Roof Swap?

SuperDave

The 49 Super Six Brougham I am resurrecting has a serious roof problem. (Notice I didn't say "restoration" . It is a resurrection when the car should have been pronounced dead a few years ago.) the roof had lots of primer on it along with some rust peaking out. I figured it would just take a good sanding and etch primer... WRONG! The roof had ben crushed and pushed back out. Stretch marks all over it. I think it would take many hours to make it almost decent. Maybe bent metal could do it, but he is in California.. I can acquire a 50 Pacemaker Brougham donor car that I am giving serious consideration of using . Making the cuts on the posts and being careful to not loose the dimensions seem like the plan.. Anyone have any suggestions? I have already grafted the drivers side cowl panel from a 51 Hornet., as well as front the floor from a Maytag washing machine. I'm not skeered! just apprehensive.. LOL. Looking for advice..

[Deleted User]

Dave, I know what you're going through. Ben there done that. Make sure you have laced the interior with bracing. Then get your sawzall and cut. The critical part is making sure your brougham body dosen't rack. Tack weld as many cross braces before cutting off the old roof. Shouldn't have a problem Brougham roofs are the same as sedan roofs don't need a brougham roof necessarily. Good luck you can do it.

RL Chilton

Dave-

I agree with Lance. Go for it. Like Lance, I can't stress enough to cross brace everything to hold it in place before cutting either roof off. Measure, measure, measure. Allow for the thickness of your sawzall blade for a gap between the two "new" mating surfaces. Tig will be better than Mig, but you can do it either way. Mig's just fussier. With the Tig, it's easier to grind off the old welds, even good enough no one could ever tell it had had major surgery, if you are into that sort of thing.

All it takes is a level head, some patience is a good thing and some perseverance. You've got all that.

SuperDave

I cut a 67 Mustang in half one time. made a "what I thought" was a good jig. had a heluva time getting everything to line up. Cut the front windshield posts and across the floor at the back of the doors. I was working in a driveway with nothing but jack stands and an arc welder.. This should be a piece of cake as long as I get it braced before the cuts. I know how these Hudsons flex. When I run my 49 convertible up on the two post chassis lift, I can watch the door gap change. On this one. Braces between the door jambs, front to back and across the car jamb to jamb and "X" it. I'll cut the windshield posts and the pillar behind the doors. the sheet metal at the back windows will have to be neat or it could be a Bondo mess.. Thanks for the vote of confidence.. I MAY take pictures or if it's a disaster...I might not be heard of again! LOL

RL Chilton

Dave, if you do end up with a so-called "bondo mess", keep in mind it would be infinitely better to lead it back in the way Hudson did it. That way, if there is some flex from jacking or driving, the lead won't ever "pop out".

Yes, do take pictures!

bob ward

Dave, its certainly doable, but you can't have too much bracing or noting of measurements on either part. I would also suggest that some of bracing be adjustable (threaded rod, turnbuckles) as the shells were originally assembled with fairly loose tolerances.

FWIW, I once dismantled a dead Pacemaker that had a similarly heroic surgery, a trunk replacement. The cut had been made across the floor at the back door and across the back windscreen.

A couple of random thoughts.
How easy is it to detach and reattach just the roof panel?
Is it easier to make the Pacemaker donor car into a LWB?

Browniepetersen

Been there, done that, and even replaced the top on a 4door. It is the same process as chopping the top on a car only with less work. As stated before, brace everything and be exact with your flat cuts on the pillars. I like to tack each pillar in place before I start with the larger section joints. It is a fun job. Take your time. Measure twice for each cut and have a good time. Keep in mind, this is not rocket science. Check out the local area for a hot rodder that has chopped a car or two. He can walk you through it in a flash.....

wano1949

The HET site, Group Parts Book shows a "roof panel" listed on page 161.

Mr. Burr's hard work strikes again. Lol.

I don't know if there is an exploded view or a picture somewhere but if anyone knows of one or could post post a picture of a roof panel it would help out.

The roof panel should be spot welded on unless they had an odd way of doing things. Lol.

When you get the glass out you should see the small round marks where the welds are on the flange which holds the weatherstrip. if it's spot welded on you would then have to locate the welds around the sides of the roof wherever it's attached and drill the welds out. What you want to do is to figure out how the factory installed the roof and reverse the procedure.

There is a special style of drill bit for this, most body shops could clue you onto where to buy one or check with SnapOn tools or a similar vendor. What it does is drill through the weld and outer piece of metal and leaves the inner piece intact to weld back to.

Do both roofs this way and switch the panels out. Reweld in the same places you drilled out. Watch your heat from welding so as not to distort the metal.

Which ever way you go, panel replacement or complete top, try to do it on a level hard surface and also use jack stands under the body structure itself to support and hold the body stable and level. Don't just use jack stands under the suspension. You don't want the body structure to move any when the panel or complete roof is removed.
As you go along check the door fit from time to time to make sure nothing has changed while you still have time to correct it.

Probably mentioned some things you already know, good luck.

bent metal

Hmmm? :-? Lots of ways to skin a cat. A lot of good advise given here. I'll be interested to see how you decide to do the job. It would be cool if you took pictures and went through the process with us. How and why you decide to do the details of the job. I look forward to it.