Chevy Pickup inner roof Help!

Leonard1

Professional Amateur
I have removed the inner roof structure out of a 68 pickup by drilling out the spot welds on the sides, and chiseling the spots along the rear seam. My plan was to make my repairs, epoxy behind the panels, and glue the rear seam back together with some kind of panel adhesive. I don't have any pics, but you can see the seam at the back of the cab here (special thanks to Sprint_9 for the use of his photo):
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As you can see, there is no way to access it without removing the outer skin, which I really don't want to tackle. Anyway my questions are 1) what adhesive do you recommend? and 2) should I epoxy the seam flanges, as most instructions say grind to bare metal with 36g, leaving a heavy scratch.
 
I'm bring this thread back TTT, I still don't have it re-installed. Looking for some ideas?
 
What you are planning to do will be difficult, at best. The panels needs to be clamped and I don't know how you could without access. The adhesive needs to go over bare metal, you just cover all the bare areas with the adhesive for corrosion protection. Maybe someone on here has a creative solution.
 
I just had an idea that should work. Screw or tack angle to the inside of both panels, effectively making a flange on the inside. Put the panels together and clamp with vise grips.
 
The clamping aspect would be the biggest hurdle. Getting the panels aligned nicely without any twist or pressure would be equally challenging. You need to have that when using adhesive. Adhesive is one of those things I only really feel comfortable with on door skins replacing adhesive OEM's used. Me I would remove the skin and weld everything in.

TK doing it the way you described, would that not put the pressure on the inside where the welded flange is and take pressure off the actual flange? Not knocking your idea just not convinced it will have the desired effect.

Sometimes there's only one good way to go to town and you can waste a lot of time looking for another route. Just my opinion.:)
 
There is already a flange on both pieces, it was evidently spot welded before the roof skin was installed. If I remove the roof skin, I'm still in the same boat, with no way to easily put it back together.
This is inside the cab. You can see the flange just above the dome light.
20201127_092610.jpg


Here is the inner roof structure showing the mating flange on the right. You can see the rearview mirror mounts on the left.
20201127_092446.jpg

Another view of the inner roof, you can see the flange and where I drilled the spot welds above the driver's door.
20201127_092602.jpg
 
If I remove the roof skin, I'm still in the same boat, with no way to easily put it back together.

Only real way to do it IMO, you would remove the roof skin, then trial fit the replacement inner pieces. Remove, drill plug weld holes in one piece, ideally mix up small amount of epoxy, coat both flanges, any other areas where you are concerned about corrosion, refit/final fit, then MIG plug weld both pieces together. Reinstall roof skin, plug weld it back.
Trying to replace the entire inner roof structure without welding or removing the outer skin is not realistic.
 
That roof skin is leaded at the front. I’d be dreading removing it. Not saying it shouldn’t be done, just glad it isn’t me..

Don
 
Welding that inner seam is about the only way to do it I think. Even if you take off the outer skin, at some point either the inner or outer seam is going to have to be welded from its exposed side.
 
On this particular truck, there is another flanged seam where the roof skin meets the rear cab panel, if I am not mistaken. The only access would involve removing the roof and rear cab panel as one piece, or you wouldn't have access to either the roof to rear cab panel flange or the inner roof flange. I may be wrong. As sprint said above, weld the seam and smooth it, problem solved:)
 
I completely missed this thread, but it looks like that proverbial place where the angels fear to tread. I'd say it all has to come apart now...?
 
Texas is right, there is a seam to deal with either way I go. With as many patches as the inner piece needed, it had to come out (3 mouse nests), and I knew it would be tough to get back in. It fits well, and Sprint is right that welding it solid will take care of it, but I will probably attempt TexasKing's way first and see how that goes...

Thanks so much for the suggestions guys.
 
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