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1968 Plymouth RoadRunner AMD Roof InstallationRe-roofing A B-Body From the September, 2010 issue of Mopar Muscle By Dave Young Photography by Dave Young
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This Road Runner wasn't supposed... This Road Runner wasn't supposed to be topless, so this month we'll show you how to replace the top with a new roof skin from Auto Metal Direct (AMD). As our Mopars get older, we have to face the fact that some cars age better than others. And while the condition of an antique car largely depends on the environment, use, and care given to the vehicle, there are other factors at work as well. Though most rust is caused by a moist environment, or driving where roads are salted in winter, corrosion damage to vehicles can be caused by using improper maintenance or restorative techniques as well. If there's one area that a Mopar is prone to rust, no matter where the car is from or how it's treated, it is the area under the vinyl top. We've seen plenty of otherwise pristine cars, garage kept their entire lives, that still have rust bubbles under the vinyl top. Although the roof skin of vinyl top cars did get specially treated metal and a misting of paint from the factory, the basic design of the vinyl top allows water to be trapped, eventually oxidizing the metal underneath. Vinyl tops are known to trap... Vinyl tops are known to trap water and cause rust, and this one had all the telltale bubbles under the vinyl. Pulling the top off is the only way to find out how bad it really is. The Road Runner we're working on in this article is a classic example of both the destructive nature of a vinyl top, and how it can be made exponentially worse if not installed properly. Having owned this Plymouth for many years, the owner took excellent care of his Road Runner, and it shows throughout as the car is in generally great condition. Some years ago, however, the car was taken in for a new vinyl top because the original was cracking and showing its age. Unfortunately, the new top was installed poorly, and-even worse-the roof was sanded to bare metal during the process, thereby eliminating any factory rust protection. In a matter of a few years, this improper installation caused the roof to corrode so severely that it had completely rusted through in most places. The rust had then fallen into the car and was captured by the headliner mostly. In the past, the only hope for this car would be to find a donor car to provide the roof, or to simply scrap the body and start with another one. Thankfully, Auto Metal Direct (AMD) now provides an additional option. As the vinyl top was peeled... As the vinyl top was peeled from this '68 Road Runner, the damage became apparent. This is no easy fix, as the only way to properly repair this car is installing a new roof skin. Recognizing that the Mopar B-body is a very popular car, and somewhat prone to rust, Auto Metal Direct manufactures quality replacement panels for virtually the entire car. These stamped metal panels are high-quality, fitting well with crisp body lines, and are available for many popular Dodge and Plymouth models, including the '68 Road Runner we're working on. We ordered our roof skin, along with a pair of new driprails, and our parts were delivered in just a few days. Changing the roof skin on a car is no easy task, requiring hours of work to drill the many spot welds holding the roof to the car's structure. With patience, or a good body shop like JD's Paint and Body, it can be accomplished, however, and the outcome is nothing less than fantastic. We found the new roof skin from Auto Metal Direct to be a quality piece, fitting right in place of the original and saving the labor and cost of finding a suitable donor. The AMD skin didn't need to be trimmed, fitting perfectly and making our installation as easy as it could be. Did we say this rust was bad?... Did we say this rust was bad? There was more rusted metal trapped in the headliner than was left in the roof. Years ago, this would have been a death sentence, but now-thanks to Auto Metal Direct-a new roof skin is available to repair this car. Better yet, the new roof skin saved this cool '68 Plymouth Road Runner, which might have been considered unsalvageable some years ago. Be sure to check out AMD's website as they have tons of new sheetmetal replacement panels for many Dodge and Plymouth applications, and likely have just what you need to repair the rusted or dented sheetmetal on your Mopar.  In the past, this car would...  In the past, this car would have either been scrapped or a suitable donor would have to be found.....  ....Now, you can simply pick...  ....Now, you can simply pick up the phone and order a new roof skin from Auto Metal Direct or one of their distributors.  One of the first steps to...  One of the first steps to replacing the roof is to know where to cut the old one off. The first step to knowing where to cut the old one off is to measure the new one.  The existing roof is marked,...  The existing roof is marked, allowing some extra material for final fitting. The old rusty roof skin can now be removed from the car.  Now it's time for the dirty...  Now it's time for the dirty work, cutting through the rusted metal of the original roof skin. There's no fun way to accomplish this task, and the rusty metal quickly wears out cutoff wheels.  After cutting the perimeter,...  After cutting the perimeter, the roof skin can be removed in one piece, or in our case several rusty pieces.  The old roof skin in the background...  The old roof skin in the background is obviously beyond repair. The new AMD skin is an exact reproduction,....  .....measuring slightly thicker...  .....measuring slightly thicker than the original (or what was left of it) for additional structural support.  A drill can now be used to...  A drill can now be used to drill out the spot welds holding the rusted driprails to the structure of the car.....  ....With the old driprails...  ....With the old driprails out of the way, the area can be cleaned so the new roof skin can be fitted in place.  The new AMD roof skin is now...  The new AMD roof skin is now set in place so the existing metal can be marked then cut to fit.....  ....The AMD skin is designed...  ....The AMD skin is designed to fit over the quarter-panels and A-pillars where they meet, just like the original.  If your roof skin is as shot...  If your roof skin is as shot as ours, chances are your driprails are also rusty. Luckily, AMD has new ones in stock, and they provided a pair for our Road Runner.  Drilling the factory spot...  Drilling the factory spot welds is time consuming as there are plenty of them where the driprail, structure, and roof skin are sandwiched together. Once finished, though, the corroded driprail comes right off, leaving the unit-body structure exposed underneath.  The factory used lead to fill...  The factory used lead to fill the seams where the roof skin is attached, but we'll be filling this area with modern, more environmentally friendly body filler. Using a torch, the lead is melted from the seam so the final fitting of the new skin can take place.  Now is also the time to fabricate...  Now is also the time to fabricate any patches needed in the structure under the roof skin. The Plymouth we're working on is in pretty good shape but needed a couple of patches in the area of the rear window. Once the structure is deemed sound, it is treated with a phosphoric acid based rust neutralizer like OSPHO.  Using a pneumatic punch, holes...  Using a pneumatic punch, holes are placed in the edges of the new skin to facilitate welding.....  ....Weld thru primer is then...  ....Weld thru primer is then used to coat any bare metal or areas where welding will take place.  Before welding anything in...  Before welding anything in place, the new skin and driprails are held on with clamps and sheetmetal screws so the glass and....  ....trim can be test fitted....  ....trim can be test fitted. Everything on our car fit nicely, but if it doesn't, now is the time to correct it.  With the fitting complete,...  With the fitting complete, the roof skin is removed once again so that seam sealer can be applied where the roof skin rests on the unit-body structure. This is the same method the factory used, preventing the metal from rattling when the car is driven.  The AMD roof skin is now placed...  The AMD roof skin is now placed onto the Road Runner for the final time. Pressure is applied to the top to flatten and smooth the seam sealer, and then the roof is again clamped and screwed into place for welding.  Each of the holes punched...  Each of the holes punched in the roof is now welded, holding the new skin to the structure underneath. Clamps are used to keep everything tight in the areas being welded. The sheetmetal screws used to hold things in place will then be removed, and those holes will be welded shut as well.  After welding, the seams that...  After welding, the seams that were originally filled with lead can be filled with Dura-Glass body filler which is far lighter and just as durable. A final application of filler is then applied and block sanded to completely hide the seam.  All of the areas that were...  All of the areas that were sanded, filled, or welded can now be primed, protecting the metal from further rust. Our Road Runner will need some more work before being painted, but it is much further along thanks to the AMD roof skin.  Overall, we were completely...  Overall, we were completely impressed with our parts from Auto Metal Direct. Our new roof skin fit perfectly, requiring no trimming at all, as did the new driprails.....  ....JD's Paint and Body made...  ....JD's Paint and Body made the job look easy as well, having all the proper tools and knowledge to complete this project. Best of all, we saved this Road Runner so the owner could enjoy driving it for years to come.
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