HB roof and c-pilar replacement

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HB roof and c-pilar replacement

Postby Arei » Tue Jun 15, 2021 7:22 pm

Hello,

I bought Viva HB to restore. Car has very little rust on anywhere else but it had vinyl roof... So it now has starlight roof and c-pilars are not there anymore.

I found that c-pilars and roof panel has seam at upper end of c-pilar and there is a seam running in the upper doorway.

It seems that replacing the roof with better one might be doable but has anyone here done it before? I would want to replace it using factory seams.

Is the panels on the spot welded? There seams to be brass soldering on the seams.

Any help would be appreciated.

Sorry for my bad english, its not my native language...
Arei
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Re: HB roof and c-pilar replacement

Postby BobbyMel » Tue Jun 15, 2021 10:11 pm

Don't apologise for your English, it's better than some English peoples English...
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1968 - Vauxhall HB Viva Estate....BOB 33E
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Re: HB roof and c-pilar replacement

Postby rizzo » Tue Jun 15, 2021 10:35 pm

So let me get this straight you bought a good HB but it did have a vinyl roof fitted? (not any more) so is it rotton or just covered with glue?
Reading your post would suggest you have cut it off but later in the post you chat like its still on and asking for info, im abit confused.
Anyway whatever, if the roof is covered in glue just clean it up, if the roof is rotton it would have to pretty badly rotted to consider a roof change in my opinion.
If you have the skills to weld and do panelwork, and unpick seam welds and spot weld then yes why not, baring in mind the body would also need bracing to stop it flexing and assuming you can find a roof anywhere in the world that doesnt have a full car attached to it.
If you have chopped the roof off already i think it might of been prudent to ask the questions before you started the job. just saying.
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Re: HB roof and c-pilar replacement

Postby Arei » Wed Jun 16, 2021 9:54 pm

Car had vinyl roof that was torn. I removed the remnants of the vinyl and discovered the state of the roof...

Whole roof panel is badly pitted with rust and there are dozens of rust holes on roof panel alone. Also the C-pilars are also rusted/pitted.

There is no way to fix this properly, other than replacing the roof skin because there is nothing to weld a new metal.

I have located spare rusted shell that has usable roof but nothing has been cut yet as I have not found all the seams there are as I want to change it properly.
Arei
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Re: HB roof and c-pilar replacement

Postby cooperman » Wed Jun 16, 2021 10:19 pm

I have never done this but everything is possible with time and patience. I am sure that with reference measurements and some trial fitting it can be done. there is a seam on the c pillar and yes most likely there will be braze in the joint, you will have to cut the c pillar say 25mm higher to avoid the brazed joint or carefully grind it out.
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