Re Roofing a Nova

[Dod]

I've come on a very very clean 84 Corsa A that was bought a few years ago for parts and so has been sat on its roof a the back of a Mechanic's Garage. The Doors are both rotten and all the glass has ben removed as well as the rear hubs and steering rack. Right, these arent hard to replace but as its on its roof, its gonna be mangled.

Now due to its rarety, age, being an origiopnal Irish car and haveing a cool reg (**** IH) and the fact that I have everything to make it a GT Rep (apart from the interior) it'd be a shame to do anything other than restoring it. So without actually seeing the roofs condition, what is my best option?

New Roof or is fitting a complete roof (1/2 way up each pillar) going to be easier?

[Pistol Pete]

I think you can buy fibre glass roof panels. Seen some for sale, but cant remember where!!??

Or cut the roof from another Nova?

[Stoo]

if you fit an fg roof your gonna need a hefty cage

[C14se]

i wood sa fitting a complete roof (1/2 way up each pillar) going to be easier mate

[Dod]

No, i dont want a fibre glass roof, its to be an origional GT Replica, not a racer.

Anyone ever done it before? (looks for Burgo)

[Benn]

Unpicking the spot welds isnt to hand but is a very long prosess. Then you'd have to do the same on the other car then swap therm over. but thats just the roof skin, not the whole roof.
Whole roof, you'd get some kinda jig to hold everything in place, then cut it half way down the pillars then weld it back on.

[Dod]

So a decent man with a welder should be able to manage it alright?

[Count Vaux Alot]

would it actually need jigging? The whole roof would be easier IMO

[Count Vaux Alot]

So a decent man with a welder should be able to manage it alright?

Yep...

[paul james]

A fibreglass roof sounds like a proper daft idea to me, all that strength lost for what can't be all that much of a weight saving. I would cut the roof off a scrappy nova as far down as possible, giving you the option to weld it on at any point you like. Perhaps you could cut off the bashed up roof and weld on the replacement where the gutters are - since thats how they are fixed at the factory.