Club 80-90 Forums

Hi Guys,

Unfortunately a low garage has meant a little incident with my loose poptop roof. I had it loose to allow access to the front upper window to repair the Autosleeper screw rust!!





Unfortunately as it is on the corner it takes a bit more load than the rest so I want to ensure I fix this as best as possible. I wonder if I need to reinforce the inside of the corner with some steel or wood?

Can anyone point me to a guide or tutorial? Also what repair kit is best recommended?

Thanks Guys

We had a TVR Tuscan in for repair some years ago with a damaged roof, looking very much damaged, like yours.

The factory recommended that the split be reinforced with some 20 gauge aluminium sheet underneath the damage, secured with pop rivets with stainless washers at 1" centres to hold it firm [ we had to carefully drill into the outer gel-coat enough for the rivet and washer to be lower than the surface so it could be filled properly] and then lay up inside with fibreglass and resin to reinforce the repair. The outside was then recommended be repaired with a flexible bodyfiller.

Worked ok and the job never came back

New Kentish Campers wrote:We had a TVR Tuscan in for repair some years ago with a damaged roof, looking very much damaged, like yours.

The factory recommended that the split be reinforced with some 20 gauge aluminium sheet underneath the damage, secured with pop rivets with stainless washers at 1" centres to hold it firm [ we had to carefully drill into the outer gel-coat enough for the rivet and washer to be lower than the surface so it could be filled properly] and then lay up inside with fibreglass and resin to reinforce the repair. The outside was then recommended be repaired with a flexible bodyfiller.

Worked ok and the job never came back

Ah that sounds like it would do the job. I guess I could make do with a small piece of steel? Would washers either side be advised? And any idea of rivet size?

What does the fibreglass repair inside do? Help take the strain of the rivets? Any fibreglass repair kits people tend to turn to?

Cheers

After rebuilding an old Lotus damage as you have is common. The metal is only to hold it rigid till the fiberglass has gone off. Drill any splits at the end to stop stress cracks going further. Any metal reinforcing can be cover in fiberglass matting to make it stronger. Its easier than it sounds but very messy, use rubber gloves.

^^^WHS^^^ re.stopping further splits.

I'd not use steel as it might rust. The plate just reinforces the repair. Countersink, which is what I should have said, the holes so the the 1/8th" pop-rivets with a stainless washer on either side of the rivet pull everything nice and tight and not protrude onto the top surface; once its filled, you would see any signs.

Lay up the insides with a fibreglass repair kit. Toolstation sell them, probably Halfords too. Dont forget the gloves & the stuff itches, particularly in hot weather

As it is a corner is it possible to bend an aluminium plate to the shape?

Yes. Ally plate forms very well [dont buy something too thick, try 20 gauge or similar. Try making a template first so as to get an idea of what size you will be needing and form the plate on a bench [kitchen table perhaps ] and once its pretty much there, put it inside the damaged area.
Then begin fixing it to the roof with the rivets, one by one along one side, following it around the plate so that you dont get any 'bunching' and they will likely pull it to pretty much the shape you need. Remember that the plate is reinforcing the damage and once its got fibreglass on the inside, it will dry and be solid as a rock. Then dress the outside with some decent body filler [Plastic padding PP100 is good, albeit expensive] and sand it down with some 80 grit for initial shape and finish off with finer grade papers until the repair is the correct shape and then prime/paint it. Use a rubber sanding block if you can, car body factors sell them for a few quid and they are well worth their cost and will make your life easier.

Dont forget to put some protection onto the rest of the bodywork next to where you are working as fibreglass resin is not forgiving and will ruin paint & trim. Oh, and wear a decent face mask for the dust, plus gloves, etc.

Lastly, do check before you start that you will have enough clearance between the inside of the repair and the original roof or you might have issues when refitting the seal, etc. Dont go mad with the fibreglass, basically.

Your a star thank you for that,

I will let you know how I get on once I source some aluminium.

Cheers

Let's have a few pics of it once it's all done.

They do plastic padding for fiberglass it has cut strand fiberglass in it.

Whats that?

Its a filler but it has chopped fiberglass and ground fiberglass in the mix, it gives it strength when added to a joint instead of just filling the hole.

Ah ok thanks for the info, I'll look into that. Still trying to find the best place to buy all this!

Most good motor factors should be able to help, or if you are near the coast most boat yards do fiberglass products.

It seems odd to that you go to such lengths to repair it with aluminium, pop rivets and filler/fibreglass. Why not do the job correctly from the start and rebuild the corner with fibreglass alone? Far easier and stronger than all that faffing about with various components. Make a mould of the corner. Chop out all the delaminated area, nice long chamfer to the edges and lay up a new piece. You could even give a couple of extra layers to strengthen that load bearing area.
You may well have a boatyard close that does grp repairs that could do it for you easily.