Pitted Roof

[rocky61201]

I've been dreading getting to work on the roof and now I know why. Car originally had vinyl roof and somebody decided to take it off for whatever reason and slap some putty over the pitts and prime it up.  Just wondering what your recommendations are since new roof skins and chrome vinyl roof trim along with drip rail trim is extremely hard to come by.

Once I get rid of as much rust as I can and smooth the pitts out as best I can, is it safe to put some type of rust preventing coating over it and then spray some good quality (PPG) expoxy sealer primary over it.  Then continue on with smoothing it (glazing putty) out for final paint? 

Am I on the right track or does anybody have a better recommendation?

[goosesgarage]

If you caint rind a replacement roof, I would sand blast it then weld up all the pit holes. Cut out any major areas where the rust is real bad and fabract a replacement pannel. Grind down the welds the use same all metal filler sand smooth then epoxy prime.

[Charger-Bodie]

AMD has roof skins available... I think that the direction Id be heading.

[tan top]

AMD has roof skins available... I think that the direction Id be heading.

think by the time you blast / wirebrush , acid treat the rust ,or what ever ??  your going to have hundreds of pin holes an more thin spots ready to go through ,  think i'll be looking at a new Roof skin also 

[rocky61201]

If AMD has roofskins, they aint on their website.  Guess I'll give them a call tomorrow.  Thanks for the info and the other tips. 

Surprised nobody told me to make it a targa or convertible, lol.
 

[rocky61201]

Anybody got any close up pics of the roof section of the chrome trim for the canopy vinyl top option?

Thats what my car originally came with and you can tell by looking at my roof. (Only the front half is pitted and the back is picture perfect metal)

Just wondering if going back to this original option might save me some money if that chrome trim on the roof can be duplicated, unless somebody has it for sale???

Only thing that got me thinking about this route is anybody ever seen those cheesy vinyl tops people add to the pimped out rides? Well they have to use some sort chrome trim to frame it up right? Maybe I could use it.

Just wondering how I can blend it into the top back corner where the quarter window meets the roof. (Where the drip rail ends) Thats why I'm interested in some close up pics of that spot. 

[doctor4766]

What model car are you referring to here?

[Charger-Bodie]

What model car are you referring to here?

Good question... I guess I went right to thinking it was a 2nd generation, but I can see now that it isnt.

[rocky61201]

Sorry about that.  71.

[charger_fan_4ever]

I wouldn't go near the roof with anything stronger than a mini hand held sand blast. A real sand blaster will warp that skin into swiss cheese. The spots that were ok will be wavy like the ocean if you hit it with a real sand blaster.

I'd probably use one of the little wheels that look like a hard sponge and grind down as much rust as i could with it. Then go over it with a mini blast to get all the rust out.

Not big on the idea of sealing the rust, cause in a few years you will be looking at redoing it. IMO the only way is to remove the rust first before any body work is done. Does not take much moisture to bubble out down the road.

[73charger440]

i seen a article in a couple magazines years ago about a spray type weld that sould be used on whole panels and drip wheels but havent heard anything more about it in  a couple  of years ,i know this dont help but maybe someone s elses has heard about this process

[rocky61201]

Thanks for all of the helpfull advice guys, much appreciated.  Called AMD today and they said no roof skins and nothing new on the horizon other than what they already sell on their website for us 3rd Gen guys.  Oh well.

[71_Charger_R/T]

I'd replace the roof skin...... I DID replace the roof skin on my '71. All the 2 door B-body roof skins from '71-74 are the same. Not a terribly hard job to do.  I think you'll be disappointed in a few years if you just "patch" that one up.