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  • 1979 - 1995 (Fox, SN95.0, & 2.3L) -General/Talk-
  • Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech

Anyone ever replaced roof on Stang?

  • Thread starter Thread starter 5.04Life
  • Start date Start date Jun 5, 2004
5

5.04Life

New Member
Nov 25, 2003
26
0
1
Olympia, WA
Jun 5, 2004
#1
  • Jun 5, 2004
  • #1
This isn't really a tech related question, but I was just wondering if anyone ever had a similar experience. When I bought my Mustang a year ago it had a little rust formed around the sunroof, no where else on the car at all I had the bodyshop check just to be sure, but for some reason it was on the roof, anyways.. the bodyshop sanded it down, rustmort, the whole 9 yards for trying to remove the rust, but they said even though they got what they could see, it could eventually come back, no time slated. So to get on to my question, has anyone ever converted a sunroof car to a regular hardtop car and how much work would this require, would it be a simple cut and re-weld or would the integrity of the car become ruined? Also would the drain holes in the sunroof, I think there are 4 of them? also be rusted possibly. Anyways its not that big of a deal now but how long i am planning on keeping this car it could become a worse issue in the future. Thanks
 
1

10HoleLX

Member
Mar 6, 2004
257
0
17
Southern California
Jun 5, 2004
#2
  • Jun 5, 2004
  • #2
I've seen some cars at my local salvage yards with just the roof cut out.
The cuts were perfect so I think they used some type of plasma cutter.
 

hemi_fan

Active Member
Apr 8, 2004
279
3
28
Ontario, Canada
Jun 5, 2004
#3
  • Jun 5, 2004
  • #3
Id imagine it would be really really hard to fix the roof unless you cut the pillars right off on 2 different cars and just swapped roofs. But in either case, u mite be better off selling it and buying a cleaner 5.0... they arent very expensive.
 
D

D347643

Banned
Jan 28, 2003
1,095
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0
portland, OR
Jun 5, 2004
#4
  • Jun 5, 2004
  • #4
or a 4 banger and just convert everything over to 5.0 spec.
 
5

5.04Life

New Member
Nov 25, 2003
26
0
1
Olympia, WA
Jun 6, 2004
#5
  • Jun 6, 2004
  • #5
Well the thing is that everything else on the car is REALLY CLEAN, interior, underbody and every other part, that's why I don't really want to convert it or buy another one at this point in time. But thanks for the replies, also any guess on cost or replacement, any?
 
I

iwashmycar

20+ Year Stangneter
Apr 7, 2004
1,236
1
39
Columbus, Ohio
Jun 6, 2004
#6
  • Jun 6, 2004
  • #6
If you got it from salvage, it probably wouldn't cost much at all.

Would it be possible to get one with T-tops, and use different doors?? That would be cool.
 

Hissing Cobra

Founding Member
Jan 4, 2002
798
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17
Massachusetts
Jun 6, 2004
#7
  • Jun 6, 2004
  • #7
On the fox bodies, the roof skin is spot welded all the way around and then the lines skim coated to hide them on the pillars. The spot welds can be drilled out and the roof skin lifted off, but this is very time consuming, so I'm sure it can get expensive real fast.

I too, had this same problem around my sunroof and thinking that it may be easier to fix, I cut a roof off of a newer model. My bodyguy told me that it would be easier to fix the existing roof. So, he sandblasted the rust, cut out the weakened metal, welded in new pieces, skimmed, and finally finished it off. You can't even tell.

As for the other roof that I cut off the other car, well, I junked that.
 
5

5.0guy

Member
Apr 17, 2004
320
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17
MI
Jun 6, 2004
#8
  • Jun 6, 2004
  • #8
my roof has rust at the corners by the windshield. is that repairable?
 

mustang88GT

New Member
Jun 1, 2003
186
0
0
Charlotte, North Carolina
Jun 6, 2004
#9
  • Jun 6, 2004
  • #9
i used to work at a body shop, these were on new cars but they rplaced roofs and whole front clips... so image it can be done but unless u do it ur self it will be very expensive...
 

Ourobos

Member
Apr 12, 2004
260
1
17
Jun 6, 2004
#10
  • Jun 6, 2004
  • #10
My LX was in a hail storm. I replaced the fenders, hatch, and hood, leaving about 50 hail pings on the roof. There were a few really close to the windshield, and on the corner by the quarter windows. With about 18 hours of rubbing and some thin coats of bondo, along with good primer, it's cherry now.
 

88stangmangt

Active Member
Nov 25, 2003
2,332
1
48
Stafford,VA
Jun 6, 2004
#11
  • Jun 6, 2004
  • #11
i would guess thousands i heard of a company that use to convert a car to t-tops and it cost thousands.
 
5

5.04Life

New Member
Nov 25, 2003
26
0
1
Olympia, WA
Jun 6, 2004
#12
  • Jun 6, 2004
  • #12
Thanks again for all the replies, ya I know it would be expensive, but later on down the road when I can afford to assemble parts for a 347, suspension, and the works, I figure since I'm spending so much already, might as well fix everything on it. Probably sounds dumb to some, but I'm just that picky I guess.

Chad
 

trbkrb

Founding Member
Jun 4, 2001
1,976
4
39
Houston, TX
Jun 6, 2004
#13
  • Jun 6, 2004
  • #13
I know a guy that had it done by a friend in the body shop business. He got it done for a few hundred dollars.... it would have cost around $1500 or so if he didn't have a hook up. His car looked great after the repair.
 

F8Lstang

Member
Dec 6, 2003
47
0
6
Jun 7, 2004
#14
  • Jun 7, 2004
  • #14
I work at a body shop. It is possible and in fact easy, but takes a lot of time and knowledge. here are some pics of an intrepid we are repairing right now, including replacing the roof. the cost would be a couple thousand to replace and I don't recommend trying it yourself usless you are a great welder.
before:


as of friday:
 
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