adding roof support ribs?

zinz

Well-Known Member
Site Donor $$
Messages
1,212
Reaction score
1,206
Location
Austin, Texas
Gents,

My painter is concerned how much the roof of the '67 2000CS flexes. The early CS does not have the ribs found on the later cars (not sure if those actually provide support to the roof?) I'm looking for advice how best to add support to the roof. Instead of ribs/bows, the headliner on the early cars use a pressed, fiberboard panel that attaches to the ceiling with plastic clips at the back (like on a door card) and metal tabs on the front edges. I do have a small amount of room to add ribs between the fiberboard panel and metal roof. You can see how we have temporarily fitted some aluminum bar stock in this recess. I think I could shape some steel rod or small square tubing and tack weld it in this recess.

Any thoughts?

img_9240-jpg.40012


Many thanks,

Ed
 

zinz

Well-Known Member
Site Donor $$
Messages
1,212
Reaction score
1,206
Location
Austin, Texas
Not sure why my picture isn't showing up this morning... maybe the interwebs are glitchy.

I agree that an industrial adhesive would be a better application than trying to tack weld on a very thin roof panel. I will likely end up going this route. There is a perfect recess along the side edges of the ceiling to slip the ribs into and I could even screw them into place at that location.

I'll keep you posted...

Ed
 

eriknetherlands

Moderator
Site Donor
Messages
2,699
Reaction score
1,930
Location
Netherlands, Eindhoven area
I would use steel to form some ribs and glue them in place with structural epoxy glue. Having two screw points at the ends helps to position them. Prefer steel over aluminium to prevent galvanic corrosion between the two.

If you could salvage/purchase original ribs from a later car, it would be even ' brand correct'.

Note that when your car is outside overnight, the inside of the roof panel is one of the first spots where condensation takes place. I would not want to fiberglass it for that reason. If the condensation moisture gets capillary between, it can hardly evaporate out.
 

zinz

Well-Known Member
Site Donor $$
Messages
1,212
Reaction score
1,206
Location
Austin, Texas
Excellent points, Erik. We have already epoxy primed the ceiling but I will follow your line of thinking about using steel and epoxy for the ribs.

Thanks for the sound advice.

Ed
 
Top