Need Help with Vinyl Roof Disease on '72 Scamp

-
ScamperTom

ScamperTom

Supposed to be working
Joined
Feb 17, 2018
Messages
234
Reaction score
109
Location
Savannah, GA
Hi all, I'm new to the forums here, and to classic cars in general! I just purchased a 1972 Scamp that is in pretty good condition overall. However, it formerly had a vinyl top, and is badly rusted on the roof, the deck filler panel, and both quarter panels by the rear window. I understand this is a common issue for these cars. Unfortunately, after I cleaned it up a bit, I realized it was a LOT worse than I thought when I bought the car.

The roof is completely pitted on top, and completely rusted through where it meets the front and rear windscreens. The quarter panels are totally rotted where the pillars meet the deck, and the filler panel is badly rusted where it meets the window.

IMG_1050.JPG
IMG_1048.JPG
IMG_1046.JPG
IMG_1045.JPG
IMG_1052.JPG
IMG_1054.JPG


The former owner told me he was quoted at $3000-$4000 to cut out patch panels from a donor car and weld them in. That is unfortunately way out of my budget. Before I realized the extent of the damage to the front of the roof, I thought I could lay fiberglass over the holes to keep the car on the road for a few years, then replace the metal at my leisure, the right way. Now I'm not so sure. Problem is, I don't have a welder, I don't know how to weld, and I don't have the money to shell out for two $1k quarter panels from AMD. Not to mention the fact that I can't find a repro roof skin...

What should I do? I was thinking I could glue a thin sheet of metal over the roof, then liberally apply bondo/fiberglass, but that sounds too revolting even for me...

TOM
 
Buy a welder, start practicing now (NO flux core)

Start hunting for a good used roof skin. You don't need fancy stuff if you have time
 
Check the entire trunk, rear frame by the spring shackles, and rocker panels in front of the rear wheels. If all that is solid, you need a donor roof and some fabrication. If all that is rusty, you got burned.
 
I will have to look to see what shape mine is in. I am in PA. So I am not sure how we can ship but if you are interested in talking about it PM me. I plan on going to Carlisle in July

IMG_0944.JPG
 
Sadly he died.
I think the roof is solid. I will be parting it out when it warms up
 
I can't help with the Dutchman panel...mine is shot as well. But if the roof is good it is yours but shipping is on you.
 
You know...spray foam....shape it and put flex seal on it and make it look like a vinyl roof!
 
You could glass it up, until you find the doner parts, at least it would slow down the water intrusion.
 
Demonic said:
Check the entire trunk, rear frame by the spring shackles, and rocker panels in front of the rear wheels. If all that is solid, you need a donor roof and some fabrication. If all that is rusty, you got burned.
Click to expand...

Remarkably, besides the passenger floor pan, the entire rest of the car is almost rust free. There's only a little surface rust underneath. The trunk has some rust in the spare tire well and right under the dutchman, but not bad at all. I would not have bought the car otherwise. I haven't removed the headliner though, so I don't know what the roof looks like on the inside.

I'm thinking I could glass (or foam! lol) up the rear window area until I can get the parts/ability, but I'm nervous about even driving the car while the front of the roof is posing as a cabin air scoop. I don't want to indiscriminately smear filler all over that flexible sheet metal either...
 
Weld n frame connectors cut the roof off and make a convertible out of it. Later on weld on a good roof.
 
ScamperTom said:
Why wouldn't it fit if it's also a hardtop? I'm not familiar with all the body dimensions on these cars.
Click to expand...

Not sure if he has a Scamp body style.

Did you notice he is in FL also?

Might be a deal brother! Good luck!
 
I'm kinda surprised at some of the reactions here. Everybody was telling the kid with the Swiss cheese cuda to go for it. You've got a bum lid and everybody's telling you to bail. Scamps are rare and cool, fix it.

Put up a wanted add on here for the Dutchman panel. You'll have one pretty quick and it's easily shippable. You don't need quarters to get the sail panel legs. There's cars getting parted out on here every day and most have rotted lower quarters. Somebody will gladly cut out the upper section for you and it too will ship easily. The roof skin will take a little longer to find locally. They're around though.

A used welder and a spot weld cutter and you're in business. You can learn quick enough to do that. It's not like welding bridge supports. It's only tack welding.
 
Wow that is pretty bad. Surprisingly its faily solid at the quarter panel seam. That is usually where they rot out first. That and the rear window lower corners.
Your going to need to re-skin that roof and hopefully all the supports under it are solid. The skin does nothing for load bearing but the structure under it does.
 
I do not see anything there worth fixing?

Save any good parts for a better car, or sell them & put the money towards a better car.

Rust kills cars & it sure looks like this one died a long time ago.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top