Removing roof skin?

[CG]

I've read a couple threads lately with guys removing the roof skin. Looks like a tedious job along all of the drip rail, but doable.

When it comes to that rear seam though, ugh! Is there any way around really making a mess of it to get it off?

[LockDoc]

Originally Posted by CG

I've read a couple threads lately with guys removing the roof skin. Looks like a tedious job along all of the drip rail, but doable.

When it comes to that rear seam though, ugh! Is there any way around really making a mess of it to get it off?

You can't really drill the spot welds because of the angles of the upper and lower roof sections. I have never separated one there but I can see it would be a real pain in the keester. I would probably cut it about a 1/4 inch above the seam and butt weld the new skin on. Hopefully someone will post up a better solution.

EDIT: I got to thinking and I suppose you could cut it along the top edge of the seam, drill the spot welds around the drip rail and remove the outer skin, then drill the spot welds across the back seam.

LockDoc

[ryans69chevy]

I put my cut off wheel basically right in the seam. I tried cutting more of the roof skin while doing that. It worked pretty nice. Drilled all my spot welds and removed the skin. I'm hoping to reinstall it soon...

[Steeveedee]

Originally Posted by ryans69chevy

I put my cut off wheel basically right in the seam. I tried cutting more of the roof skin while doing that. It worked pretty nice. Drilled all my spot welds and removed the skin. I'm hoping to reinstall it soon...

Pics or it didn't happen! I guarantee you that a lot of people are interested in this.

[B. W.]

Cut the rear at an angle as close the the seam as you feel comfortable. You don't have to get super close, sometimes the excess is an advantage when drilling the spot welds. It gives you something to grip when prying.

1st pic is with the roof cut off
2nd pic is removing the remainder.
3rd is with everthing removed

I used a spot drill, on some that I didn't drill centered I would finish off with a die grinder & twist/pry/pull. There's about 50-60 spot welds. By the time you're done you'll be good at it!

Both sides to the front corners are triple thick (counting the roof skin). The front above the windshield is only doubled but the drip edge is very thick. the rear is only double & standard thickness but if you drill through both you can't see the holes when the new skin is bonded.

Side note: my roof panel was date stamped, so was the the insulation (that looks alot like roofing felt)

[68Gold/white]

There's a thread in the build section here, titled 68 Chevrolet slow and quiet build. It's on first page right now. Whole buncha roof cutting going on there!!!

[Originalthor]

Yup I've carve both upper and lower skins off with minimum damage done to both. The upper is actually really easy to save. Just got to take your time. I would post a link to my build thread but I'm on the phone so little tougher to do but 68goldwhite named it. Thanks

[Originalthor]

Heres the link to the build and a walk through on how to remove the top and keep the back edge. It goes back on the truck every night so it doesn't get damaged it supper flimsy and you would never know for looking at it that its lose


http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=751169

[ryans69chevy]

Originally Posted by Steeveedee

Pics or it didn't happen! I guarantee you that a lot of people are interested in this.

I posted pics of it in my build thread! it's not as wild as what Thor is doing! Mine looks exactly like BW's. It was a good time to fix the cab roof lights too.

[Shaky]

I suppose you saw mine in other threads. We just chose to go past that seam since the donor truck piece was good all around and the existing dent affected that seam.

[CG]

I had seen a few threads and noticed it was extremely difficult to get to that rear seam without doing other damage. I wonder where it was in the assembly process of these cabs from the factory? No way it was such a daunting task when it came to putting these things together in the first place.

[ZEKE68]

Subscribed, Thanks

[68Gold/white]

I wonder what that material is between the 2 layers of steel??? Looks like roofing felt...I wonder if it is asbestos??? Hope not...AND why did they not cover the whole top???

Chip Foose built a 67 C10 on Overhaulin. They removed the drip rail on it. The cut small pieces of the rail off at a time, and welded it up before cutting off another small piece (I'm thinking 12" at a time). THey said this was easier way to do it, cuttting off large pieces caused metal to deform...

[Shaky]

It was some sort of tar paper on mine. Did not appear to be asbestos.

They must have determined that a piece that size was sufficient to dampen the vibrations/sound.

[68Gold/white]

Originally Posted by Shaky

It was some sort of tar paper on mine. Did not appear to be asbestos.

They must have determined that a piece that size was sufficient to dampen the vibrations/sound.

Sounds like engineers at work...at least they were GM engineers, no telling what one of the lesser brands have in them...oh yeah, I remember....rust!

When reconstructing, using some of the latest and greatest insulation material would likely make a BIG difference in sound abatement and insulating properties...

[Ryanz]

Originally Posted by B. W.

Cut the rear at an angle as close the the seam as you feel comfortable. You don't have to get super close, sometimes the excess is an advantage when drilling the spot welds. It gives you something to grip when prying.

1st pic is with the roof cut off
2nd pic is removing the remainder.
3rd is with everthing removed

I used a spot drill, on some that I didn't drill centered I would finish off with a die grinder & twist/pry/pull. There's about 50-60 spot welds. By the time you're done you'll be good at it!

Both sides to the front corners are triple thick (counting the roof skin). The front above the windshield is only doubled but the drip edge is very thick. the rear is only double & standard thickness but if you drill through both you can't see the holes when the new skin is bonded.

Side note: my roof panel was date stamped, so was the the insulation (that looks alot like roofing felt)

Sorry, I know this is an old thread. I am at the same process as you were with replacing outer roof skin. Can you tell me what you did to attach the back seam? Did you weld and then just get rid of the stock seam look?

[Roostre]

Originally Posted by Ryanz

Sorry, I know this is an old thread. I am at the same process as you were with replacing outer roof skin. Can you tell me what you did to attach the back seam? Did you weld and then just get rid of the stock seam look?

Check out my build thread, I cut the roof off and ground out the spot welds the same way as described here. My outer skin was junk anyway, so I didn't care about wrecking it. I then used 3M structural adhesive to put the new outer skin back on.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=784468