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HybridZ

Fixing the gaping hole in my roof.


hoov100

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While I have the car apart, I was wondering if plugging the hole with sheet metal and fiber glassing it on both sides would seem as an acceptable way to deal with this, until I can find another roof skin. I'm also about to start stiffening the chassis (roll bar, new frame..etc) if it's going to make a difference.

 

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I would give it about 12-18mths before it starts cracking and falling apart - if your lucky.

 

What dodgy Panel-Beaters do with rust repairs. Instead of cutting out the rusted steel, just lay fibreglass over the top, then bondo to make it all smooth and your done, all better :-)!

 

Either way, at some stage you will have to deal with it properly.

 

So I would probably just fill the hole properly to start with mate.

 

Stick a piece of 16g sheet metal up underneath it - draw the exact shape that will fill the hole, then cut and trim to piece.

 

Tack weld it in place, start at opposite ends and tack all the way around with about an 1" between the tacks. Pour to much more heat into it by laying continous beads or lots more tacks and it will create warping issues.

 

This would be butt-welding it in place - which can be fiddly as the sheet metal on the Z is really thin and I have found that sometimes it just blows away - you could look at over-lapping (or probably under-lapping) the new sheet metal, which would make it a lot easier to weld in place.

 

So the cover piece sits about a 1/2" over the existing roof sheet metal.

 

Either way.........but the 2nd method is a lot easier to do.

 

Then bog or lead over the top to get it nice and smooth - I would also recommend getting in there with the hammer to panel beat it as flat as possible before you start pouring on the bog as well.

 

If you pay a man to weld it in place - make sure the bugger butt-welds it in place, your paying for a good job :-)!

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The thing is, is I'm going to cut out and replace the roof skin in the near future anyway. What I was looking at doing is cutting a piece of sheet metal the size/shape of the hole, laying a piece of fiberglass on the inside of the roof, laying the sheet metal in it, then once that is solid, lay another piece ontop of that.

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Why bother with sheet metal then? Just use cardboard to hold the fiberglass in shape while it cures. Wet up some glass matting with resin, lay it on some cardboard and press the mess to the inside of the roof covering the hole, the resin will make it all stick there like glue. Next lay a layer of wetted glass matt over the roof on the outside. use heavy 400 or 450 Gram standed matting on the inside for strength and thinner woven glass weave like 200 gram or 120 gram on the outsidefor smoothness. Leave enough outside overlap to sand and feather the edges into the roof so with a coat of primer theres no big bump at the edge of the sheet that makes it look imeddiately obvious there's a sheet of fibreglass thrown over your roof.

 

That shouldn't crack for a month or two. :P

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Ahh, if its going to be this much work, I might as well just toss the sunroof back on.

 

probably the best Idea, But seeing you're in california, where the sun always shines :D why not just pull the existing skin the rest of the way off and drive a convertible for a while :D

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  • 2 weeks later...

Too bad your not closer I have a real nice skin sitting in my rafters, just don't have time for the drive to LA anymore and not going to make MSA this year. If your ever north pm me and see if I still have it. I'm not posting anything for sale anymore so there will be a good chance I'll have it for sometime.

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