RRC Roof Removal - Tips / Tricks?

[Mercguy]

Just asking -

The headliner decided to part ways on me this morning - seems open windows can elicit the fabric from it's home.

Since I have to remove half the interior to pull the liner out, I'd thought I'd ask how much more difficult is it to unbolt / remove the roof? I'm aware there are plastic bungs along the top door rails, and guess there's probably the same hiding in the rear behind the headliner panel.

But are there any other tricky ones or problem areas to be aware of?

I figure that this is a really good time to undertake some refinishing work on the roof, and removing it would make the job far easier. It will also allow me tocheck for other signs of potential rust etc and bond the roof down with sikaflex urethane as well.

Anyone with prior experience wish to share the benefit of their knowledge?

TIA.

[Chivalry]

Relatively simple but tedious job, there are screws along the top of the windscreen frame inside the car and apart from the screws under those grommets in the door openings there are some above the quarter windows inside the car and the ones at the back are under (on a 1986 at least) pieces of gaffer tape. The roof I removed (from a 1986 high line) was bonded to the body with double-sided foam adhesive tape.

Checking in my 1985 which currently has no headliner in it, there are 10 phillips heads at the front, 15 on each side and 10 at the back, so 50 in total just for the roof. The wiring harness needs to be dropped down on the passenger side of the car and the rear window wiper motor also needs to be removed to access some of the screws in the rear passenger corner. From memory I slowly broke the seal of the adhesive by pushing the handle of a mallet or such up along the sides. I used a 1/4" ratchet with extensions and bit coupler to remove mine, a drill would also be good.

Everything inside my 1985 under the headliner looks like new.

[Mercguy]

Thanks, that's great information.
Interesting note about the doublesided foam tape. I think this may potentially have been a source for previous water ingress along the roofline.

Since I have replaced the windscreen with a new one and new rubber, sealed it with urethane at the front, it only makes sense to do the same with the roof.

I know I only have to remove the roof lining, but figured killing 2 birds with one stone is worthwhile.

[DoubleChevron]

Thanks, that's great information.
Interesting note about the doublesided foam tape. I think this may potentially have been a source for previous water ingress along the roofline.

Since I have replaced the windscreen with a new one and new rubber, sealed it with urethane at the front, it only makes sense to do the same with the roof.

I know I only have to remove the roof lining, but figured killing 2 birds with one stone is worthwhile.

If you seal it with a urethane ...... It's NEVER coming off again!

[Mercguy]

That's right :) I don't want it to 'ever' come off. The plus is that sikaflex provides a structural bond as well as weatherproofing, something the double sided tape won't.

When I first cleaned it with the pressure washer, There was quite a bit of moisture ingress, due to my pretty aggressive cleaning techniques used on the panel gaps / door jambs etc.

Well, we had a horrible 2.5 weeks of sideways rain here recently and so much volume that inevitably some moisture crept inside the vehicle. Not anything to worry about mind you, but enough to raise awareness.

The roof could do with a bit of TLC, as a small section of clearcoat came off during the storms, something I noticed last week. So I had the idea of getting the roof blasted and powdercoated silver - maybe it's enough to make 'nice' ?

I thought the silver might additionally help reflect some heat.

It was simply an idea, I can sand it back and respray it as well, but the powdercoating guy's just up the road and I'm sure it wouldn't be any less expensive than a pro sprayjob. Probably last longer too.... one would hope.

like I said, just an idea at the moment, I have to execute on the plan soon though, a saggy headliner is not much fun.

[gavinwibrow]

So I had the idea of getting the roof blasted and powdercoated silver - maybe it's enough to make 'nice' ? I thought the silver might additionally help reflect some heat.



My dark (Niagra) LSE has a silver roof, and although I can't do any before and after tests (was done before I bought it) it is certainly cooler than other cars with dark roofs. Go for it.

[PhilipA]

If you Sikaflex the roof on, you will be amazed at the increase in structural rigidity. I just did my old 2 door many years ago, just from the outside and the decrease in rattling and banging on dirt roads was really noticeable.

Regards Philip A

[Chivalry]

That's right :) I don't want it to 'ever' come off. The plus is that sikaflex provides a structural bond as well as weatherproofing, something the double sided tape won't.

Mastic could be an alternative as well?

[Mercguy]

If you didn't want the advantage of a structural bond then the mastic would work - used in windscreen applications for decades, but it's not for me.

[fitzy]

I Sikaflexed the roof on my two door as well, great nice and strong.
Then one day it fell over and I needed a new roof, what a bugger to get the old one off, you can't get in to cut it out as there are return edges. Lots of swearing, a jack from the floor to the roof dogleg bends in steak knives and more swearing did the trick.
Lesson - don't Sikaflex roof
Clark rubber have one side adhesive foam rubbery stuff that I think will be perfect

[DoubleChevron]

I Sikaflexed the roof on my two door as well, great nice and strong.
Then one day it fell over and I needed a new roof, what a bugger to get the old one off, you can't get in to cut it out as there are return edges. Lots of swearing, a jack from the floor to the roof dogleg bends in steak knives and more swearing did the trick.
Lesson - don't Sikaflex roof
Clark rubber have one side adhesive foam rubbery stuff that I think will be perfect

We have the same issue with Citroen DS's... Like a Range Rover, every panel including the roof unbolts. You can only "suggest" so often that sikaflex shouldn't be used... :) It sure does work well if you never want to remove the roof again though! (DS's are more of a problem as you usually find the rail the roof bolts to is heavily rusted (even though it always looks fine when the roof is fitted).

seeya,
Shane L.

[jsp]

My 73 has a vinyl covered roof and its got sticky black mastic around the whole roof, the 75 I scrapped due to rust had black mastic around the whole roof as well, but the 84 I just did some work on had what I would describe like Chivalry's car a foam double sided tape, but it was only the front half and not past the front doors.

Tempted to use sikaflex but know I will pay for it in the future :)

[Davo]

I did this a few years ago, and sure enough, found that bloody tape, complete with missing sections and wobbly application. No wonder dust and muddy water was everywhere from a previous owner driving through puddles at speed! I put the roof back on with 3M putty, 08568. I was tempted to use Sikaflex but could see how impossible it would be to remove the roof again, which, knowing my history with cars, would have to happen eventually.

While I was at it, I also put some Formshield on the inside of the roof and it made a difference to how much heat comes in. But if I did it again I'd use Dynaliner, which is a far better product.

It was also while attempting to put all those damned screws back in, on a hot day, with the sun in my eyes, that I realised the only way the factory workers built these fiddly cars was because they were all drunk. Alright, I have no proof, but it's a plausible theory . . .