Rusted out convertible top header piece

[Prorac1]

1968 Plymouth Sport Satellite convertible.

Underneath the weathered top material we found the ends of the header piece is rotted through.

Does anybody make a replacement piece for this?

What is the common practice? Weld and repair our current one?

Thanks. Eric

 

[JimCoronette]

1968 Plymouth Sport Satellite convertible.

Underneath the weathered top material we found the ends of the header piece is rotted through.

Does anybody make a replacement piece for this?

What is the common practice? Weld and repair our current one?

Thanks. Eric

Quoting John Mcclane from Die Hard; "Welcome to the party pal!"

No repros are out there. Most originals are rotted in the same place. Many good ones are being sold with the frame.

I'm in the process of using cardboard to replicate the pieces I need and then transferring it to 18 gauge and then bending it and eventually weld it back together. It's labor intensive and tedious.

I wish there was a better solution.

 

[1 Wild R/T]

Years ago I needed damn near the whole top surface, I was looking for a replacement part & even ready to buy a complete frame... Wandering through a wrecking yard I got looking at a four door Satellite & realized that the top of my header was exactly the same as the leading edge of the four door roof.... I sawzalled off the windshield posts & about 8" back on the roof... Took it back to the shop & separated the roof skin from the frame work.... Perfect donor, all I had to fabricate was the two pockets where the top pads screw to the frame.... Which was pretty simple, I used a step flanger to create them before welding the whole cap on the old header..

 

[Prorac1]

Quoting John Mcclane from Die Hard; "Welcome to the party pal!"

No repros are out there. Most originals are rotted in the same place. Many good ones are being sold with the frame.

I'm in the process of using cardboard to replicate the pieces I need and then transferring it to 18 gauge and then bending it and eventually weld it back together. It's labor intensive and tedious.

I wish there was a better solution.

Years ago I needed damn near the whole top surface, I was looking for a replacement part & even ready to buy a complete frame... Wandering through a wrecking yard I got looking at a four door Satellite & realized that the top of my header was exactly the same as the leading edge of the four door roof.... I sawzalled off the windshield posts & about 8" back on the roof... Took it back to the shop & separated the roof skin from the frame work.... Perfect donor, all I had to fabricate was the two pockets where the top pads screw to the frame.... Which was pretty simple, I used a step flanger to create them before welding the whole cap on the old header..

Thanks guys.

I was actually just talking to another member about that. He said another member did just that. It must have been you. Lol.

We’re pretty good at fabricating. And even four door parts cars are getting impossible to find around here. Lol.

And I discovered today the torsion bar crossmember needs to be replaced as well.

Feeling like I might have made a mistake. Lol. I just want to be able to do this car justice.

Thanks again for the reply’s. Eric

 

[5wndwcpe]

I had the two corners fabbed up by a local hotrod guru for my 'vert. Came out beautiful and cost $1000. YMMV.

 

[NJRR]

ask him for parts

https://www.forbbodiesonly.com/moparforum/threads/parting-68-satellite-convertible.167011/