I've got a couple of 36 Ford Coupes (both are projects). the 3 window has had the roof insert channel cut out of it and a solid piece of sheet metal welded in it's place. the problem is it's flat. the roof had a sheet of thin plywood glued to it and the vinyl insert fabric was formed to it. It was a big eye sore. I don't want to build up with a bunch of bondo. The 5 window has the roof insert channel and a correct piece of roof section welded to it. what are my options here? I see roof inserts such as Walden for sale, is it worth cutting out and trying to reform the top? is this section of the roof the same between a 5W and a 3W? any help is appreciated. and yes.. I've got too many vehicles torn apart, add a 29 Tudor to these 2 projects.
Cut both off, and try again. Cut some cardboard or masonite templates of the curve each direction, and go shopping at the junkyard with the oldest cars you can find. Old steel welds better.
The Walden inserts are things of beauty, and priced accordingly. I've fitted two, 36 5w and 32 3w. I'd be coming at if from a different angle. Can you tig weld? If not, or if you'll be mig welding anyway, in my view you're going to struggle to be able to metal finish it to an excellent, perhaps zero filler, standard. If that's the case it's kinda pointless springing the bucks for a Walden top. Of course if would be entirely possible to do an awesome job with a junkyard top, nicely fitted, for beer money. Chris
had a similar problem when the top was chopped on my avatar 54 PU, the body man who did the work did a great job on the pillars and doors but welded a flat piece of metal in the insert left on the roof, looked like crap. I went to the local junk yard and looked for a roof on a later model and found just what i needed in the roof of an 66 olds 2dr, cut that out and replaced the flat steel with the olds piece, looked perfect with the right amount of curve, very little bondo. try something like that. Ralphie
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