the roof ain't on fire

[tinman]

but it looks like it was at some point
http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/792341/fullsize/roofpitted.jpg

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/791385/fullsize/image000.jpg

my first intention was to use a sunroof to minimize the area that needs saving & the amount of work to do it, so i cut the hole all real nice and centered and pretty

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/791402/fullsize/image004.jpg

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/791404/fullsize/image005.jpg

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/791407/fullsize/image007.jpg

then i got to sanding what was left, and found that the situation was pretty hopeless. the rust pits started turning into holes, there'd be nothing left but Lorraine Swiss. that quip about a screendoor on a submarine comes to mind

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/793859/fullsize/pittedcraters.jpg

[tinman]

after confirming that the roof i saw in ebay was still available and making arrangements i cut the bulk of skin off to see what's goin on underneath

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/792168/fullsize/siderust.jpg

my next intention was to just use the skin from the donor roof, but i found some inner reinforcement stampings were cheesed as well. OK, so i swap in a couple inner panels too... that would require completely dis-assembling a perfectly good assembly, cutting every spotweld and tuning up every inch of every edge. in other words, a LOT of work.

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/792168/fullsize/siderust.jpg

after much deliberation i decided to cut the pillars and re-attach the complete donor roof

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/793853/fullsize/template.jpg

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/793858/fullsize/chopped.jpg

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/794143/fullsize/apillarxsection.jpg

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/793847/fullsize/allowance.jpg

[tinman]

after cutting both roofs to match, the first fitting was a nail-biter but matched up amazingly well. i only missed the mark by a little bit in one place and it should be an easy fix, good thing i left the extra metal!

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/794028/fullsize/firstfit.jpg

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/795180/fullsize/drvsail.jpg

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/795181/fullsize/drvinbed.jpg

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/795182/fullsize/drvapillar.jpg

ATM it's ready for just a little more fine tuning where the edges all meet up and then welding. i've been taking a little break to take care of some long put off indoor projects, just as well, it got cold & rainy here

[pdw72]

Yuk, another reason I am glad to have an Arizona car, did it originally have a vinyl roof on it? Looks like you are doing a good job with the replacement roof.

[tinman]

it had the belt-line chrome trim at the base of the sail panel so it might've had a vinyl top, IDK why it would have that trim other than a different color painted roof from the factory if they even did that? i'm just not curious enough to pull a Marty report ATM, and i think they need the long gone door tag info to pull the Ford 999 report? maybe i'll give it a shot anyway...

[pdw72]

Kinda what I thought, typical for a roof to rust badly when the vinyl gets a little moisture under it, had a 77cougar xr7 that had a fair amount of rust on the door a-pillars, was going to re-roof it with a t-bird moonroof, but ended up scrapping it due to the need to get my dads place cleaned up and only had time and space for my 79 stang project, then along came the ranchero so even the stang took a trip to the crusher, really wish I still had them both and they were still both very fixable. At last this one shows promise of being done, just hauled it to my buddy's place for the frame swap, maybe get it back in a few weeks depending on the time I am able to get out to help him.

Anyway, good luck with yours, keep us up on the progress.

[tinman]

time to get this thang wrapped up. i formed the new seam by offsetting both sides to create a trench to weld in and mud over

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/798973/fullsize/weldtrench.jpg

i have that seam welded and the interior panel behind it stitched back together so far

[tinman]

takin a lot longer than i like but i got back out there, welding's done and i got the old paint off. the new roof had 1 repaint on it, the rest of the car looks to have 3 or more. time to mud it in

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/801666/fullsize/metal.jpg

[tinman]

one bite at a time!

the quarters are roughed but need some tweeking, both doors were rotted some underneath & the front corner of the drivers got folded under somehow... now we're chewin on the fenders. they're both crispy rusted toast inside the hood & there's no budget for rust free replacements. i couldn't believe it, a CL ad for FREE 79 fenders 1/2 hour away, i was all over it. picked them up this morning at 5 & the guy through in the complete header panel no extra charge! not that i can use it but i know those turn signals are usually in demand, & if a guy needs the turn signals he might need the complete header?

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/813047/fullsize/psidedusty.jpg

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/813043/fullsize/drvnodoor.jpg

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/813048/fullsize/fndrtoast.jpg

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/813049/fullsize/fndrcutoff2.jpg

the complete fenders aren't of much use but the sections inside the hood are gonna make some nice prefabricated patch panels. there's a slight difference of one mounting bolt & a difference of the inner support near the hood hinge. i'm gonna incorporate the 72 mount to the firewall and the 79 inner support bracket so they'll be twice as strong as either was stock. the 72 mount bracket to the cowl side stays too.

today i also welded up the holes for the FORD letters on the 72 header panel & it's roughed & primed too... still gotta season the light buckets, gravel pan & fender extensions.

what's the easie$t way to dechrome or prepare a bumper for paint?

[72Chero]

you certainly have your work CUT out for you... hehehe no pun intended. No wonder you wanted the front clip off that demo car... I don't even know if he still has it. Wish I had the time to bring it to you. good work so far friend... stay in touch please :D

[tinman]

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/813898/fullsize/image005.jpg

i got it back to my little corner for the slice & dice on the fenders, bondoman has another job to do so i'm gonna play Dr Frankenstein again while he hangs some parts on a Cherokee. i think he needs a break from this for a while anyway.

today i went medieval on the hood with a sawzall, i saved the GT scoop either for sale or to keep in stock. not sure which it'll be yet but maybe i'll need it someday to cover the hole for the blower in the flat hood that i hopefully have coming from Colorado Springs. i kinda like the shaker look though...

http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w274/tinman351/shaker.jpg

[72Chero]

that flat hood is propped up against my shed in the back yard just lookin awesome.... no rust you need to do a road trip with the wifey :D just sayin'

[tinman]

you aughta get it inside the shed or tarp it, one of my GT hoods i left out back for a while, it's rusting inside around the edges :mad:

i just started trimmin on the drivers side fender to fit the replacement metal, here's the view from inside... very similar to what was inside the roof

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/813927/fullsize/insdfendr.jpg

ya got me thinkin about a trip to somewhere's they got other than concrete & asphalt... but i'm pretty stuck here in the rust belt makin 1 outta 38

[72Chero]

I'll take a looksie at it but I think its fine... remember we don't get the weather ya'll do :D.....

and trust me country roads are not that much easier on rides...they kinda beat the paint off the rides.... we actually have a newer surface coming about on our roads, they are a rubber type compound. They use a gravel/recycled tire combination, they drop down a oil then this compound.... the cars/trucks beat it down into the old asphalt and after a couple weeks they send out the street sweepers to clean up what didn't adhere... then they stripe. Its an amazing mixture, Ice don't form on those roads very well and let me tell ya... in the summer months you have amazing traction :D very cool stuff....

[tinman]

i been hackin on the fenders today, darn hot out there too.

turns out what i thought was identical metal is a little different, the arc of the hood at the fender line is flatter in 79 than it was in 72. i don't think i ever realized that the 77-9's were so much wider either but that's not gonna be a problem, i'm only using less than 1" of 79 fender to adhere to. thinkin about trimmin it down to 3/4" or a 1/2"

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/814140/fullsize/fendrpatchgap.jpg

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/814142/fullsize/fendrpatchfit.jpg

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/814143/fullsize/fenderpatchview.jpg

[tinman]

i'd take your country roads over our pavement most days. not unusual at all to suspect severe suspension/tire/wheel damage here on a daily basis

Chicago drivers used to say we have 2 seasons; winter & construction but construction has evolved into a year round perpetuality. the only question is How many lanes are open/closed? you can't even change your route because all the roads are torn up all the time, seems like they used to work on 1 at a time and made discernable progress like getting it done before cutting holes in the next and leaving it sit for months while they piddle on another.

the highways are inadequate for the traffic with no construction going on. a 25-30 minute ride at 5am takes 2 hours at 3pm. SNOW? the same ride took 4 hours at the beginning of a heavy snow, there wasn't 1/2" down when i started but maybe 3-4" when i got home and i didn't see a plow until within a mile of home

IDOT = FAIL

[tinman]

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/814510/fullsize/clipoff.jpg

i been workin on the railroad again. i got the whole clip stripped off to the frame, bad news is i found rust in the cowl... par for the course i guess

since it looks like i'm gonna need to strip the firewall to do a decent job of rust repair i think next i'm gonna pull out the steering column & pedal supports. i have the floor shift column & Q code pedals/supports from the Torino, thinkin about going full manual; trans, steering, brakes, windows, locks... this ain't no grandpappymambypamby build!

[pdw72]

I like the manual trans idea, but not so up on the manual brakes and steering. Looks like it is coming around though, I gotta respect the kind if work you are doing.

[tinman]

the reason for the steering is because i only get to run 1 belt off the crank with the blower drive set up i have, and it's the alternator

brakes schmakes who needs em? but really, my 72 Q code Torino had the manual brakes on it, it wasn't that bad. i'm gonna try to size the master to improve the apply pressure

so where's those pics? can you e them to me and i'll see if i can get them up

[tinman]

wow man. i got the drivers side firewall stripped, a handfull of nuts & the heater box comes out... again

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/814641/fullsize/frwaldrvseat.jpg

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/814645/fullsize/frwaloutsd.jpg

i've been wondering where this little trinket got to for years, & i actually found it! then i got to panicking about the rod from the brake pedal to the master, i guess it's part of the master on manual brakes... new master on the way

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/814685/fullsize/manulbrkadptr.jpg

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/814686/fullsize/manulbrkadptin.jpg

[pdw72]

the reason for the steering is because i only get to run 1 belt off the crank with the blower drive set up i have, and it's the alternator


Well, since you put it that way:cool:

I should be finishing up the frame on Friday and will have more pics, am going to try to use my nephew's computer to upload them this weekend. I got an 8yr old computer with dial-up, his yr old with cable internet should be a little more dependable:D

[tinman]

it's a good thing i work cheap, 7 hours with no break to get the top of the cowl off. i just couldn't see going forward without addressing the issue, and what fun it was getting in there!

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/814967/fullsize/worktopedge.jpg

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/814977/fullsize/cutter.jpg

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/814965/fullsize/chiselift.jpg

from the driver side to the passenger side

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/814975/fullsize/drvsiderust.jpg

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/814974/fullsize/middlerust.jpg

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/814973/fullsize/hatrust.jpg

[tinman]

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/815214/fullsize/hatnew.jpg

[tinman]

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/815272/fullsize/fiberglass.jpg

[Prostreet]

Nice :D Lots of metal work keeps a guy busy :D :D

[tinman]

time to get this phase done already!

after building up some low areas to smooth the drainage flow, i sprayed black paint on top of a wet fiberglass resin 'wash' in hopes that the paint won't ever peel

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/820432/fullsize/doneinside.jpg

[tinman]

the inside of the cover is now rust treated, rust & extra holes including a couple that take oval rubber plugs are closed up, and it's got a couple coats of Black Epoxy paint on it, i hit the bare metal around the edges on the cowl with Weld Through Coating, ready to tack back on i guess?

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/821251/fullsize/coverpainted.jpg

[72Chero]

WOW at this rate you'll have it running.... errrr uhmmm next week ??? :D hugs

and nice work

[tinman]

i'm really draggin on this thing, shoulda been done & painted by now. i still gotta seem the fenders back together, get the tubs & core support painted... i hope it's warm this winter but that's not the Farmers Almanac said

[72Chero]

I think we are in for a real bitter winter this year....