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Crispy roof fun!! Part one.

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jejoenje



Joined: 20 Aug 2016
Posts: 785
Location: Alloa, Scotland

PostPosted: Wed May 17, 2017 23:20    Post subject: Crispy roof fun!! Part one. Reply with quote

Yes, given my previous adventures in bull bar land, I thought I might as well have all of the fun with rust all at the same time!  :?

Anyway, before last weekend, the weather up here as been pretty dry and sunny, and curiousity finally got the better of me and I started having a look at the inside of Selma’s roof. Just do the front bit around the sun roof, I thought.
Anyway, turns out that (1) removing the front part of the headliner, until just after the front roof brace, can be done, (2) it’s not very difficult, (3) rust particles in your hair isn’t fun. Also, did I say I found some more rust??

I know that some of this will be very familiar territory, but here is  bunch of photos of some of my progress, might be of use to someone at some point!

I started with the bits above the front doors, handles, etc. as well as the curtain rails around the sliding door and opposite windows, to expose the trim behind it. Pretty straightforward. Have to work all the way back to the roof lights and its trim to be able to loosen the front headliner.




Some rust is starting to sprinkle down… and this is only the side trims for the roof light!:


Finally, time to take the headliner down. More rust sprinkling. Or maybe raining…



Uh oh.  Sad Crying or Very sad

Not looking too healthy. Here’s some shots of the worst rust parts around the front (cab) part of the roof. Particularly bad looking around the edges of the sunroof, as expected from what the top of the roof looks like…





I don’t really know whether the sunroof “cassette” is supposed to “hang” clear of the roof skin itself (next photo)? By about 5mm, at least?? Is this one of the areas where there is supposed to be this mysterious sealant that dried up and caused rust? I don’t know…


Anyway, this is as far as I got… I’m currently thinking through options. Listed some below, in rough order of my current priority of trying. Any thoughts much appreciated.

(1) Clean as much of the loose rust as possible from the inside, grind down the “bubbles” on the top, and see how much metal is left. Patch any proper holes with some metal mesh and glass fibre resin.  Spray all of the rust on the underside with rust convertor, and then spray cavity wax, using an extendable spray nozzle to get into all the gaps between the roof skin and roof braces/sunroof cassette. Then maybe some filler between the latter two, too.
(2) Vinyl over the top, at least the front part of the roof, as suggested by andyman and others. Not quite sure what to do with the sun roof though. Plus I don’t actually know whether this would be structurally sound enough, if there’s actual holes…
(3) Follow mouseflakes' excellent repair job on similar issues, i.e. cut out sections of the roof and get someone to weld in new steel. I can’t weld, and won’t be able to learn quick enough (I want to use the bus!), so this is likely to be expensive… and I don’t think I’d be able to afford this atm… I may have to at least try a patch job for the time being...  Sad

Cut a long story short - add another L300 to the tally of "rusty roof bus"...
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PostPosted: Wed May 17, 2017 23:20    Post subject: Google Ads keep this community free to join!


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gotbeanz



Joined: 27 May 2016
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PostPosted: Wed May 17, 2017 23:36    Post subject: Reply with quote

Time to buy a welder mate Shocked
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andyman



Joined: 08 Dec 2012
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PostPosted: Thu May 18, 2017 1:12    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sorry I can't advise you on how to proceed, Jeroen, but you have done me a favour. I thought exposing the roof blind mechanisms needed a more extensive strip down, but I am now tempted to have a go one weekend.
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PinkPig
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PostPosted: Thu May 18, 2017 13:36    Post subject: Reply with quote

Bloody hell - that is alarming. I had nothing like that on mine (was a flat tin top) which is to be expected without sunroofs etc. But now I have a pop top and sweaty bodies making condensation I might have a another look. Really not protection or paint at all!

I think your first steps - rust converter and maybe some paint to stop it spreading and seal it.
Maybe you can seal the sunroof surround with decent mastic? Then you'd still have a glass roof, even if you couldn't open it.

Structurally I'm not sure there would be too many issues - if you've done something bad enough to land on the roof, you'll probably not live to feel the headache!
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jejoenje



Joined: 20 Aug 2016
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Location: Alloa, Scotland

PostPosted: Thu May 18, 2017 19:53    Post subject: Reply with quote

andyman wrote:
I thought exposing the roof blind mechanisms needed a more extensive strip down

I think you'd be able to get at the motors themselves when this far, but I think getting to the cables etc (which I think is usually where the problems are) I think more stuff has to come off, i.e. the center unit with the actual lights in. Shouldn't be much more work than this, though.

PinkPig wrote:
Maybe you can seal the sunroof surround with decent mastic?

Aye, that's what I'm thinking - some Tigerseal on the top certainly, but I'm also thinking around the cassette and the actual roof skin on the inside. Not sure if that would do much, though...
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jejoenje



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PostPosted: Thu May 18, 2017 21:14    Post subject: Reply with quote

Anyone in southern Scotland / northern England handy with a welder and happy to weld my roof? Or know of someone?  :D
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gotbeanz



Joined: 27 May 2016
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PostPosted: Fri May 19, 2017 7:58    Post subject: Reply with quote

Mate heading up to my dad's in August if you havnt got it sorted by then your more than welcome to head over, he's on the outskirts of Durham.
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andyman



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PostPosted: Fri May 19, 2017 18:02    Post subject: Reply with quote

You wouldn't thank me for my welding, unless you have shares in Isopon filler!
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Deker



Joined: 08 Mar 2008
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PostPosted: Fri May 19, 2017 18:47    Post subject: Reply with quote

Next time I'm at your place, I'll show you how  Wink

Just make sure you have sheilding gas and MIG wire ready.

Oh, nearly forgot, also have - Around the 30 Amp mark, up to 36 volt (no less than 12 volt) DC Permanent Magnet motor in stock,
I'll show you a trick that makes "El Cheapo" MIG welding machines work better  Smile

Mr D
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jejoenje



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PostPosted: Fri May 19, 2017 20:03    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks all! Smile

Deker - let me know when you're near here next and I'll see if I can get that kit sorted.  :D

gotbeanz - thanks dude. Could well be an option; I think we'll be back down Alston way at some point during the summer months so i will let you know.

And finally - Andy - those shares... I might well have some, after the amount of isopon I might be buying in the weekend! ;)
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Deker



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PostPosted: Fri May 19, 2017 21:23    Post subject: Reply with quote

You are over 60 miles from my friend in Rosneath, Gare Loch. That would be over 120 mile round trip  Rolling Eyes
Can I Delica camp at your place  Question

Not sure that I'm going up there this year, I really should go, did not go last year as I was a bit unwell  Sad
On overtime, now on the wrong side of 76, every year is a bonus  Smile

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jejoenje



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PostPosted: Sat May 20, 2017 8:40    Post subject: Reply with quote

You'd be very welcome to, Deker, welding or not - always nice to meet more Deli owners! Just let me know.
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jejoenje



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PostPosted: Sun May 21, 2017 23:17    Post subject: Reply with quote

Does anyone know if the sunroof frame and glass can come out without removing the entire "cassette" around it, i.e. having to drill out the spot welds?

I can see a couple of screws along the sides of the metal frame, but I can't work out what they actually hold together.

If possible I would like to have a peek around the inside of the cassette and get as much of the loose rust out as possible, I cover it with converter...  Evil or Very Mad
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gotbeanz



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PostPosted: Fri May 26, 2017 20:52    Post subject: Reply with quote

check it out jejoenje http://~.com/index.php?threads/L300-crystal-lite-project.27/ no welding involved all bonded.
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jejoenje



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PostPosted: Sat May 27, 2017 16:13    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thank you!! I hadn't seen this, very interesting indeed...
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gotbeanz



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PostPosted: Sat May 27, 2017 18:55    Post subject: Reply with quote

You might want to send him a pm he's really friendly and helpful.
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Lewis
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PostPosted: Sat May 27, 2017 18:58    Post subject: Reply with quote

You can't send a PM between two different websites.  Rolling Eyes
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gotbeanz



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PostPosted: Sat May 27, 2017 19:03    Post subject: Reply with quote

Really Wink
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jejoenje



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PostPosted: Tue Jun 06, 2017 17:51    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ugh.

Non-stop torrential downpour up here all day today. Poor old Selma is leaking like a leaky thing. Water pretty much dribbling what looks like straight through the roof skin around the sunroof.

I'm really going to have to deal with this, quick...  Crying or Very sad

Maybe I'll just panel bond a solid steel sheet right over the sunroof.  :? Sigh.
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andyman



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PostPosted: Tue Jun 06, 2017 18:00    Post subject: Reply with quote

If Selma isn't your daily driver, tie a tarpaulin over her until the weather subsides. Or tape a sturdy bin liner over the sun roof and rusty surround if that will cover the holes. Or duct tape patches over any odd holes if you can take a step ladder and towel to a covered location, eg bridge or fuel station canopy. Water gets in so easily, but takes forever to dry out of fitted carpets.
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