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Disco 2 structure


JohnnoK

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How is the roof panel attached to the vehicle structure?


I need to replace my roof and so far, I have different opinions, namely...
1. It's welded to the frame and the pillars need to be cut and welded
2. It's stuck on with an adhesive and screwed for added strength
3. It's stuck on with adhesive


Can anyone clarify for me, please?

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Pretty certain it's welded...

Just to clarify - the actual outer skin (which is steel) appears to be spot welded at the edges - I think that the supports and cross braces are not welded to the actual roof panel (probably since this would cause unsightly witness marks).

 

Hope this helps.

 

p.s. I have the rear of my roofliner out at the moment so could photograph some detail in that area if you want...

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On 8/21/2018 at 9:11 AM, ThreeSheds said:

p.s. I have the rear of my roofliner out at the moment so could photograph some detail in that area if you want...

That would be smashing, if you would, please.

Here is my situation...

 

dent.jpg

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If you get yourself a copy of RAVE, it details the various body fixing schemes.

The roof is bonded, and spot welded all around the channel if I recall correctly.  Actually, I think the spots are at the rear corners and below the Alpine windows. I believe also the B pillars etc, are seam welded to the roof. The screen will have to come out too.

I think there is a hell of a lot more work involved in replacing a roof panel than you may realise. The cost of a new roof panel is not going to be cheap either.

Edited by Clifford Garrett
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5 hours ago, Clifford Garrett said:

I think there is a hell of a lot more work involved in replacing a roof panel than you may realise

I was wondering about that too, and since rusty-chassis D2s are two a penny, perhaps a 'new' complete body would be easier that just changing the roof...

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6 hours ago, Clifford Garrett said:

If you get yourself a copy of RAVE, it details the various body fixing schemes.

The roof is bonded, and spot welded all around the channel if I recall correctly.  Actually, I think the spots are at the rear corners and below the Alpine windows. I believe also the B pillars etc, are seam welded to the roof. The screen will have to come out too.

I think there is a hell of a lot more work involved in replacing a roof panel than you may realise. The cost of a new roof panel is not going to be cheap either.

I have a dual sunroof roof that is cut off a scrapper and another one that is rusted to play with to get an idea of the scope of things before leaping in.

I'm not scared of cutting and welding the pillars if it comes to that, I just need the P38 mobile first so I have wheels while I do the job.

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On 8/25/2018 at 5:15 PM, Bowie69 said:

I'd cut it off above the rain gutter, and then find where it is roughly OK and chop it there as well, weld in as small a piece as possible - removed from a good roof.

sectioning it is probably the least work but even then looks like the screen is coming out and then you've still  got some long lengths of weld to dress fill and paint🤤. maybe raptor on the roof might be a quicker option as a cover up rather than matched paint.

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Obviously, if the decision is to patch and weld the roof, then the whole thread is moot anyway. The origninal question was "How is the roof pannel attached to the vehicle structure?" On the basis that we are talking about replacing the complete roof panel with a new one, then the screen will  need to be detached from the old roof.

 

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OK, so I found a rusted out roof with 2 manual sunroofs and Alpines still in it and snapped it up to investigate.

Some chopping and chiselling reveals that the roof is spot welded to the underlying structure and I lost count and interest at 53 spot welds down only the one side.

Looks like it's going to be a pillar cut and weld job for now.

Cutting the old one out and seam welding/bonding it might work, but it is a screen out job however I approach it. Right now, my spare roof with it's sunroofs is languishing in my workshop waiting for  some minor repairs and refitting sunroofs and roof bars prior to the big swap.

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Fair play Johnno! Was on to try and find out what a D2 roof is made of and what's the top thread in the Disco section.... 

Good luck with the job. I'm off to try and find a pair of breaker D2's to source the alpine windows out of. Have a madcap idea to let them into my Sprinter van roof.

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I once tried to remove the alpine windows from a shell I had, tried cutting one and cheese wiring the other. I ended up with zero windows ha! I look forward to seeing you accomplish it in a future episode!

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On 9/1/2018 at 5:26 PM, Shackleton said:

Fair play Johnno! Was on to try and find out what a D2 roof is made of and what's the top thread in the Disco section.... 

Good luck with the job. I'm off to try and find a pair of breaker D2's to source the alpine windows out of. Have a madcap idea to let them into my Sprinter van roof.

The roof panel is steel.

I cut the alpines out with an angle grinder and will softly-softly remove the metal.

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