RetroRob Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 Hi the roof on my manta has rot around the sunroof..i want to keep the car as standard as possible and dont want to change the sunroof to a glass one. What are my options have the whole roof replaced or some guy told me the rot could be cut out and be lead welded???.anyone know of any good classic car restorers in Northamptonshire/ Midlands area. cheers Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mantadoc Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 Basically those are your options, glass sunroof, new roof skin, professional repair whether it be a panel let into the roof or lead loading. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Abbott Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 (edited) Plenty of stuff about fitting different roofs to mantas in the site. Some may be in members area though I put a calibra sunroof in my hatch, steel and electric Here...http://forums.mantaclub.org/topic/11226-mancona-hatch/page__st__20__p__129417__hl__calibra__fromsearch__1#entry129417 I did a how to on changing the roof skin and another on the calibra roof, on the site somewhere? Edited November 17, 2011 by Kevin Abbott Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mantasrme Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 If the rust has pop'd through a repair from above will only ever be temporary. By the time its showing outside the inside will have been rusting for a while (unless there has been damage from above to start the rust) This is the inside of a manta hatchback roof that had only 2 tiny spots on the outside To stop it you either need to remove the sunroof and tray followed by fitting a glass or sliding steel sunroof (which allows access to the underside of the roof to clean and treat the metal) Or replace the complete roof skin with a non sunroof version This is the Achilles heel of the mantas fitted with the standard sliding metal sunroof. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mantadoc Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 If the rust has pop'd through a repair from above will only ever be temporary. By the time its showing outside the inside will have been rusting for a while (unless there has been damage from above to start the rust) This is the inside of a manta hatchback roof that had only 2 tiny spots on the outside To stop it you either need to remove the sunroof and tray followed by fitting a glass or sliding steel sunroof (which allows access to the underside of the roof to clean and treat the metal) Or replace the complete roof skin with a non sunroof version This is the Achilles heel of the mantas fitted with the standard sliding metal sunroof. Most of that rust is irrelevant and won't make it's way through the roof before the rest of the car is dust. The rust spots on the outside tend to coincide with the foam packing pieces. My wife's Kadett C coupe, without sunroof, is 34 years old and the inside of the roof makes that one look mint. No holes on the outside. Only thing I can think is the roof held an air bubble when it went through the primer as it is bare inside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mickappy Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 is it a hatch or coupe, ive got a roof for a hatch and hesdlining. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RetroRob Posted November 18, 2011 Author Share Posted November 18, 2011 Its a coupe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mickappy Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 i wouldnt rule out the glass sunroof mate, its quick n cheap and if you buy a bigger one then the manta one you can cut out the rust, i cant see how lead loading will work as its nothing to load on to. 1 sheet of steel. heres mine what i did on my hatch, http://forums.mantaclub.org/topic/5535-my-hatch-r1-power/page__st__100 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RetroRob Posted November 18, 2011 Author Share Posted November 18, 2011 (edited) When you fitted the glass sunroof did you use the cars original roof lining cheers Edited November 18, 2011 by RetroRob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mantadoc Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 i wouldnt rule out the glass sunroof mate, its quick n cheap and if you buy a bigger one then the manta one you can cut out the rust, i cant see how lead loading will work as its nothing to load on to. 1 sheet of steel. heres mine what i did on my hatch, http://forums.mantaclub.org/topic/5535-my-hatch-r1-power/page__st__100 Lead loading has been used for specifically just that for decades. If VX Opel was still up there was a nice "how to lead load your roof holes" in one of Robbie's threads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mickappy Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 for little holes thats ok, but surley big holes it would just fall though? never done it, seen it used on filling gaps n dints not holes. i still think the cheapest and easiest would still be an oversized glass sunroof. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shug Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 for little holes thats ok, but surley big holes it would just fall though? never done it, seen it used on filling gaps n dints not holes. i still think the cheapest and easiest would still be an oversized glass sunroof. It takes practice, but it is possible to lead load bigger holes. Fine line between the solder being like butter and liquid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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