I spent a few hours tonight on my replacement of the roof. First I tacked a couple of braces in the doors.I probably don't need them but better safe than sorry. I drilled out the fifty or so tack welds on the windshield and the 35 on the rear window. I am glad that I spent the extra money on the better spot weld drill bit because it has lasted a lot longer than the one that I bought when I removed the skin from the donor. Next I am going to sand the donor skin and prime it so I can figure out where I am going to cut the pillars.

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Looks good man. I did that on my '68 Plymouth. I was looking around for a donor car to get the roof from, I ended up finding someone selling a good roof on craigslist for 30 bucks! It wasn't too bad of a job, it took me a while to get the donor skin off, but once I figured out the trick to it I got the old one off in a couple hours. Of cours it was nice not having to be careful the old roof.

 

lookin good!

 

There is a cool tool made by steck I think it is called a seam buster. Once you drill the spot welds you work this in between the two panels then work it around the seam tapping it with a hammer and it does not mangle up the flanges. i think it costs like $15-20 dollars.http://www.steckmfg.com/20015.htm go check it out... A roof is actually a pretty easy job just time consuming. I have done three this year. not on mustangs though. If you leave the inner frame work and only replace the skin you don't need to brace the car up to much. Good luck and it is looking good so far....

 

for the seam buster I use a screwdriver. I wedge it in between the pannels and then I drill out the spot welds. When I hear the snap I know that I have drilled far enough. As for the skin it cost me 150 bucks and a few hours of cutting and drilling. I wish they made an after market roof so I dont have to sand all the rust and moss off the one I bought.

 

I made a little progress today. I sanded the out side of the roof. And wouldn't you know it there was BONDO. Not as bad as the roof on my car though. I also found rusted through spots where the windshield trim clips are. Tomorrow I will try to sand the under side of the roof so I can prime it.

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yeah now days there is bondo on just about every classic car out there... some of them have chicken wire and bondo...

 

I started sanding on the under side of the skin tonight. I dont know what they used as a coating under there but it is stuck way better than the top of the skin. It took me as long to strip the top with a DA and 80 grit as it has to strip this little amount on the bottom with 80 and 40 grit. I hope to have the rest of the bottom stripped and primed tomorrow after work. I have two weeks without the wife and kid so hopefully I will get some good progress in on the car.

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I have a stupid question for you! Was there any kind of seam sealer between the roof and the cross braces? If there is use a sealer that stays slightly plyable so things can move properly in the heat. If it is to rigid those areas wont expand and contract the same as the rest of the roof and you may end up with waves later on. Looks like you are doing a good job on it!!!!!

 

There is no sealer in the roof. Across the top of the center support there looks to be a layer of felt or a similar material and that is it. Other than the tack welds all the way around the roof.