Rusty roof replacement question. Questions, actually :)

[Tim_A]

Dear guys!
After several years of watching the orange 69 shorted stepside and a separate rolling chassis sitting in my garage, I decided to actually start restoring the truck and transferring it to the new chassis.
I seem to be pretty clear on all the restoration aspects except the roof. Below are the pics of the extent of the damage. I have no idea where to start. I have seen new outer skins in LMC, but the rust problem seems to be concentrated along the drip rails. Hence the questions:
1. As far as I understand the easiest way to solve my problem is replacing the whole roof with a donor one. Question is, where to find a donor roof? And is it realistic to expect to find one or am I going to get the same thing I already have? I will try to place a WTB post in classifieds, but maybe you know a place that can have one, or maybe someone has a roof he can spare (dreams, dreams).
2. If I do not find the roof. What parts do I have to get to replace it (outer skin, inner skin, front inner insert, left and right drip rails). What about the front drip rail above the windshield? I have not seen it in any catalogue.
3. If I buy all those parts, can someone point me in the direction of a detailed restoration report, explaining step-by-step roof restoration? I will definitely search this forum, but maybe you have seen something really good.
I will try to post updates on the truck transformation as I go. Thanks in advance for any advise!
Tim

[o6r1man]

Mine is doing that too, but mine is mostly on the drip rail. I'm hoping I can get rid of most of it by shaving the drip rail....

[Tim_A]

That is definitely a possibility. I want the stock look though. I hope I will find a donor roof.

[veedubshafer]

It doesn't look that bad. Is it really all that soft?

[hugger6933]

Now on the late model wrecks that I build, if a roof skin is out of the realm of reality I would go the "clip top" route. That is normally cut through the windshield post and the back glass hole. It is too bad your not closer I think I have one that is in great shape that I don't plan to use. A clip top is a little more difficult than the "clip cab" that is cut through the floor but it is not as hard as you think. Jim

[Tim_A]

Top clip is what I am looking for. If you have one, I can check the shpping options. Can you send me a pic of it?

[Tim_A]

Originally Posted by veedubshafer

It doesn't look that bad. Is it really all that soft?

It is rusted inside the seam. You can not get rid of that. It makes no sence to restore the car without solving this.

[LockDoc]

Originally Posted by Tim_A

Top clip is what I am looking for. If you have one, I can check the shpping options. Can you send me a pic of it?

It shouldn't be that hard to find one but you will have to get away from the salt air to find a good one. Up here the trucks rust from the bottom up and down there they rust from the top down. I have four good roofs, one with cab lights and three without, and I just scrapped cab with a good roof because I didn't need to save any more. If you can't work out a deal with Jim I would check with member "southern parts" Here is one of his threads....

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=621951

I 'm not interested in trying to ship any of the ones I have.

LockDoc