luiml73

iTrader: (1)

I decided to remove my roof liner cause water was leaking into my car.I discovered some reallly bad rust in the water passages before the drain tube. I just did alot off searching and did not find any threads related to this one problem. Apparently the drain tubes where clogged and created a pool while the car sat outside the entire summer I was working in NYC.

I'm thinking of cleaning up the rust with some Naval jelly or some Por-15, and then maybe cover the holes with fiberglass.

So has anyone else encountered this problem?

I'll post some pix this weekend so you guys see how bad it is.





PS: By both sides^^^ I mean driver and passenger sides

Alex-7

Careful what you wish for.

Your car is turning its self into a convertable.

Life finds a way!

luiml73

iTrader: (1)

The thought did cross my mind



But seriously, this **** did'nt let me sleep last night. Just when I think I'm almost over with this car something else pops up.

If by any chance It's to hard to patch up.

A: I could cut off the roof from a donor car and weld into mine.


b: Cut off this whole section and replace with a non rusted one



But that might get to expensive.

c: set it on fire!!!

Alex-7

I bet the whole roof could be replaced if everything was well braced before you cut the old one off.

BTW, thanks for making me scared to death to remove my headliner. Every 7 project should come with a bottle of Ambien.


I can't wait to see pics. (shudder)

luiml73

iTrader: (1)

This dude did some serious work.

http://webpages.charter.net/wbauman/.../restore1.html

check phase 2-8

Rust repair videos CRAZY ****!!!! Must download

http://www.voodoo-people.com/~daz/mull/wmv/

gmanuser

i like option c and i also like yuour picture! ***** make me happy

rxtory

i hope my car doesnt have that prblem but Im afriad it might, i acidently knocked that area pretty hard with a wrench and i could hear rust chunks falling down behin the interior now Im afraid to look........... damn it

gmanuser

ya i would check that asap dont want it to spread anymore!!!

rxtory

before i got the car it was in a heated garage then i bought it and it was put outside for a year under a tarp and now this year its in a heated garage again so i dont think is gunna spread any more but after i get it running i will stop it and probely fiberglass it lik said above. i gunna have to do some fiberglassing to my body 2 so may aswell do alittl more depending how bad it is

Lee Lyons

I had to rebuild the entire sunroof and the lips...due to clogged drain which caused come serious rust on all corners...its late now but I'll do a write up on how I fixed it...and it looks as good as new

luiml73

iTrader: (1)

Looking forward to it.

Lee Lyons

just got a quick question...do you have an acedaline torch with a brazing head? The reason I ask is that is how I fixed my tunnel rust...and brazing will ensure that there will be no rust...as brass doesn't rust...I'm at work but I'll give a good description as soon as possible with pictures...

luiml73

iTrader: (1)

I think my friend has one at his shop, if not I'll find where I can rent one.

Lee Lyons

okay I don't know what happened to my camera but I've attached a paint pic to help me explain things a-little better...I can hook up my DVD cam and do a recording on how to braze with a torch if you'd like...the sunroof has 4 drains two which are supposed to drain out infront of the doors and two which drain in the rear...there is also 2 lips...one which the headliner hooks to and the outer lip to which the sunroof rubber becomes attached...the paint pic shows the sunroof and the real pic is the rear hatch which gives an illustration to what the brazing looks like when finished...the orange is to indicate the areas to which I fixed in my rex...

1)you obviously have to get rid of the paint grinding down to the metal in all rusted areas with a wire wheel as well as possible removing every and all possible rust from the car...don't clean out drains till the end as they will undoubtedly get clogged anyway

2)once you have the rust infected areas all cleaned out...take some sheet metal and cut thin strips to braze onto the sunroof lips if they are rusted away under the rubber or where the headliner clips onto...indicated in the pic by purple arrow

3)when you are brazing it is important that the torch isn't too hot...you should be able to get the metal red-hot but you shouldn't burn a hole through if you keep it concentrated for a couple seconds in one area...test the heat on a piece of sheet metal...it should sound almost like a faint rumbling of the flame...

4)once you have the metal you can braze the piece either ontop of the existing metal of underneath....either way works fine...one way is harder but allows for you to braze overtop of the metal and smooth it out...if you check the picture you can see that I brazed right over top of the metal I put in to ensure it would never rust in that spot again...do whats easiest for you

5)when you braze heat the metal up as you go alone...concentrating the inner blue flame on the end of the braze stick where you are applying the brass to...slowly work your way around the hole which has been caused by rust with the braze and the appropriate pieces of sheet metal that you have cut to fit...

6)the easiest way to braze the piece in is to braze around the edges first to ensure that it fastens to the metal and your car...you can then once the piece is in heat it up alittle then braze overtop of it ensureing an excellent seal...if the brass is alittle uneven thats okay just heat it up intil it looks almost liquidy and you can move it around with the heat of the flame...it may take a short time but the finished product will look amazing...once thats all said and done you can wire wheel it again to remove little piece of loose brass or flux and your ready to paint over it again...rust free

7)don't forget to clear out the holes though...just do this with an air compressor and an air gun of some kind to blow out all the ****...

I'll work on getting some better pictures for you when I find that camera...sorry for the rushed explanation...got a tonne of work to do...hope it helps!

luiml73

iTrader: (1)

Thanks so much. I'll get to work on it next weekend that I have off work. My rust seems to be as bad as you described in the drawings if not worse. I'll post pics as soon as I begin the work.

is this it

Lee Lyons

looks almost exactly the same as my torch only my oxygen bottle is bigger...make sure its not too hot...the metal will already be thin due to the rust...although you do want it hot enough to melt the brass easy enough...ya...my sunroof was a bloody mess...I figured out where my camera went...and as soon as I get it back from my friend I'll take some pictures of what it looks like all finished...it takes alittle time to get used to how to braze but once you've got the temp figured out it'll be a breeze...!

luiml73

iTrader: (1)

So I paid my car a visit this morning, and took some pics. It turns out the roof has two layers of metal, and my top layer seems to be in decent shape (Good thing). The bottom layer on the other hand, looks pretty bad, but I think I should be able to fix it.

















She's getting old

Lee Lyons

hmm...ya that rust does cover a couple areas but its not too bad...my sunroof was eaten through in some areas...the great thing about brazing over welding is...1) not too many people can do it or even know what it is...2) it doesn't rust...ever...3)when you are brazing the metal doesn't warp like when welding...all of these are working in your advantage...I'd remove the seats though if I were you...just incase you get a drip or a spark or something that could scar them

luiml73

iTrader: (1)

Thanks for the tips Lee. As soon as I get it fixed, i'll post up some pics.

Lee Lyons

cool...wish I was closer I'd come down and give you a hand...if you need anything else just holler...

swbtm

iTrader: (2)

Bringing this one back from the dead... adding a bit of info in the event someone else is looking into replacing the roof as one section. I didn't see an answer to the question about replacing the whole roof section. I just finished dismantling an 85 and what you suggest is quite difficult, but possible.

It would have to be an incremental process where you cut access panels to get at the interior bracing first.


Access to both sides would be needed to run a bead on both sides of the internal bracing and seam seal both sides or paint for future rust prevention.

Then weld the access panels back on the inside and outside, smooth, prime, etc...

Also keep in mind, the b-pillar exterior skin is part of the rear quarter panel.

Something to keep in mind. Some other shots for reference.




Hope this helps someone.

Luiml: How did you repair work for you? Did you go the brazing route?

luiml73

iTrader: (1)

Old blue was parted out in 2007 and all the funds went into women and alcohol down in Colombia LOL. One of my friends now has the engine turbo and Microtech in his 72 Datsun.


I wish I still had that 13b so I could slap it on old yellow


image hosting more than 5mb


I have some rust on the SA by the frame rails and wheel wells. I'm going to have my body shop guy repair the rust and probably repaint the whole car. When I come return from Colombia, that is