Very rusty inner roof side panels!

[Stuartk]

Hi guys I am trying to help a friend who's van has had a leaky roof/gutter areas from a roof rack. Having cut off the the outer roof and gutter sections we have discovered the inner structure underneath has disappeared some years ago! Question... where is agood place who have cut up sections of T2Bay 1972s as no one keeps repair panels for this area of the inner roof.
You once you have started there's no stopping !

 

[ozziedog]

Yep, been there. Started trying to repair with proprietary repro panels that were just junk. Gave up after a couple of weekends trying to make them fit for purpose. Eventually got a donor van with a tiny bit of rust in the roof section and transplanted the whole roof panel spot weld by spotweld after making good to the cant rails with bits pieced together from both vans.
What I’m saying is you’ll need large donor cuts. The roof panel and the gutters are pressed out in one panel on top of cant rails that are pressed out in two panels then along with the side / window sections are all spot welded together in one foul swoop. So go carefully because those spotwelds go through three sections in some places and four in others, mostly four. You’ll need a breaker of VWs close to where you live I’m afraid but I don’t know anybody over Sussex way, maybe others can help here. FBI are In Swansea and Rusty down on the South coast.
If the cant rails are junk there, I’d also be looking around the rear corners as well as that area is also very prone to termites.

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,good luck bud.

 

[Stuartk]

Cheers Ozziedog.its gone big time. Your right the whole roof with pillar tops needed inc window tops.

 

[ozziedog]

Cheers Ozziedog.its gone big time. Your right the whole roof with pillar tops needed inc window tops.

Oh my word,,,,, ,hhhhow polite was that given what I’ve just seen looking at those piccies

I seriously would toy with the idea of bracing the body by welding with tacs a few struts across to retain the integrity and a couple of diagonals to maintain square. Getting a complete new second hand donor roof including posts and then chopping that lot off and replacing with something less termite vigorous and making the joins in the posts and staggering the cuts , leaving out sections then welding them back in too. That sounds like a lot of work but will be just a fraction of trying to rebuild that like we have already agreed. The drilling of spots on two roof panels will take four plus days on its own. Start looking for a roof panel with legs then work out where best to cut and measure , measure and measure again, when you get funked off measuring, measure twice more. Lots of datum marks and zillions and zillions of pictures too to be right getting it back together. Then also,,,,, depending on what’s available,,, might be able to go Westy or tinny top instead of Devon, maybe even sunny roof windey back stylee,,verrrrrrrr cool.

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,, not many peeps as nutttsss as me to do that stuff

 

[has-dude]

Ouch - funnily enough I was just looking at pictures of mine when the whole roof was done. It was originally a Dormobile but with the new roof we just left it as a tin top.

I got most of my panels inc the whole roof section from Mark at MCJ imports, all about ten years ago now, he was really helpful.

Good luck and yea once you start hacking the more bad news you usually uncover.

 

[Stuartk]

Hi Has-dude. Thanks for your reply. Firstly MCJ ? can you give me a little more info.
Your definitely right about the more cutting etc sadly yes it gets worse. A new roof will do the trick. Love the pics

 

[has-dude]

https://www.mcjproducts.com/collections/bay-bus-parts?page=2

Drop him an email / call, doesn’t always have everything on his website, but if you have a shopping list he can probably get it for you.

.

 

[sparkywig]

Been there, wouldn’t want to do it again.
Your best bet is a full roof cut from either Mark as above, or FBI, Volksheaven, etc.

 

[ozziedog]

What about an older Brazilian style roof, not with the newer high roof panel. Possibly get a multi window skylight style roof. I’d be out casting my net far and wide to see what turns up

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,,,,opportunities knock