Thoughts on how to fix a depression in the roof

[MoparMike1974]

Take a look at the underside of your hood. You will see there are blobs of seam sealer that connect the hood skin to the under brace. This is mostly to prevent vibration but it would work to keep your roof from popping again. You want to use something like seam sealer that has some give to it.
I know you dont want to remove the headliner but this problem is not going away just by popping it back up.

 

[mgoblue9798]

FWIW, I have a dent in my roof as well and I took it to a paintless dent repair shop. He uses the rods and levers to push out dents. He said he only works on cars 10 years old or less as the metal is too thick to do his work. He said a big hammer and dolly "may" help, but I needed and old fashioned body shop to do the job. I don't have a headliner in right now. Not trying to hijack thread but wanted to clarify that our cars may have metal that it too thick for paintless dent repair.
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I have seen much worse than that repaired. Find yourself an old body shop that has been in business for 30 years or more. Ask around your town if anyone still does lead seam repairs. If the guy can do lead, he will have the knowledge to fix your roof for certain. I don't mean the repairs have to be done with lead, just that someone that has been around that long knows how to work old metal. Good news is that it is a lot more workable than the thin stuff used the last several decades.

 

[340six]

I have seen much worse than that repaired. Find yourself an old body shop that has been in business for 30 years or more. Ask around your town if anyone still does lead seam repairs. If the guy can do lead, he will have the knowledge to fix your roof for certain. I don't mean the repairs have to be done with lead, just that someone that has been around that long knows how to work old metal. Good news is that it is a lot more workable than the thin stuff used the last several decades.

My guy would heat and cool it and get it right. But that would ruin the paint
As I bet the brace is bent under it
Hope for the best you could do as,stated and put a few wedges between the brace with the headliner out and seam sealer and hope it stays.

 

[Super-Cuda]

Take a look at the underside of your hood. You will see there are blobs of seam sealer that connect the hood skin to the under brace. This is mostly to prevent vibration but it would work to keep your roof from popping again. You want to use something like seam sealer that has some give to it.
I know you dont want to remove the headliner but this problem is not going away just by popping it back up.

I agree with this. Even though the panel popped back, metal has a memory and it will probably pop again when you put force on it while waxing or washing it. Unless you want to fill it up with body filler, metal shrinking or a Rusty Rad Rod suggested, an old school bodyman who knows his way around an english wheel to re create the roof panel section is the only way I've seen of properly repairing the roof panel. Yes, you can put wedges etc. underneath it but thats not a guarantee it will be a permanent fix. As others have stated, the headliner needs to be dropped to properly assess the damage.

 

[barbee6043]

I agree with trying the seam sealer between the underside of roof and the braces. Otherwise the cure will be the old time bodyman, rosebud and repaint! Or do what I would do, get it best ya can and drive it! Forget it.

 

[A56]