Filling Roof on a 32 Ford 5 Window

Thinking about filling the roof on my 5 window. Is the way to do it to use a premade metal insert. Seem like one would need an english wheel to get the right shape in the panel. Any thoughts or suggestions??

 

Bobby Walden Speed Shop makes them for 3w's and Tudor sedans. I'm sure a phone call to him will get you what you need...I put one in my 3w and it fit perfectly.

 

Buy one from Waldens. They are perfect and the price is very reasonable. I can make them, but when I need one I use theirs because I can't make them better or cheaper.

 

I've used mid 70's ford mavrick roofs turned sideways.Worked great. These may be hard to find though.

 

i used ont in a 32 3 w fom waldons. top notch!!!! if you want to got to the junk yard , search for a good roof that has not had a car sitting on it, spend half a day cutting the foor off, then come home and strip it to bear metal then look for a corvair roof. mavericks work too.

 

I am sure the Walden insert is the ideal way to go, but being a low ( ie.. no buck) guy, I used a roof panel from a 57 ford wagon that was on its way to s****.
Jeff

 

68 full size Chevy lays on the roof of my 30 perfect, no bending at all to get to fit.

Fits right with the right price, guy parting out the car gave it to me for nothing as car was on the way to the shredder that day, even torched it off.

Canuck

 

Ive used corvair, mustang, couger.

 

65 mustang turned around, sure I can make them too but after 2 days of hammering its still lumpy use a mustang

 

Had a guy use a roof from a mid 70's Volarie station wagon on my first C Dan way back when. My current C Dan roof isn't filled which is my taste now days.

 

Buy a cheap English wheel and a sheet of 18ga. You'll have the initial investment of the wheel but you'll have it forever. I rolled an insert for a 34' sedan if I can do it anyone can, it's not black magic.

 

I filled the roof on my 3W with the top off a '64 Mustang coupe. Put the front toward the back and it had the correct crown. Paid a wrecking yard $50. and I cut it off. An old friend, who was a bodyman, installed it by overlapping the opening an inch all the way around and screwed it to the top with sheet metal screws every inch. That stopped it from flattening out when it was welded. After the perimeter was welded we pulled the screws and plug welded the holes. It kept the correct crown and looks right. I've seen too many welded in inserts that flatten out or sink in and look terrible.

 

looks better un filled

 

I did my 31 from an early 80s 4 door mercury. It had nice conture, welded in nicely with very minimal work. It had plenty of extra metal trimmed off for an A should be more than enough for a 32.

 

I'm goin' to fill the roof in the coupe then put the original type material and trim on it. I like the look of the original 34 top but don't want the h***le of the wood,denim, etc.
I made a template of the curves out of masonite. My bosses dad's Ford Ranger hood is real close to perfect. In a couple weeks I'm off to the u-pull it.
Smokey

 

Why fill it? Just askin'...

 

Yep.

 

Rain.
And in the mid-summer.... sun.

Wet,
Hot.

 

The last 5 window I did ,used a 67 galaxie hardtop roof turned sideways..but that was some time ago and they are probably collector cars now too LOL ..