13 replies to this topic

[MAJSLXLH]

Hi guys. Sorry if this is a dumb question: Are UC and LX hatchback roofs the same? My LX hatch roof has a 'bit' of rust. Looking at my options wondering if a chopped UC roof could be grafted on...

[tuxedoss]

Yes exactly the same. Where's your rust and how bad is it? What's your plan, you thinking of chopping through the pillars.

[MAJSLXLH]

A lot of rust in the usual places around the hatch. Big holes around the hatch hinges. Also at bottom of A pillars. Haven't really got a firm plan at this stage. Just thinking about what my options are. Open to any ideas...

[tuxedoss]

If you were doing a roof chop at the pillars it would normally be done about halfway up the A pillar, if your rust is right at the bottom in the corner of the windscreen I'm not sure you'd do a roof chop extending down that far, might be best repairing that separately. Is the rust in the hinge area just the skin or all the way through to the interior? Put some pictures up if you have any. Trouble in doing a whole roof chop is the roof you get might also have some rust and you'll end up having to repair that as well, hatch roofs are becoming rare as people are now restoring hatches that a few years ago would have been sent off to the wreckers. I know hatch roofs pretty well as I took the skin and gutters off mine and are in the process of puting a new skin on I got off a UC. Almost there but in hindsight I would have done it differently, a whole roof chop would have been far far easier but I wanted to make sure the roof internals were rust free, when I finally got the skin off the donor roof it was bright shiny steel all around except for the hinge area which hadn't rusted through but was quite crusty on the inside.

[Bigfella237]

Do you have a build thread Brett? Or failing that, do you have any photos with the roof skin off?

 

I'd be interested to see the layout of the cant rails and cross-braces from the top view.

[MAJSLXLH]

Thanks for the input Brett. I'd be keen to pick your brains on how to best tackle the job. I think mine is one of those hatches that a few years ago would have gone to the wreckers. It's going to be a big job but I'm determined to patch her back up. I'll post some photos so you can see what I'm talking about. In the process of moving house at the moment and have put the car in storage for a couple of weeks. Will take photos as soon as I can.

[tuxedoss]

Thought about starting a build thread about 3 years ago when I started on this but like most things never got around to it but I have remembered to take quite a few pictures. I've just uploaded all the roof ones to photobucket, there's over 20 of them showing various roof bits. 

 

http://s1362.photobu...y/LX Hatch roof

[Bart]

Just thinking, how and where is the roof welded to the hatch frame??
Where abouts are the spot welds?

[Bart]

I have similar issue, pretty bad.

[Bart]

Actually this explains how the roof is spot welded to the hatch frame. Nice shot
Also the outer rear upper pillar. Nice shot

Edited by Bart, 30 May 2015 - 07:53 PM.

[Bart]

Just want to ask is this section the guttering?

Edited by Bart, 31 May 2015 - 12:17 PM.

[Bigfella237]

Yep, as Leakey's picture below shows, the gutter is spot welded to the cant rail, then the roof skin is spotted to the gutter after all the other pieces have been assembled...

 

G'day all, I found a bunch of pics of my old C pillars, and thought
I might put a few notes on them so you can see what is what.

Surprising that there are (5) panels that make up a pillar!

Also shown is the "ridge" in the 1/4 panel and lack of drain hole that causes
all our babies to eventually rust out. (where outer pillar cover joins 1/4 panel)

Bit confusing, but once you get your bearings, interesting!

[Bart]

Thanks mate. That's a great pic ^

[tuxedoss]

Yes that's the gutter but to remove the skin I cut dit off from underneath with a dremel and about 50 cutting discs, then carefully ground off the remaing gutter from the roof skin. The skin is not really spot welded on in the normal way it's more of a continuous crimp weld. From what I understand it was done in the factory with a wheel that went long and as it rotated it crimped and spot welded. When grinding it off you can see the spot welds about every 10mm with a crimp In between them.