Roof Sheet Metal

[Radiohead]

I'm following this one because after I got mine home is when I discovered butt prints, deep ones, on both sides right behind the windshield. I was so happy with what I saw from below, rust wise, I didn't even tippy toe to look up until long after those tweakers blew those Benjamins through their pipe.

 

[DanMcG]

This sheet metal is so thin, doubt it would take much.

The sheetmetal is probably 19 gauge like the rest of the truck, but once it's stretched and oil canning it will seem like a tin can (no oil cans around anymore)
I know you're in a hurry but this fix will take time and some patience.
Any chance you're willing to drill 3"-4" hole(s) in the inner roof panel to get a dolley in there?

 

[Doppleganger]

WELL.....(deep subject)...so I got the stud welder out - no studs, just that hot tip. It actually comes with a rounded tip just for this. I located 3 epicenters of the oil canning - all about equal distance from left to right. FWIW, I'm about 80% certain now this was caused by the wind in the interior light hole, so note to self: ever do this again, a piece of duct tape is your friend.

I started on the far right (pass) side. Ground off a 12"x18" area of paint where the flexing was. Wiped it down and got a dry cloth and then a cold wet cloth ready. The rounded edge on the side (6" in) was still rock solid. I started heating a tacked area - maybe 3-4 at a time and spread out. Waited 2-3 sec and stuck the cold wet rag on it. You could see the tacked area drawn down afterwards. Maybe 50-75 or so later, the area was rock solid. Maybe better than before. Its ever-so-slightly flatter (I think), which will work well with a thin layer of filler.

Moved to the middle area and continued on. This was the worst as it was the (IMO) the source of the whole issue. It was like a water bed. I continued on a few tacks at a time...about 50-75, the whole area was really firming up. Whats more is, the far left side was also firming up and I never touched it. There is still some 'softness' around where the cab lights are going, but that area is contoured and holds its shape just fine.

I spent about 1.5 - 2 hrs on it. Its getting ready to rain so I'll mess with it another day, but UFB.....I would have never believed this had I not seen it. I like my stud welder a whole lot more now too.

So thanks everyone - you fellas are tops - I owe you a beer.

 

[Doppleganger]

Kind of hard to get a pic inside the garage but this is what it currently looks like. Fugly but much better. The dark spots are just heat discoloration and comes off with zero effort and a 400 grit sponge. Once its all done, I'll sand the whole thing clean and get some zinc phosphate on it til I can get it covered in something more permanent. Hoping the weather comes back. Cant believe how thin the paint and primer both was.

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[idahovette]

@Doppleganger seems like you run into the damnedest things and threaten to junk or sell the whole thing, but in the end you get things worked out. I admire your perseverance and good fortune. Keep it up!!!!!!!

 

[Doppleganger]

@Doppleganger seems like you run into the damnedest things and threaten to junk or sell the whole thing, but in the end you get things worked out. I admire your perseverance and good fortune. Keep it up!!!!!!!

I admit that I vent...alot. Wife and I have had "the talk" about this truck though.....too much $ has gone into it thats its not fun anymore. We want to move - soon - and cant til its done. Its these constant (stupid) setbacks that trigger it. If I had $ or at least a place to work on it, it'd be different.

AND.....little man gets cranky without his coffee....or beer (depending the time of day). Therapy comes in all forms.....and proofs. LMAO

 

[Grit dog]

I cant see how the original shape could ever be recovered. Unless I win a lottery and could have someone who knows what they're doing fix this, this is about the end of the whole mess for me.

Thanks fellas.

**** dude. It’s a K20. Best way to hide that is spend the time and money you’d spend on the roof on a lift kit and some big tires. Then even Shaq won’t see it!
Or in other words. You’re not taking it to Pebble Beach. Sand it down slap some paint on it and let er rip!
And be glad it’s not on the hood. I spent a lot of hours on one of them on the hood, lol.

 

[Doppleganger]

Not to be a smartarse.....but 2 cars I restored actually ended up at Pebble Beach.

So you never know......

 

[DanMcG]

well you sure made that look simple, Nice work!

 

[Big Chip]

You could try this if there's still some oil canning going on:

SHRINKING DISC COMBO - Pro Shaper Sheet Metal LLC

I use my shrinking discs on every panel I make to super smooth the surface. Any panel when finished whether new or repaired is left ready for primer!

www.proshaper.com

 

[BlazerBill]

Okay, I’ve read the comments, and the Pro Shaper is too expensive and may not get the creased dents and all the oil canning out. I tried a stud welder which wasn’t effective enough and have now resorted to a homemade slide hammer that doesn’t get the sharp creased dents out, so I welded on nails to pull the metal up with a carpentry pry bar while I’m heating the metal with a map torch which gets the metal plenty hot and supporting my pry bar with a fence post I use to bridge across the roof with 2x4’s sitting on the drip rails. This sucks BAD, is awkward and painful, literally, but the roof is better than it was using this method. Won’t be perfect by any means. Go ahead and laugh and call me a backyard ******* mechanic. I’ll probably give up soon and call it good enough.

 

[BlazerBill]

Follow up to my previous reply. After using the crude technique I described in my previous reply and pics, I also had to cut an access panel into the interior roof skin which allowed me to bang out the remaining dents in the outer roof skin and spray Eastwood chassis paint with the provided long tube into the cavity between the outer and inner skins. I then re-welded the inner roof panel back up and finished the bodywork around the roof stiffeners I welded on and painted. Lots of work, not perfect but didn’t turn out too bad.

 

[HotWheelsBurban]

Follow up to my previous reply. After using the crude technique I described in my previous reply and pics, I also had to cut an access panel into the interior roof skin which allowed me to bang out the remaining dents in the outer roof skin and spray Eastwood chassis paint with the provided long tube into the cavity between the outer and inner skins. I then re-welded the inner roof panel back up and finished the bodywork around the roof stiffeners I welded on and painted. Lots of work, not perfect but didn’t turn out too bad.

Looks like a crew cab top now LoL. All kidding aside, it came out really good!