Deseam GT6 roof - opinions please.

[Selftapper]

HI,

I am halfway through roof repairs to my GT6 which involved cutting out the top section of the windscreen frame due to corrosion.

I intend to replace it with a section that I have removed from a Spitfire. I will need to weld a lip onto the spitfire screen frame in order to create the seamed joint with the roof skin.



I will also need to remove and replace the front lip from the roofskin as it is partially corroded.

At this stage in the repair, I  have the option not to weld a lip onto the Spitfire screenframe and when I  remove the front lip from the roof I could then weld the roofskin directly to the top screen surround and create a seamless joint.

I do not intend to deseam the rest of the car, but I reckon that the front roof seam is probably the one seam that could be removed that will not alter the overall appearance of the car. I would appreciate your opinions on any aspect of this aspect of the repair and the various options to finish. Thank you.

[Paudman]

Like this? A friend's car from way back in the late 1990s had the ref lip deseamed after a repair; it looked quite modern but stood out if two GT6 were parked side by side.

[Selftapper]

Yes. That would be something like what i had in mind but I would prefer if I could continue the existing slope of the roof skin down onto the screen frame without having to introduce the raised "bump" above the screen rubber like that one appears to have.

[John Bonnett]

Are you keeping or re-making the double skinned area immediately behind the windscreen frame. Without it a lot of stiffness will be lost as well as the mounting points for the mirror and sun visors. I had to fabricate a new section from scratch.

The big problem with de-seaming is the difficulty in welding and managing the distortion.

[GT6 M]

Git it off, and pay alott of attentionee to the gutter ends,
that Yella cars is awfull.

While yer atit, the windscreen/ door frame will be shot at too.
fill the bottom up,inside car at windscreen base,  ye gota bigg hole into top now, correct!!

then stuff down the frame some steel rods, as many as ye can get in
then, fill the thing up with resin, it,ll set solid,and add some stiffness into frame.

I did this, after pushing a Spitty wid me shoullder ont frame, just for the frame to bend up, and pop the screen.

here a few piks to stirr the imagination







M

[Selftapper]

Quoted from John Bonnett

Are you keeping or re-making the double skinned area immediately behind the windscreen frame. Without it a lot of stiffness will be lost as well as the mounting points for the mirror and sun visors. I had to fabricate a new section from scratch.

The big problem with de-seaming is the difficulty in welding and managing the distortion.

I am keeping the box section (with the mounting points) for rigidity. It was in good condition with only light surface rust which I manged to clean off and treat. I will be priming it up tomorrow.

I reckon that the welding will tricky and slow going. A case of "joining the spots" X 100 🙂

[Selftapper]

Quoted from GT6 M

Git it off, and pay alott of attentionee to the gutter ends,
that Yella cars is awfull.

While yer atit, the windscreen/ door frame will be shot at too.
fill the bottom up,inside car at windscreen base,  ye gota bigg hole into top now, correct!!

then stuff down the frame some steel rods, as many as ye can get in
then, fill the thing up with resin, it,ll set solid,and add some stiffness into frame.

I did this, after pushing a Spitty wid me shoullder ont frame, just for the frame to bend up, and pop the screen.

here a few piks to stirr the imagination







M

That roof profile looks fantastic and is exactly how I would like mine to end up. Thanks for your advice on the screen pillers.

Not just a big hole at the top .... I removed the gutter /drip channels off the back both pillers  as they were rotten. I then decided to open up the back of both pillers so that I could get in and clean and treat the insides. So the pillers are now open at the back. I cleaned and treated them today and am making up the closing plates to close up the pillers again once they are primed and painted inside tomorrow . Once everything is closed up I think I will take your advice about the metal rods and the resin. What type of resin did you use or what would it normally be used for ? Thanks again for those photos.

[GT6 M]

Ahhha, so ye found out that the pillars are rotted frae inside to out,
most are, condensation, and leaking top gutter seam to blame.

I used fiberglass resin, be carefull, mix it up with v little hardner, then it goes off slow
and dont build up alott of heat.
also need to treat the roof section after its done, stops the rot frae starting again.

If it were me, I,d dee away with that rust trap water channel on pillar,
no water comes in wid it removed, and also meks it a bit quieter frae wind noise.

M

[Selftapper]

This is how the screen pillers are at the moment.

[Selftapper]

Quoted from GT6 M

Ahhha, so ye found out that the pillars are rotted frae inside to out,
most are, condensation, and leaking top gutter seam to blame.

I used fiberglass resin, be carefull, mix it up with v little hardner, then it goes off slow
and dont build up alott of heat.
also need to treat the roof section after its done, stops the rot frae starting again.

If it were me, I,d dee away with that rust trap water channel on pillar,
no water comes in wid it removed, and also meks it a bit quieter frae wind noise.

M

Good idea. I was thinking of doing away with it altogether or at least I was going to try bonding one on with Tigerseal or something rather than spot welding.
I will try and seek out some of that fibreglass resin somewhere.

[Selftapper]

Well, I repaired the screen pillers and cleaned and treated them internally before welding them up again. I then welded the roof skin directly to the top frame without lip or seam. It will require a light skim of fillers to cover the weld/grinder marks before priming and painting. I have yet to finish off the roof drip rails at the front corners and also to decide whether to refit drip rails to the screen pillers. If I do, I certainly will not be welding them on so I may use some panel bonding adhesive or something to hold them on.









I am glad to have the roof and screen piller repairs out of the way as I was not looking forward to tackling them. I am also glad to have taken the seamless option for the roof/screen joint . Thanks to those who offered the advice and photographs that helped me decide.

[GT6 M]

Well done,   Butt, ye gotta fit the rubber in spot befoer any filling is done
this to get a ..line to work too.

And, dont leave the gutter ends like they are, looks so so niff naff
look at my first pic,  its wee,l blended in.
this has gotta be reet, as its on MK 1 Eyeball level / sight.

Dont bother wid that seemingly useless gutter channel ont pillars,
its useless, an only good for mek,n a noise at speed.

M

[Paudman]

Quoted from GT6 M

that Yella cars is awfull.

Good job it wasn't mine then, otherwise I might have been offended at someone's opinion.

[GT6 M]

Quoted from Paudman

Good job it wasn't mine then, otherwise I might have been offended at someone's opinion.

Well if ye had read the first bit,

Git it off, and pay alott of attentionee to the gutter ends,
that Yella cars is awfull.

And if ye think that that yella cars ends are OK, then ye should be offended.


Offended to yer self  at praising such a botch up

M