I can get all the braces clean and repaired. I just need to know what will and won't come with the new skin so I don't cut off pieces that must stay/be repaired. Mostly the drip rail area is what I'm concerned with.
Thanks!
Posted By: 52savoy
Re: B Body Roof Skin Installation - 01/13/10 07:29 PM
Make sure the old spot welds are ground off flush before putting the new roof on so it lays down flat.
I was watching a show on the SPEED CHANNEL? this past weekend. They re-skinned a Mustang roof but instead of spot welding it back on, they used panel adhesive. First they cleaned off the e-coating and then they ran a solid bead around the rail... and clamped it(quick) with about a zillion clamps(more or less).
Posted By: elitecustombody
Re: B Body Roof Skin Installation - 01/13/10 07:42 PM
Quote:
I've got a blair cutter, and it will be a while before I have the skin to put on. I have to blast the body first. The roof skin is trash from a weathered vinyl top letting moisture in and I want to remove it before blasting so I can get all the braces clean and repaired. I just need to know what will and won't come with the new skin so I don't cut off pieces that must stay/be repaired. Mostly the drip rail area is what I'm concerned with.
once you start removing the old skin, you'll see what all the seams,
Thanks!
Posted By: demon
Re: B Body Roof Skin Installation - 01/13/10 10:27 PM
A spot weld cutter is completely un necessary on a roof skin replacement.
Unless you plan to save the removed roof skin there is no need to use a spotweld cutter anywhere on this job.
What you do is remove all parts like the trim,windshield,roof rails etc and then melt out the lead in the joints(or bondo if it was a vinyl roof car). Then use a air chisel CAREFULLY to remove the skin aroun the perimeter without trying to seperate the welds yet- just get the majority removed. Now you have access to all the spotwelds. Use a cut off saw with a thicker zip disc to "erase" the spotwelds. As you get good you will get the feel of it and be able to go just far enough thru the top layer to let the welds pop free. Once you have all the old roof chunks gone just check all your mating areas for smoothness so the new one can drop right on. The roof of a car is the last panel welded on when new so it is an easy panel to do compared to most. You can use a regular drill bit to make the holes for plug welding.
I have seen SO many people screw up panel replacement by misuse of spotweld drills. They have their place but this is a classic example of a job that has zero need for one.
Posted By: BarrsRestoration
Re: B Body Roof Skin Installation - 01/15/10 03:01 AM
Quote:
A spot weld cutter is completely un necessary on a roof skin replacement.
Unless you plan to save the removed roof skin there is no need to use a spotweld cutter anywhere on this job.
What you do is remove all parts like the trim,windshield,roof rails etc and then melt out the lead in the joints(or bondo if it was a vinyl roof car). Then use a air chisel CAREFULLY to remove the skin aroun the perimeter without trying to seperate the welds yet- just get the majority removed. Now you have access to all the spotwelds. Use a cut off saw with a thicker zip disc to "erase" the spotwelds. As you get good you will get the feel of it and be able to go just far enough thru the top layer to let the welds pop free. Once you have all the old roof chunks gone just check all your mating areas for smoothness so the new one can drop right on. The roof of a car is the last panel welded on when new so it is an easy panel to do compared to most. You can use a regular drill bit to make the holes for plug welding.
I have seen SO many people screw up panel replacement by misuse of spotweld drills. They have their place but this is a classic example of a job that has zero need for one.
I agree. As I was reading the suggestions I thought to myself that a spotweld drill bit would be useless and probably destructive to the underlying metal on replacing a roof skin. Much better to "erase" the spotwelds. I use a cut-off tool with either a 3M #1989 or #1990 cut-off wheel. I follow with a 1&1/2" wide stiff scraper with a hammer behind it.
Steve
www.clarkclassic.com
Posted By: elitecustombody
Re: B Body Roof Skin Installation - 01/15/10 03:48 AM
Quote:
A spot weld cutter is completely un necessary on a roof skin replacement.
Unless you plan to save the removed roof skin there is no need to use a spotweld cutter anywhere on this job.
What you do is remove all parts like the trim,windshield,roof rails etc and then melt out the lead in the joints(or bondo if it was a vinyl roof car). Then use a air chisel CAREFULLY to remove the skin aroun the perimeter without trying to seperate the welds yet- just get the majority removed. Now you have access to all the spotwelds. Use a cut off saw with a thicker zip disc to "erase" the spotwelds. As you get good you will get the feel of it and be able to go just far enough thru the top layer to let the welds pop free. Once you have all the old roof chunks gone just check all your mating areas for smoothness so the new one can drop right on. The roof of a car is the last panel welded on when new so it is an easy panel to do compared to most. You can use a regular drill bit to make the holes for plug welding.
I have seen SO many people screw up panel replacement by misuse of spotweld drills. They have their place but this is a classic example of a job that has zero need for one.
LMAO!! This has got to be one of the most ignorant posts I've read in a while.
You're actually telling everyone that it's better to hack up ,rip and butcher off old skin than actually using proper tool that will remove the remove old skin without distorting not only pinchwelds ,but most important, the actual roof structure?
Not sure what your defenition of "spotweld cutter" is, but it's actually a tool that will remove spotwelds without any damage to underlaying metal and in right hands it will take about 3-5 seconds to cut each spotweld,maybe it's time you do some shopping for high quality cutter
Posted By: Charger453
Re: B Body Roof Skin Installation - 01/15/10 03:59 AM
Just got done doing this on mine, but I don't have any real good pics of all the weld areas. You'll have a hundred spot welds along the drip rails and upper window/windshield channel areas. Then obviously the seams will have lead/filler. My rear window channel was so far gone, I didn't have anything back there to worry about!
Posted By: 1hot68
Re: B Body Roof Skin Installation - 01/15/10 04:00 AM
Quote:
Quote:
A spot weld cutter is completely un necessary on a roof skin replacement.
Unless you plan to save the removed roof skin there is no need to use a spotweld cutter anywhere on this job.
What you do is remove all parts like the trim,windshield,roof rails etc and then melt out the lead in the joints(or bondo if it was a vinyl roof car). Then use a air chisel CAREFULLY to remove the skin aroun the perimeter without trying to seperate the welds yet- just get the majority removed. Now you have access to all the spotwelds. Use a cut off saw with a thicker zip disc to "erase" the spotwelds. As you get good you will get the feel of it and be able to go just far enough thru the top layer to let the welds pop free. Once you have all the old roof chunks gone just check all your mating areas for smoothness so the new one can drop right on. The roof of a car is the last panel welded on when new so it is an easy panel to do compared to most. You can use a regular drill bit to make the holes for plug welding.
I have seen SO many people screw up panel replacement by misuse of spotweld drills. They have their place but this is a classic example of a job that has zero need for one.
LMAO!! This has got to be one of the most ignorant posts I've read in a while.
You're actually telling everyone that it's better to hack up ,rip and butcher off old skin than actually using proper tool that will remove the remove old skin without distorting not only pinchwelds ,but most important, the actual roof structure?
Not sure what your defenition of "spotweld cutter" is, but it's actually a tool that will remove spotwelds without any damage to underlaying metal and in right hands it will take about 3-5 seconds to cut each spotweld,maybe it's time you do some shopping for high quality cutter
You might want to look at the drip rail spot welds on a Mopar b-body before you talk like that. They are very close together and they are not round like most spot welds. The grinder tecnique works much better than a spot weld drill in most case and FAR better in this case.
Posted By: cdp
Re: B Body Roof Skin Installation - 01/15/10 04:15 AM
http://www.spike.com/full-episode/edelbrock-mustang/35437The just replaced the roofskin on a 67 eldebrock stang tribute. Good for reference.
Posted By: elitecustombody
Re: B Body Roof Skin Installation - 01/15/10 04:32 AM
Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
A spot weld cutter is completely un necessary on a roof skin replacement.
Unless you plan to save the removed roof skin there is no need to use a spotweld cutter anywhere on this job.
What you do is remove all parts like the trim,windshield,roof rails etc and then melt out the lead in the joints(or bondo if it was a vinyl roof car). Then use a air chisel CAREFULLY to remove the skin aroun the perimeter without trying to seperate the welds yet- just get the majority removed. Now you have access to all the spotwelds. Use a cut off saw with a thicker zip disc to "erase" the spotwelds. As you get good you will get the feel of it and be able to go just far enough thru the top layer to let the welds pop free. Once you have all the old roof chunks gone just check all your mating areas for smoothness so the new one can drop right on. The roof of a car is the last panel welded on when new so it is an easy panel to do compared to most. You can use a regular drill bit to make the holes for plug welding.
I have seen SO many people screw up panel replacement by misuse of spotweld drills. They have their place but this is a classic example of a job that has zero need for one.
LMAO!! This has got to be one of the most ignorant posts I've read in a while.
You're actually telling everyone that it's better to hack up ,rip and butcher off old skin than actually using proper tool that will remove the remove old skin without distorting not only pinchwelds ,but most important, the actual roof structure?
Not sure what your defenition of "spotweld cutter" is, but it's actually a tool that will remove spotwelds without any damage to underlaying metal and in right hands it will take about 3-5 seconds to cut each spotweld,maybe it's time you do some shopping for high quality cutter
You might want to look at the drip rail spot welds on a Mopar b-body before you talk like that. They are very close together and they are not round like most spot welds. The grinder tecnique works much better than a spot weld drill in most case and FAR better in this case.
if there was enough room at the factory for spotwelder,there is enough room for spotweld cutter, you know,they sell different sizes bit,don't you?
Posted By: demon
Re: B Body Roof Skin Installation - 01/15/10 04:54 AM
Quote:
Quote:
A spot weld cutter is completely un necessary on a roof skin replacement.
Unless you plan to save the removed roof skin there is no need to use a spotweld cutter anywhere on this job.
What you do is remove all parts like the trim,windshield,roof rails etc and then melt out the lead in the joints(or bondo if it was a vinyl roof car). Then use a air chisel CAREFULLY to remove the skin aroun the perimeter without trying to seperate the welds yet- just get the majority removed. Now you have access to all the spotwelds. Use a cut off saw with a thicker zip disc to "erase" the spotwelds. As you get good you will get the feel of it and be able to go just far enough thru the top layer to let the welds pop free. Once you have all the old roof chunks gone just check all your mating areas for smoothness so the new one can drop right on. The roof of a car is the last panel welded on when new so it is an easy panel to do compared to most. You can use a regular drill bit to make the holes for plug welding.
I have seen SO many people screw up panel replacement by misuse of spotweld drills. They have their place but this is a classic example of a job that has zero need for one.
LMAO!! This has got to be one of the most ignorant posts I've read in a while.
You're actually telling everyone that it's better to hack up ,rip and butcher off old skin than actually using proper tool that will remove the remove old skin without distorting not only pinchwelds ,but most important, the actual roof structure?
Not sure what your defenition of "spotweld cutter" is, but it's actually a tool that will remove spotwelds without any damage to underlaying metal and in right hands it will take about 3-5 seconds to cut each spotweld,maybe it's time you do some shopping for high quality cutter
Nowhere did I say "hack,butcher or rip off the roof"
25 years of restoring Mopars has given me plenty of experience doing panel replacement.My method is by far the least destructive as well as the least time consuming.
Yes spot weld cutters have their place,but a roof skin does not require one at all and as stated by another poster,can actually do more harm than good.
Try getting a spot weld cutter into the drip rails.
The purpose of a spotweld cutter is to drill thru only the outer panel leaving the underlying panel unharmed.Now that is great when you want to save both panels,like when you are salvaging used panels from a parts car.If you are using a new roof,and there is no need to save the old roof,then using a spotweld cutter is redudant.In fact it creates more work because you now have little buttons left over when using a Blair Rotabroach which guess what-need grinding to make flush.By erasing the spotwelds with a cut off disc,you kill two birds with one stone.Release the spotwelds AND grinding flush.All in one step !
And no risk of drilling too deep with the spotweld cutter and damaging and weakening the panel below.
My suggestion of using an air chisel to remove the surface of the roof is to gain access to areas like the drip rails and it allows one to stand inside the car with the roof surface removed to allow an easier position to get to the areas needing attention.
An air chisel is a tool which can be very helpful or very destructive in the wrong hands.I have seen much damage done by a fool with an air chisel.That said,I have also seen much damage done by a fool with a spotweld cutter.
Rule # 1 when doing work like this.Be careful,think before you cut and measure 3 times-cut once.If you don't feel capable of doing this work-don't even start.
I have no control over how anyone handles a repair like this and everyone is going to have opinions and shortcuts and suggestions.These are merely mine and work well for me.
I have specialized in metal work since the 1980's and know my trade.I can assure you I am not ignorant about panel replacement.I do it full time.
Perhaps before you ridicule someone,you should take the time to consider the possibilities of other methods.
Posted By: notforsale440
Re: B Body Roof Skin Installation - 01/15/10 05:52 AM
ding ding ding........we have a winner.....give Demon a cigar
Posted By: DoctorDiff
Re: B Body Roof Skin Installation - 01/15/10 06:00 AM
A spot weld cutter was worthless when I skinned the top on my '66 Coronet. The pinch welds in the drip rails were WAY too long. I used a die-grinder and carbide burr on the project car as well as the donor.
Posted By: notforsale440
Re: B Body Roof Skin Installation - 01/15/10 04:45 PM
welcome to the ranks of the ignorant
Posted By: flypaper
Re: B Body Roof Skin Installation - 01/15/10 05:10 PM
Posted By: elitecustombody
Re: B Body Roof Skin Installation - 01/15/10 06:05 PM
Keep telling that to yourself
Quote:
welcome to the ranks of the ignorant
Posted By: 67Charger
Re: B Body Roof Skin Installation - 01/15/10 07:50 PM
Wow, I didn't think this would become a pissing match...
Thanks for all the suggestion, I just don't dare tell you which way I'll do it so I won't get ostracized by the other side!
Posted By: 6PakBee
Re: B Body Roof Skin Installation - 01/15/10 10:35 PM
I'm not going to get into which way is best. However, I have used a spotweld cutter on larger spotwelds (1/8" or so?) that seem to be structural welds (if that is the proper term) like you would find on a front inner fender or core support. Then there are these little spotwelds that look just like a pencil point. I put lower quarter patch panels on a '74 Dart one time and there must have been (no kidding) over a hundred of these suckers between the quarter and the trunk extension. It's like the guy with the welder had Parkinson's. I used a 3/32" drill bit to cut these out. I guess what I'm trying to say is that all spot welds aren't created equal.
Posted By: elitecustombody
Re: B Body Roof Skin Installation - 01/16/10 12:46 AM
Quote:
I'm not going to get into which way is best. However, I have used a spotweld cutter on larger spotwelds (1/8" or so?) that seem to be structural welds (if that is the proper term) like you would find on a front inner fender or core support. Then there are these little spotwelds that look just like a pencil point. I put lower quarter patch panels on a '74 Dart one time and there must have been (no kidding) over a hundred of these suckers between the quarter and the trunk extension. It's like the guy with the welder had Parkinson's. I used a 3/32" drill bit to cut these out. I guess what I'm trying to say is that all spot welds aren't created equal.
that's nothing compared to old Porsches, everything on those cars is welded with two or three rows of 1/8" diameter spotwelds and they are 1/4" apart,
Posted By: BarrsRestoration
Re: B Body Roof Skin Installation - 01/16/10 01:32 AM
Quote:
Wow, I didn't think this would become a pissing match...
Thanks for all the suggestion, I just don't dare tell you which way I'll do it so I won't get ostracized by the other side!
Fair enough. If you decide to drill it, you might want to order some new drip rails.
Posted By: Mopars4Mark
Re: B Body Roof Skin Installation - 01/16/10 02:17 PM
Don't know if this will give any insight to the roof rail "spot welds" questions, but here goes. As a former Ford Motor company Body shop employee building F-Series truck, one of my jobs as an off-buck welder (one that manhandled the heavy ass spot guns for shotting many welds in various panel locations) I was fortunate enough to be one to actually weld the roof to the drip rails. This bohemoth's welding tip was not of round type tip as was the rest of the spot welders, but instead, was a narrow and long tip approximately 1/8 inch wide by 5/8 long blade type using approximately 60 psi and a weld time of .83 seconds. to pinch and weld the drip rail. Now, across the windshield and backglass, well that is pretty self explanatory. Hope this will help answer some questions.
Posted By: jake71
Re: B Body Roof Skin Installation - 01/16/10 04:17 PM
Quote:
Wow, I didn't think this would become a pissing match...
Thanks for all the suggestion, I just don't dare tell you which way I'll do it so I won't get ostracized by the other side!
Seems to me that a guy could take all this information and the different suggested methods and pick which one, or combination, works best for him. I know that I've personally done things WAY different that others, mostly because I hadn't thought of the other methods, and still had great results. To each his own and as long as we're still havin' fun and it comes out good in the end, that's what it's all about. 
P.S. I don't know if the Challenger rails are different from yours, but I used a spot weld cutter on mine with good results. No damage to the drip rails but it turned out they were rusted out anyway.
