Cucv roof rusted through

[w5ood]

My kids 1009 has the roof rusted through. Anyone in the Houston Texas area that knows of a good shop that has cut the roof off and replaced it with a good one? I am looking for a skilled body shop that knows how to do this with experience.

 

[nyoffroad]

Are the posts rotted? If its just the skin its a fairly easy repair, but if the posts need to be replaced then I think you'll find it hard to find a shop willing to do it and accept liability in case of a roll over.

 

[w5ood]

NO its just the top part. We had it fiber glassed on the entire top, but it didnt seal it enough. so now the inside roof near the windshield is rotting through. But the post are fine and even the back part where it bolts the top on is fine. Its mainly from the windshield back like ten inches about 80% across.

 

[cucvmule]

Liability is a factor for sure on any kind of repair. Should be a simple repair for a shop that can handle a body seem panel replacement. Sounds like the top surface skin on the top windshield around. Ask around local car shows, swap meets, you will get the skinny. Take your time, then decide after you see some of their work done on customer rides. An old original may have to be used.

Never try to use economics for such work. Different prices for different installs, finishes. Some shops will stitch weld, spot weld, some will use epoxy, pricing should be different. And get some kind of body seem warranty. You do not want the top popping off after you flex the cab a couple times.

The roofs are fairly strong but the truck is not to be upside down anyway.

I have the t shirts for that kind of fun. And the loss of cash to fix.

 

[cucvmule]

w5ood have you tried to find a new roof panel?

Used would be better but will take more labor to fit.

 

[w5ood]

Thanks Cucvmule thats good information. I am actually looking at going to a car show local in the next couple of weeks. I will ask around there. I found that most local body shops do not do this type of work anymore and stick to only new cars under insurance. That shocked me. I was thinking that if someone wanted to pay for body work it wouldnt matter the vehicle, boy I was wrong. I was given a card of a local yard that has lots of 80s vehicles for scavenging. I have not called them yet but its what I prefer. I would like someone to just cut the top off and weld a new old top on. We tried having it fiber glassed and although it did buy us a few years, it has not held up. Thanks for the advice I had not gone down the road of warranty and didnt think about flexing. All good information.

 

[ZiggyO]

My family shop does this sort of stuff still but we are in Norfolk, NE--- probably too far of a hike......

Z

 

[cucvrus]

If you live in Texas I have a complete A pillar, parts doors and a fiberglass roof from a 1974 K5 Blazer. That is the one where the whole roof comes off. Being in Texas you would get a lot of sun time with this setup. Been wanting to build a CUCV M1009 with a full convertible. May or may not happen. I could skid it up and ship it for a price if you are interested. I sold every decent K5 roof I had. I had a customer drive to PA from Minnesota to pick one up. I cut it from a 1990 K5 Blazer. Good Luck.

 

[MarcusOReallyus]

NO its just the top part. We had it fiber glassed on the entire top, but it didnt seal it enough. so now the inside roof near the windshield is rotting through. .

News flash: You can't seal it enough. You can seal poorly and cause rot sooner, or you can seal it well and cause rot later.

You will cause rot.

 

[nyoffroad]

…. so now the inside roof near the windshield is rotting through. .

The outside is an easy repair but the inside.. well, not so easy. To do it correctly you might have to get into the A pillers and that's where the real liability problems come in not to mention the "how the **** do I do this" !
Depending on how far left and right the rust is (hopefully it's centered at the W/S) I'd be tempted to cut the outside skin off leaving a generous 3" or 4" all the way around then cut the inside rusted area out near the indentations for the sun visors. Once that's clean and trimmed I'd lay and fit the new inner piece in place from the top (you need to separate it from the doner outside roof panel by drilling out the spot welds) fit in place and pay SPECIAL attention to the windshield area!! Tack weld in place then place the new outer skin in place (remember that 3-4" flange?) tack in place and then INSTALL w/s if the glass fits then remove it and weld her up if not break welds and refit, easy peasy!
Being Tx a roof panel shouldn't be that hard to find Any Chevy GMC pick up or Blazer/suburban will fit from 1982 (maybe 1973)-1987 AS LONG AS YOU DON'T GET BACK NEAR THE "B" PILLORS AND THE SEAM/BOLTS WHERE THE BLAZER TOP BOLTS!

 

[cucvrus]

Take a look . The K5 inner roof panel and the pick up inner roof panel are completely different inside. K5 smooth and pick with visor indentations and the curve at the rear and B pillars. Easy to cut a roof at A and B pillars. Done it. Slip some flat bar down the A and B pillar get some good welds and good as gold. I cut wood pieces exactly to height and width and made measurements. It worked out perfect. Used a mig welder and had minimum of body work at the 4 splice points. Do as you wish. The more you cut and weld the more areas that get paint burnt off and make rust haven.

 

[ken]

Jason, there is a auto resto/custom shop on decker prairie close to the dentist office. Drive it there and see if they want to do it. If not there are a lot of auto restoration shops in Houston. This would be right up a resto shops alley. If that doesn’t work bring it to AZ it won’t rust any more out here.

 

[Recovry4x4]

If you live in Texas I have a complete A pillar, parts doors and a fiberglass roof from a 1974 K5 Blazer. That is the one where the whole roof comes off. Being in Texas you would get a lot of sun time with this setup. Been wanting to build a CUCV M1009 with a full convertible. May or may not happen. I could skid it up and ship it for a price if you are interested. I sold every decent K5 roof I had. I had a customer drive to PA from Minnesota to pick one up. I cut it from a 1990 K5 Blazer. Good Luck.

This would be a great change. If I had a blazer, this would be high on the list. Oh, and a cage too.