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Replacing a roof - options?

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Montclaire

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Hello, I have a 73 Charger that came out of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Due to 40+ years of salt exposure it has some funky rust damage to the roof - the header is shot and there are also holes (maybe 3/4 inch, one per side) rotted through the skin AND under structure, a little forward of the door strike. The rest isn't awful, from what I can tell (surface but no obvious rot).

I do have a replacement roof clip. The pillars are cut about 5 inches or so down and the rear is cut maybe 3 inches below the seam. What are my options to replace this thing? Do I cut the pillars and weld in the whole clip as a unit? Or should I drill apart my donor roof, drill apart the car, and piece everything in? I have no idea what shape the A-pillars are in.

I don't want to cut corners but I do not want to add unnecessary work, either. I know these cars (71-74) are known for roof rot, so I am sure some of you have already had to go through this. Thanks in advance for the advice.
 
Sounds similar to chopping the roof on a 32. If you can get to the inner and outer structures on the pillars to weld them properly, I would do that. Less to go wrong, IMHO.
 
Stagger the cuts/welds as much as possible between the inner structure and the outer skin and you will be fine.
 
I bet he used GLUE to make that wood safety cage model with the panels. He sure as hell didn't weld it.
 
For the sake of argument let's just say that I do not feel comfortable using glue. If the panel had been glued on originally, I would have no qualms about copying factory assembly methods, but that is not the case here.

I am also thinking that I need to replace at least some of the under structure, which I would definitely not consider gluing - the surface area on a spliced A-pillar is very small and wouldn't provide much of a mating surface.

How compromised is a snipped and rewelded A-pillar? I'm wondering if it would be possible to drill the A-pillar sections free from the donor roof while leaving the rest intact, and mate that up to my existing pillars.

Does anyone have a pic of the rear seam? Do the under structure and skin mate up to the quarter on one seam or are they all staggered? Again, could I drill the rear most structure free from the donor roof, remove the bad skin on the car, and do it that way?

The less I have to cut free from the car, the better, IMO. The floor pans will need to be replaced or properly patched, which I think I will tackle before I open up the roof (I have a donor pan).
 
I would agree about the A pillars. Plus, there's multiple layers that you won't be able to get to. And you better make sure it's square, or it will leak, or glass might not fit. Drilling out the spot welds sucks, but you will be able to keep the car squared. Just patch the structure, after removing the roof.
 
What condition should the body be in to do the roof? Drivetrain out, on jack stands? Or engine in, suspension loaded and wheels on the ground? What about for the floor pan?
 
Montclaire said:
What condition should the body be in to do the roof? Drivetrain out, on jack stands? Or engine in, suspension loaded and wheels on the ground? What about for the floor pan?
Click to expand...

I am glad you asked that. That car needs to be on a body jig or at the very least braced/tied at the door openings, fire wall to stubs & blocked and floor tied like your building the queen mary.
{ Ratchet straps are not a brace or good to tie with, they stretch} use chain , use tube steel, use a welder.
I have cut A pillars before on a free standing car in a yard. it will jump and spread.
 
If it were me, i would do it with the car on the ground, drivetrain still installed. That way, you have all the normal bends, an twists that any normal car does. If the floor is gone, i would replace that first, or as said, brace the body, since you will get some movement when you remove the roof, even though the roof sub structure will still be there.
 
I have to take a look and see if I can drill the under structure free from underneath and replace it one piece at a time with the old skin still on. That way I wouldn't have to worry about the pillars and everything else getting sprung. Then I can just drill off the old skin, fully weld the braces, and put the new skin on.
 
Montclaire said:
I have to take a look and see if I can drill the under structure free from underneath and replace it one piece at a time with the old skin still on. That way I wouldn't have to worry about the pillars and everything else getting sprung. Then I can just drill off the old skin, fully weld the braces, and put the new skin on.
Click to expand...

No. It will move with just the skin if you remove inner structure and don’t brace the body. Look online at some roof chops on older cars to see how to brace. Left-right, forward-back, and diagonal.
 
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