vinyl top seam--how deep can you go with filler

[73-charger-383]

i had a vinyl top on my 73, and decided to take it off.  Now i want to try to fix that seam in the panels by the back windows.  If i use Metal to Metal, can i go 1/4 inch thick?? --or what's the best way to build it up to fill it??  --thanks guys

[Charger1973]

Im not sure how it will be fixed on my car yet, the body shop will be doing that part..  Not sure whether this will help you or not but I just happened to have a pic of how mine was done from the factory.  The areas I outlined in red were metal filler (lead?) and the rest was putty.  The putty was really old and cracked, it pretty much just fell out in chunks if you picked at it.  I didnt mess with the metal filler. 

[Drop Top]

I use Metal to Metal in there all the time. I used to use Lead. But lead is highly toxic. I quit useing lead altogether about 5 years ago. One thing I do as well, is weld the seam all the way up first. You don't have to do it. But it makes for a stronger or solid area. Witch means less flex in the roof area.

[73-charger-383]

so metal to metal is an acceptable subsititute for lead??

how about trim holes??  can i fill them with metal to metal too?, or do i HAVE to weld them shut?

[JimShine]

I used metal to metal to fill the seam and it worked great. Drop Top gave me that tip and I am grateful for it. I also did my trim holes as I wasn't sure what was going to happen to them. I found some trim and decided to install it. When I pressed a moderate amount of pressure over those holes, the filler popped out in a perfect circle. I don't think I would trust just filler if I wanted to keep it filled.

[Drop Top]

Always weld up holes first. I have seen many times, on a really nice car, only to see very small cracks in the paint where someone didn't weld up a hole. Next thing you know your hole is back.

[T16]

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,13889.0.html

I had the same problem..
I´ve welded the seam.. the filled it with fiberglass filler.. then polyester filler over that..

But after jacked the car up and down a couple of times in the garage, I noticed a crack in the leaded seam shown in the pic below 
So I had to grind down som lead and weld the seam at some points.. the fiberglass filler.. Same thing hapen on the other side so of the car
Will keep on looking for cracks after this.. dont want them to show up after the paintjob.. Will also mount some subframe connectors.. just to be sure the body wont flex to much