Anyone experienced with this? I am still trying to figure out how to straighten the roof of my 66 that I warped from sand-blasting. I think hammer welding would be the way to go. I need some advise on this, wether or not a novice like me should try it.

Hammer welding is for joining two peices of metal together, not to straighten metal. Shrinking is what you are after. If you have stretched the metal on your roof, I would recommend replacing the roof panel.
I have done this a number of times and it is much easier than repairing a warped roof panel.
First buy a roof, I believe all '66or '67 "A" bodies have the same roof (that is all hardtops are the same as is all post coupes) So you have a ton of doners, all Skylarks, Tempests, Cutless', have them cut your doner roof off at the roof posts...about a foot down from the roof, so they don't damage the top panel. And check it out GOOD tear out the head liner and make sure it is PERFECT. Look for rust in the drip rails.

All you do is clean out the drip rails of caulking so you can see the spot welds. remove back glass and rear window. Clean up all the pinch welds so you can see where they are. Start drilling out the welds using a spot weld driller on your drill. Use a torch (even a propane one) to melt the lead out of the seam from the quarter glass to the rear glass on the rear posts. You will see these same spot welds under the lead. Don't be intimidated by these welds, just look at them like "bolts". That is all they are a "bolt" that you have to "unbolt" with a drill. If you really want to do this post that you are going to do it and we will walk you through it.

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1965 Buick Gran Sport Convertible
1965 Buick Skylark H/T

Sounds like a hell of a lot of work! I think I got the terminology wrong. I have a paint and body book at home where they are using a torch to heat up spots about 3" in dia. cherry red, then use a hammer & dolly to shrink the stretched metal, it must not be called hammer welding. I really wanted to try this before the new roof panel thing. I'm pretty sure I could handle the new roof panel job myself, but getting the roof in my area would be the problem. There is no junkyard in Buffalo that would have a roof panel without rusted out drip rails. If I could even find another 66 A body that is! I'll keep looking into what it will take to straighten this thing, and if I come up empty, I'll have to search for a new roof panel.

If anyone out there has a wrecked 66 A body with a good roof in my area, let me know!

OK, I'm at home, and I have the book in front of me. The correct terminology for the process I'm looking for is Heat shrinking. I guess the way you do this is to heat the center of the sagging area with a neutral flame until it's red hot, then get a hammer & dolly and hit around the red spot with about 4 or 5 hammer blows, then hit it hard in the center of the hot spot, this is suppose to thicken the metal & tighten up the sag. Anyone familiar with this? It sounds good in theory, but I don't how big of an area I can do this to?, or exactly where I should do it.

Just how many spots are warped? Is the whole thing hosed? Does it look like the whoop de doos at the motocross track? Can you press the hi spots down and pop it with your finger? If you can, that's bad!
If it's just a few spots, heat the low spots first, don't hammer too hard or too much. cool it immediately with a soaking wet rag. This will shrink the metal. Heat the higher spots next, all the while keeping in mind you want to get the panel straight. repeat the process. Once you think the metal is shrunk, Hammer and dolly (again, not too much or too hard) to get the surface straight. If you're going to err, err to the side of having the 'worked' spots being a little low. That way you can fill the areas with plastic filler. When applying filler, mix up a good bit, not too hot (too much hardener) and spread over the entire working surface, filling in the low spots. If you have access to an air board file, 80 grit it smooth. If you don't have one, go buy a board file. check back with us.

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Triple Black 69 SS 396

The more you work the panel the worse it will look in brite light. It is VERY difficult to get a roof straight enough to look good after its painted. I've seen some that looked great at times but after sitting in the hot sun for a while you can see wrinkles or waves where the filled area heats and expands at a different rate the the unfilled metal does, then after it cools off it looks good again. I would replace the roof.
Ron

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70 Chevelle SS396
66 Nova SS 327
95 Z28 Convertible.
Aces 3081, TC #54 Gold

Put a vinyl roof on it!

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Triple Black 69 SS 396

ETD. I just wanted to bring the shrinking hammer to your attention. On the Internet you can see it at http://www.frost.co.uk/navig/products.html. I have not used it myself, but professionals have told me it really works.
As for the heat shrinking, I would not hit the sheetmetal with a hammer too much. It will stretch with each blow, because i.m.o. the metal will get thinner at the hammered spot, especially if the dolly is too hard.

I just noticed the link I mentioned does not seem to work. Go to www.frost.co.uk, (http://www.frost.co.uk,) then select body and scroll down. You will see the hammer I meant. This one works by twisting (rotating) the metal under the hammer. I have seen others that use a split head which comes together by the force of the blow. This will thicken the metal. I am more confident with this version, but again I have never used them myself.

There are 4 spots that are sagging. Basically where the "+" is in the middle, where the cross braces meet. These "saggs" are triangular in shape, with about a 6" dia sag in the middle of them, the metal sags about 1/8" below the normal surface. Unfortunately, I already took a shrink hammer and dolly to two of them on the passenger side. I got rid of the "oil canning" problem, but the metal is still stretched, and now I have 2, 6" diameter humps on that side. I did this in a panic the day I warped it, I should have just left it alone. Now that I have a set of torches, I can try the quenching Idea.

The car originally came with a Vinyl top, but I did not plan to put one back on, and I already sold the Vinyl top trim, which was in excellent cond. (son of a...)

This whole thing makes me so sick!!!

I'm thinking of calling Red's Auto parts in TX for a roof panel, but the last panel I got from him was sh!t, eventhough I asked for rust free panel.

Anyone know what it will cost me for a rust free roof?

I just may go with a Vinyl top now!

[This message has been edited by ETD66SS (edited 01-25-2001).]

This same problem poped up on this board or another I visit. Someone in the group came up with a roof for only a hundred or two. I don't know what to tell you because the roof would be very easy to get around here. I have been doing auto body for 25 years and what you have would tax every micron of my skills. Replacing the panel would be a no brainer. If you just go on to other parts of te car and keep a lookout you will come up with one. Even the most messed up car "usually" has a nice roof, you really have to go out of your way to dent a roof. And remember it can be ANY "A" body, so your chances are very good no matter where you are. It is very common what happen here, don't beat your self up, I just made the mistake myself. I sent three doors, one from a '28 Buick, and two from a '32 Ford to the sand blaster to give them a "little cleaning" in the jams. The guy (who I have used for years) gave his son the job, and he blasted the whole things, completely ruining the door skins. So it happens, we just go on. Good luck.

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1965 Buick Gran Sport Convertible
1965 Buick Skylark H/T

I just left a message with Mike at Red's Auto Parts in TX about a roof. If anyone knows where I can pick one up closer to me (Buffalo NY) please let me know.

Thanks for all the help and advise!

PS, Should I worry about replacing the lead filler, or can I just go with more modern stuff?

[This message has been edited by ETD66SS (edited 01-25-2001).]

I agree with MartinSr about replacing the roof giving the best results, but here is another thought.

Try doing the "shrinking" and then paint the roof to verify the results. I'd bet against the results being that good, but what you are out is only the time and amount of paint you sprayed. You could then resign yourself to replacing it.

Think of it as a "learning" thing! You may just find out that you are good at it. You may not. But the cost at giving it a try would be worth it! Just keep your expectations reasonable.

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Wes. Vann
Technical Reference section
Gold Member #5

I planned to give the heat shrinking a try, but I want to locate and buy the replacement roof first!

I will be parting out a severly vandizied 67 that to the best of my memory wasnt too bad in the roof. This was a nice car before and the guys girlfriend took a slege hammer to it. If the roof is usable to will be reasonable. She mostly hit the sides, glass, hood and top of 1/4's. I think the roof was OK. It was enough to make me want to cry when I looked at it. I sould have it in my posesion by say or so. If you still looking email me @ gearheads78@hotmail.com

Don't feel to bad, I did the same @#$%^ thing to my 66. I ended up having the body shop put a new roof on. went to the junkyard and picked up a roof complete with the rear deck assembly and sails (mine was rusted out). Be careful thought some of the A bodies (I think olds and?) had longer sail panels. They cut the roof at the base of the sails on mine. we will see if I can save the warped quarter panels. Makes me sick too. BTW it cost me $600 for the roof assembly.

Good Luck

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Thomas (AKA Hot66ss)
66 Super Sport (http://chevelles.com/showroom/myss.jpg) Now striped frame off Project
67 Malibu (http://chevelles.com/showroom/hot66ss4) getting there. Soon to be 396
69 El camino Beater (http://chevelles.com/showroom/hot66sselco) 350 4 speed (Daily Driver)
Aces Member 2380
Team Chevelle member #262

If you are going to try heat shrinking, only heat an are the size of a dime to red hot. DO NOT GLOW RED HOT AN AREA OF 3 TO 4 INCHES. This shrinking techniques is very powerful. Do a shrink, look carfully at what you have done, then do another if needed. Kent White, the Tin Man, has videos about shrinking. Probably about $30. Cheaper than a roof. Good luck.

Sounds like your sandblasting job turned out as bad as my rusted vinyl top. Which is worse? Well, I have a vinyl top on my camino and I have to put another one back on. The first time it was not sealed correctly and it rusted all to hell. So, if you decide on vinyl be sure to put some POR15 underneath.