Opinion on roof repair

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schwinger

schwinger

1972 Dodge Dart Swinger
Joined
Jun 24, 2008
Messages
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Location
Fresno, California
Hi guys need opinions and what direction I need to go to on this project that I’m working on. It’s a non MoPar tho, a 64 falcon futura and the roof on the sides closest to the doors are rotted out. Wonder if it’s possible to fiberglass it or replace the whole roof which I haven’t done before but I’m up to the challenge or mabee turn it into a convertible?

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I run very fast from cars with roof damage like the one you have. It can be fixed but it's often cheaper to get another car that has a better roof. The car is cool but I wouldn't put in the time, effort and expense to fix a roof that's that bad......but some people would?? Fiberglass will only make it look good for a while as the rust will eventually come back. I can fix anything....but simply hate rusted out roofs!! Now the yellow Javelin in the background is another story........................Treblig

PS - It's always, always worse once you start cutting on the rust!!!
 
Falcon Roadster .. Hmmmmm .. Not a bad idea .. Single hoop roll bar, colorful Bimini top. That's some serious rust goin on there. New roof skin might do it, not going to be the easiest thing to find.
 
I’d like to save the car since the rest of the car is solid but having trouble also finding a donor roof. I’ll probably skip the Fiberglass method then Triblig. The javelin tho there’s a couple rusty spots on that but not like the falcon. Thinking of going the convertible route but wonder what’s involved besides putting subframe connectors in.
 
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Every ragtop I've ever looked under had substantial extra iron under it. When I was racing Baja Bugs the hot setup was finding a ragtop belly pan and putting it under a sedan body. It made the whole car so much stiffer. The Convertible belly pan was beefed up by VW. Poke around in the desert for a roof skin.
 
schwinger said:
I’d like to save the car since the rest of the car is solid but having trouble also finding a donor roof. I’ll probably skip the Fiberglass method then Triblig. The javelin tho there’s a couple rusty spots on that but not like the falcon. Thinking of going the convertible route but wonder what’s involved besides putting subframe connectors in.
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Some time ago I bought a 66 Falcon 4 door for 300 bucks and drove the heck out of that car.
I got bored with it and sold it really cheap to my Brother in law who cut the top off, welded up all the doors and did the entire upholstery in zebra stripe, along with a white paint job and zebra stripe salt flat style rims.

A couple and their Daughter pulled him over on the freeway and bought it right then and there for WAY more than we ever had into it.
The Daughter saw it going down the freeway and insisted on having it.

That's how we dealt with the flex from taking the top off is my main point.
By welding the doors up.

BTW, you left your nail polish on the fender.:lol:
 
TrailBeast said:
Some time ago I bought a 66 Falcon 4 door for 300 bucks and drove the heck out of that car.
I got bored with it and sold it really cheap to my Brother in law who cut the top off, welded up all the doors and did the entire upholstery in zebra stripe, along with a white paint job and zebra stripe salt flat style rims.

A couple and their Daughter pulled him over on the freeway and bought it right then and there for WAY more than we ever had into it.
The Daughter saw it going down the freeway and insisted on having it.

That's how we dealt with the flex from taking the top off is my main point.
By welding the doors up.

BTW, you left your nail polish on the fender.:lol:
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Climbing over the doors would make it a real roadster :rofl: .. Just happened to look in Trail's neighborhood. '64 Falcon more door parting out in Tucson. I'll be darned if it didn't have a big ole chinger in the roof right over the door post.
 
TrailBeast said:
Some time ago I bought a 66 Falcon 4 door for 300 bucks and drove the heck out of that car.
I got bored with it and sold it really cheap to my Brother in law who cut the top off, welded up all the doors and did the entire upholstery in zebra stripe, along with a white paint job and zebra stripe salt flat style rims.

A couple and their Daughter pulled him over on the freeway and bought it right then and there for WAY more than we ever had into it.
The Daughter saw it going down the freeway and insisted on having it.

That's how we dealt with the flex from taking the top off is my main point.
By welding the doors up.

BTW, you left your nail polish on the fender.:lol:
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It would be a pain tho to jump from the top in the car. I’d like to have the doors open tho! Nail polish?? lol actually that’s a piece of pvc pipe I left on the car. Looks like it tho in the pic. Tucson is pretty far tho
 
Always had a soft spot for Falcons myself. That one in Southgate is pretty darn complete bodywise. I don't need another project though. Stroked 302 with some good heads. Party on! Went the 351 Windsor route in mine in my youth. Keep in mind the 351 has a raised deck on the block, about an inch taller. It ran pretty well. Just not like the animal 289 I had in it previously.
 
Yeah that car is pretty complete to where I’d hate to tear the roof off of that one but then again would be a good builder but I don’t need another project. I got way to many besides the javelin. I have a 289 in mine with gt40p heads, eddy intake and holy carb, 3spd toploader, 8” limited slip in the back and Granada front disk brakes.
 
If it were me, I’d cut out as much rust as I could, put rust inhibitor on the rest and then fiberglass it up and drive it...while looking for a good donor roof in the meantime.

A decent fiberglass repair with buy you a couple of years of driving before it bubbles up again. By then you should have found the donor panels or decided what to do next.
 
That's what I was going to suggest. Do a temporary fix by using a wire brush on a drill, spray rust inhibitor, and then fill with fiberglass. Make it smooth and paint for the time being until you find another roof a year or so down the road.
 
That looks like a challenge, but anything can be accomplished with determination.
Fiberglass isnt a bad idea.
 
Ddaddy said:
If it were me, I’d cut out as much rust as I could, put rust inhibitor on the rest and then fiberglass it up and drive it...while looking for a good donor roof in the meantime.

A decent fiberglass repair with buy you a couple of years of driving before it bubbles up again. By then you should have found the donor panels or decided what to do next.
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Hmm that’s a not a bad idea!! Might consider that then. Gona remove the headliner as well as trim pieces to see if there’s anymore heavy rust which most likely it is but will see.
 
Unconventional said:
Falcon Roadster .. Hmmmmm .. Not a bad idea .. Single hoop roll bar, colorful Bimini top. That's some serious rust goin on there. New roof skin might do it, not going to be the easiest thing to find.
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Add frame connectors. .
 
Call FM600 Wrecking in Abilene Texas. They have an 800 number. Do google search. Lots of rust free old cars out here. Do your research before calling to talk to Ronnie out there though. The shertmetal may fit from multiple years and model falcons. This would give him a range of years to look at in his yard. Also ask to send him pix of what you have, so he has a better idea. He has 10 acres of cars out there. Might just have what you need.

You can also try Abilene Auto Wrecking as well. Jim has a smaller yard, but may also have what your looking for

I love falcons. These are cool. If the rest of it is solid, its worth saving.
 
Cowl areas like an early mustang as well. Usually rusty, and wet feet and floor there when it rains. Good news is 64-66 mustang cowl repair pieces fit it, if you have to repair it there.
 
Ok got a chance to to remove headliner and remove trim pieces and DAAAAM it’s retardedly rusted...
the previous owner or some yo yo used that great stuff foaming crap under the bondo to where it rusted the roof frame even more. I’m looking more towards the convertible roadster option but Ill give a call to those places in Texas moparmatt, see if they can help me out. I did call several junkyards already 3 in Arizona and one hear in Cali and they don’t have that particular roof so I’ll give them a try. That one in Vegas tho is nice but I’m trying to stick to a budget.

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Just tell em 64 falcon 2 door hardtop. Dont go into all that futura crap, thats a trim level. just tell em a 2 door hardtop.
 
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