raising the roof - help, advice or mild insults required

T

thorfinn

New Member
Anyone like to tell me how difficult it is to replace the roof panel?

I have a flawless vinyl roof in my garage waiting to replace the flawed one on my 3500s - but i'm wary, as the official WSM makes it sound sooooooooooooooo difficult and scary!

All contributions welcome....

:D
 
I too would be interested in comments regarding this job as I would like to replace my steel roof with another steel roof already containing a Webasto. Is it a d.i.y. job? Do the front or rear screens have to be removed? Where are the problems?
Many thanks in anticipation. Regards, John.
 
I swapped a roof from a steel to a vinyl approx twelve years ago not as hard as you may think,no need to remove any screens took me around four hours all in.Hardest part of job is making sure you get a good seal clean all old sealent off thourghly and replace with windscreen type sealent I used one called zebra if I remember rightly.Never had any leaks fitting headlining is a two person job to line it up without getting any folds etc.Not a job to be frightened of at all hope this helps regards gary.
 
I agree with Gary. Have done it twice with and without removing screens. Removing is of course easier but more work so without is probably the way to go. I used standard non-setting gutter sealant from B&Q and have had no leaks or problems. Basically just DO IT as they say its not the nightmare it might appear. :)
 
Interesting topic as I am also considering a swap. doesn't appear to be to much grief.

I had recently stripped a car and removed the headlining and once that is out you should be able to see all the screws for the roof.

You will probably need a rivet gun to replace the gutter trim.

I am hopfully going to swap a steel for webasto, unfornuatley there is no headlining with it. I had a poke around a p6 which had one and am not sure if a standard lining can be modified, obviously the right lining would be ideal but as a short term fix is it worth it?
 
Unfortunately my experience of removing the roof, involved angle grinding through the frame at the top of the doors and rear wings, unbolting the roof panel over the windscreen, and removing the lot !

Replacement wasn't "an option" so can't help you there.

I have recently taken delivery of a S2 V8 with vinyl roof (requiring extensive restoration). I would prefer a painted roof so would want to remove the vinyl, has anybody got any suggestions for this job, and should I remove the panel first ?

Richard :)
 
Webster,

This is going to be messy.

My prefered option for removing anything which has been glued is a good old hair dryer. You could leave it out it the sun we have been having then peel off as best has poss.

The heat will soften the gule and once the vinyl is off use any old solvent or nitromorse and this will take off the rest of the gunk.

Sand, prep then paint.
 
Whew! Done that, been there, needed a beer afterwards...replacing the roof panel turned out to be one of the nastiest jobs i've done in the long saga of my 3500s (and i include freeing off the rear calipers!)

Main problem - i should have known - was first removing, and then replacing, the headlining. For a start there are two extra fixing screws on the "B" pillar that the WSM fails to mention - and they are completely inaccessible! As for getting it back on - well,don't get me started!

I think if i was to do that job again, i'd go down the route of removing the front and rear screens as part of the process. But maybe i was just unlucky... :angry:
 
hi,
you will also need to take the outside quarter panels off as there is a self tapper behind them as well
 
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