rusty roof tear off
Have to agree assuming the inner structure is still sound. Just replace the skin. I've cut through a couple B bodies at the bone yards in order to get rear clips to take home to later carefully remove parts for quarter and trunk patches.
The C pillars I've cut through are like the layers of an onion inside with multiple channels for structure and support. I don't know how you would re-weld some of those without removing the outer layers and working your way from the center back out to the outer layers. Guys do it all the time but they have the knowledge and skills. I'm not sure you would save all that much time. You want to do it right and keep the structure sound.
When I lived in Minnesota back in the 80's there was a huge problem with unethical shops that had been attaching clips by just welding the outer surfaces. After a little winter road salt got to them, the cars were literally breaking in half when hitting bumps on the roads. I understand this is a different situation than a roof but if I were driving family and friends around, I'd want all the structure to be properly repaired.
What it comes down to is that you'll have to look at the inner structure condition and your skills and decide if just skinning the roof or replacing the entire assembly would be more time and cost effective.
Just an example of an A pillar
Have to agree assuming the inner structure is still sound. Just replace the skin. I've cut through a couple B bodies at the bone yards in order to get rear clips to take home to later carefully remove parts for quarter and trunk patches.
The C pillars I've cut through are like the layers of an onion inside with multiple channels for structure and support. I don't know how you would re-weld some of those without removing the outer layers and working your way from the center back out to the outer layers. Guys do it all the time but they have the knowledge and skills. I'm not sure you would save all that much time. You want to do it right and keep the structure sound.
When I lived in Minnesota back in the 80's there was a huge problem with unethical shops that had been attaching clips by just welding the outer surfaces. After a little winter road salt got to them, the cars were literally breaking in half when hitting bumps on the roads. I understand this is a different situation than a roof but if I were driving family and friends around, I'd want all the structure to be properly repaired.
What it comes down to is that you'll have to look at the inner structure condition and your skills and decide if just skinning the roof or replacing the entire assembly would be more time and cost effective.
Just an example of an A pillar