REINFORCING THE ROOF--PICS

[Qcode351mach]

So in preparation for doing my body work on the roof I decided to install a bunch of reinforcements since the fastback roof is so flimsy..It would take forever to get it 110% perfect smooth laser straight since if you press to hard when sanding the roof moves..so your always chasing your work ...My original plan was to use a few extra stock reinforcements..after procuring those & futzing around with them I wasn't really pleased..I saw the following done on another car but not much info on how..So heres how..I used 3/8" solid rod stock formed to the shape of the roof in each location I wanted a reinforcement..The key is going slow marking center & going out from there one half at a time bending..fitting..bending..fitting....I did all this by hand with a few blocks of wood & a heavy hammer..Once I had the correct contour I then clamped the rod to my sheet stock..tacked it to the rod contour..I then fitted it again..a few small tweaks & PERFECT FIT..I then used heavy density foam between the roof & reinforcement..No more flex or moving of the roof when pressing down...Gonna be a piece of cake now to get a laser straight roof...Next step rust bullet the entire inside of the roof..then raammat..http://www.raamaudio.com/weld in the new reinforcements.

 

[Go Time]

Yea... great Idea consider it stolen, I'll right "Q" on mine and put patent pending. Good work

 

[jeremycfr]

Great idea and it looks great. Now I wish I had done that before I placed in the new headliner.

 

[Mister 4x4]

Damn Q - you got skillz, Bro! That's so slick. Just about the time I think I've got my stuff pretty much up-tight, you come up with some cool, new idea that makes me starting thinking I need to do more. ::thumb::

If I have time before the painter gets his schedule free, I'll definitely see if I can come up with something close to what you've done here.

Nice work - as always.

 

[Spechti]

After the paint was stripped from my car, it was also obvious that the roof was too soft in structure to hold against sanding and other work - just like Q's car. One of the major weak points on many FoMoCo cars of that era. My Lincoln Mark IV has the same soft roof...

The center roof support reinforcement was removed, sandblasted, re-painted and re-installed. Furthermore, four additional reinforcement stringers were custom fabricated from formed sheetmetal. They were welded in place. On the pics is the mock-up with pop rivets. Sharp edges were covered with a plastic edge protection after welding and painting.

The roof now is super solid. It would even hold a light person standing on the roof without deforming it. The result is a laser-straight roof area. All work was done by a professional body shop.

 

[Paul of MO]

This is why some of us stick with convertibles!

 

[imusa76]

This is why some of us stick with convertibles!

one less step for us

"Q" great work!!!

 

[caspianwendell]

This is why some of us stick with convertibles!

+1

 

[mach 1 marc]

After the paint was stripped from my car, it was also obvious that the roof was too soft in structure to hold against sanding and other work - just like Q's car. One of the major weak points on many FoMoCo cars of that era. My Lincoln Mark IV has the same soft roof...

The center roof support reinforcement was removed, sandblasted, re-painted and re-installed. Furthermore, four additional reinforcement stringers were custom fabricated from formed sheetmetal. They were welded in place. On the pics is the mock-up with pop rivets. Sharp edges were covered with a plastic edge protection after welding and painting.

The roof now is super solid. It would even hold a light person standing on the roof without deforming it. The result is a laser-straight roof area. All work was done by a professional body shop.

Sent this link to my body shop we have a dimple in the roof and it does seem real soft only one brace. Lets see what they say it may make the finish body prep easier.

 

[mach 1 marc]

After the paint was stripped from my car, it was also obvious that the roof was too soft in structure to hold against sanding and other work - just like Q's car. One of the major weak points on many FoMoCo cars of that era. My Lincoln Mark IV has the same soft roof...

The center roof support reinforcement was removed, sandblasted, re-painted and re-installed. Furthermore, four additional reinforcement stringers were custom fabricated from formed sheetmetal. They were welded in place. On the pics is the mock-up with pop rivets. Sharp edges were covered with a plastic edge protection after welding and painting.

The roof now is super solid. It would even hold a light person standing on the roof without deforming it. The result is a laser-straight roof area. All work was done by a professional body shop.

Sent this link to my body shop we have a dimple in the roof and it does seem real soft only one brace. Lets see what they say it may make the finish body prep easier.

 

[mach 1 marc]

After the paint was stripped from my car, it was also obvious that the roof was too soft in structure to hold against sanding and other work - just like Q's car. One of the major weak points on many FoMoCo cars of that era. My Lincoln Mark IV has the same soft roof...

The center roof support reinforcement was removed, sandblasted, re-painted and re-installed. Furthermore, four additional reinforcement stringers were custom fabricated from formed sheetmetal. They were welded in place. On the pics is the mock-up with pop rivets. Sharp edges were covered with a plastic edge protection after welding and painting.

The roof now is super solid. It would even hold a light person standing on the roof without deforming it. The result is a laser-straight roof area. All work was done by a professional body shop.

Sent this link to my body shop we have a dimple in the roof and it does seem real soft only one brace. Lets see what they say it may make the finish body prep easier.

had our shop do this thanks for the tip.

 

[Knoxferatu]

Really, really, really nice post! This is the kind of stuff I like to see.

 

[mach71351c]

This post is got me thinking.

 

[Qcode351mach]

This post is got me thinking.

Nothing to think about..now is the time while you have access to the roof..The one thing you want to do is make the braces fit everything first (make sure the braces don't interfere with the headliner rods) DON'T WELD IN till AFTER you prime or rustbullet..install your sound deadner..THEN the braces can be welded in permanently..

 

[mach 1 marc]

This post is got me thinking.

Nothing to think about..now is the time while you have access to the roof..The one thing you want to do is make the braces fit everything first (make sure the braces don't interfere with the headliner rods) DON'T WELD IN till AFTER you prime or rustbullet..install your sound deadner..THEN the braces can be welded in permanently..

When i saw this post i decided to have my body shop weld them in as well my roof had a real soft spot and before i saw this post the shop was saying that its hard to block the roofs of cars like this as they flex so much and body work will take longer to get the roof lazer straight. They installed these braces and put some kind if stuff behind them and now the roof is real firm. It will save time on Blocking so the cost ways itself out. This seems like a good move to me. Good Luck

 

[MustangMyWay]

What's the reason for using foam in between instead of the brace simply contact the roof?