mini roof chop p3

An early start of 0600 saw me at the unit with a set goal to have the roof frame chopped and tacked into level position, since it took 3 days on the other half I knew that this was going to involve work. Its not just a case of chop it and see I need to ensure the original lines are still there and mostly to ensure the car is as ridged if not more ridged than before.

With my tape measure to hand I set about recording dimensions and marking cut lines to ensure that they where the same as the chopped side, this is difficult as the car does not have many measurable features but taking my time I managed to find enough features to mark the cut lines. My fist section to cut is the B pillar though this cut needed to be an extra 20mm due to the further work which will be required to make this rigid again.



With the B pillar out I then set about working the chop of the A pillar, this as the other side is quite a nice cut which comes out easily and welds back in without any problems. As this is the driving line for the roof it is important that it is level with the other side. To make the A pillar section of the roof the same height as the other side a frame was added, this was measured and controlled via a spirit level. The frame acted as a very useful guide to installing the A pillar.





With the A pillar in place it was tacked. The following B pillar was placed onto the car and tacked in line with the A pillar section.
With the A and B pillar in place it was then back to the C pillar, the one which gives me all the trouble as its a difficult cut and also quite bulky, not to mention the amount of sheet metal work which will be required here.



Aligning the C pillar is difficult on my own and its clear from the photo that its not clipped in the right place, I know that but I must have been trigger happy with the camera... time for a photo of it in line?



Anyway the roof frame is all tacked in and its taken 9 hours to do the one side. Now starts the long job of seam welding and filling the gaps to include adding strength parts as required. Here is a photo of it in an all tacked up shot.



Before I decided to clear up I thought that I would get started on one of the infill sections so using some of the spare roof sections I had from an earlier stripped roof I took a section for the central front and using a chop off disk shaped it to fit then using a blow lamp, hammer and vice I shaped it to fit perfectly. Then with the sun shining on my and fully dressed in my leathers I welded the section in. I am really pleased with it and already the front has less play than it had prior to the roof chop. I believe this to be because there is less height.



Shot to end the day