Roof swap experience

[bishy3000]

Does anyone have any experience of cutting a roof off and welding it on another 5? (to replace one with a sunroof for one without)
Any advice appreciated, Thanks.

[Junglist]

Can't you just weld a piece over the hole rather than changing the roof?

[bishy3000]

Can't you just weld a piece over the hole rather than changing the roof?

I thought that, but I've been advised against it as it will warp the roof badly. He suggested I bond a plate of metal from the inside but I'm not sure how to get a good finish with the overlapping edge. I was wondering if anyone had done a roof transplant as there is an old 5 at a garage near me without a sunroof and I'd buy that to do it if it was straight forward enough, i'd get the roof lining with it aswell then.

[Sparkie]

the mk1 5 guys do this to get a turbo 2 without a sunroof. i'm assuming a gtt ne is similar. you drill out all the spot welds that hold the roof on, then remove it in one piece and then reweld back on you car.

however i did once buy a car that had 6 cuts - one through each pillar - which was only visible when you pulled the plastics away....they had literally bodged a new roof on!

[Penfold aka The Dealer]

My old gordini had its sun roof welded up, couldn't tell from the outside... How ever it didn't have any roof lining so you could tell from the inside...

I would have thought its worth talking to a body shop about what they would recommend... The roof is so vital, I would rather have the safest possible option than bodge it on and wing unsafe in the event of rolling the car...

[Pete@Backyard Racing]

As sparkle said its an easy job for a body shop,all your doing us replacing the roof skin.
just drill the spot welds on the roof skin, cut the mastic and lift off.
New roof skin. mastic, weld then paint.

[bishy3000]

Would anyone on here volunteer doing it (properly) for me?
Or can anyone recommend a body shop in the midlands that would do it?
I guess most body shops would agree to do it but you only know if they're any good after the event. Personal recommendation is priceless and I agree with Penfold on the safety aspect.

[bishy3000]

I'd consider having a plate welded in if it was not noticeable afterwards to be fair, I've seen some bad ones though.

[James5]

Reading this reminds me of how Gary aka schwartz done his roof I have no pics but hopefully gary will upload one soon

[bishy3000]

Reading this reminds me of how Gary aka schwartz done his roof I have no pics but hopefully gary will upload one soon

Did he weld a plate in or change the whole skin?

[dangerous dave]

Getting the roof off your car will be the easy bit.. Getting one to go on will be interesting, a new one is surely gonna cost a few quid and a second hand one will take lots of prep..

I just cleaned up a used lower windscreen surround for welding on my gtt, takes a lot of grinding to free the metal without fecking it all up..

I'd tackle it if I felt the need, mine has a sunroof and I wish it didn't, but I can't be ar5rd with the hard work, I'd need a garage to prep and one to store the car

Or a double garage

[James5]

Did he weld a plate in or change the whole skin?

ill let Gary answer that one

[SCHWARTZ]

thanks James. Nothing wrong with my roof it was quick simple and don't leak il get a pix up later as I have none on the phone.

[gimme5]

I did this six years ago, I worked in a body shop at the time and the skin cost me around £160 then. It took me one day to remove and prep. one day to weld on and fill. and the third day to paint and the fourth to polish refit liner etc. I'm guessing body shops charge around £20-£30 p/h plus materials, just food for thought mate that said if you are going ahead I wouldn't just fill the hole in.

[Tutuur]

i bought a roof a few years back and it has cost me €550 so i don't think they'll be that cheap anymore!

however i've never got round to fitting it but what i did is drill all the point welds around the roof, remove some bonding at the rear and lifted the roof off.

if you're going to do it i strongly advice you to use a new roof plate! welding a plate in is always going to suck with bubbles etc. due to the heat of welding and ofcourse the possibility of rust in between the plates.

i would offer you the roof for a good price however it's in the Netherlands

[SCHWARTZ]

I know its a pisstake on James's part but here's what I did anyway cheap quick and keeps the water out

[James5]

To be honest Gary I thought you were the only one to have done this to a 5 but I found a pic last night of europarts orange gtt the one with the holesaw holes through out and they done the same thing matey

[SCHWARTZ]

Its all about the weight

[bishy3000]

What material have you used there Schwartz?
Is it a metal plate?
Or plastic sheet?

[Hoolio]

Lino?

[SCHWARTZ]

lino I wish, some roof felt i had knocking about
Its just a plastic sheet with a carbon fiber effect on it, i got it to do some door cards and a few gauge holders and had some left over. I would suggest using a sheet of carbon fiber for strength if its not too much think i was quoted £100 for a rectangle to do it so that went out the window. I just had this knocking around at the time and its miles better than a leaking sunroof

[SCHWARTZ]

also did about 4 rings of silicone around the sunroof hole inside of the holes for the rivets and one on the outside of the rivet holes, if that makes sense then pop riveted it together.

[Junglist]

Why are you doing away with the sunroof anyhow ?

[bishy3000]

I get a crotch full of water when I go around a corner, it seems to stash itself up there until I go round a corner then it's like somebody pouring a jug of water on my lap. Tried to silicone it shut but it still leaks. They look better without them aswell. Pretty pointless 'added extra' if you ask me, they only open an inch!

[Chunk]

Speak to Coops on clio16valver - He had his roof skin swapped on the Clio at a bodyshop in the Midlands and the finish was perfect.

[AidenJ]

I get a crotch full of water when I go around a corner, it seems to stash itself up there until I go round a corner then it's like somebody pouring a jug of water on my lap. Tried to silicone it shut but it still leaks. They look better without them aswell. Pretty pointless 'added extra' if you ask me, they only open an inch!

Mine did that too!

I spoke to the welders at work and they said the worst thing to do would be to weld a plate in as the roof would warp horribly.

I never fixed mine I just bought another 5 and swapped all the good bits over haha!