Patching a hole in a roof from a sunroof?

[95silverstallion]

I'm looking into buying a old Buick Skylark but it has a sunroof in it. Its not very big but the size is probably irellevant.

What kind of price could I expect to pay to have the hole patched up with metal and smoothed out? Basically get it ready for paint? Would you actually need a donor car for the roof panel or could a piece be fabbed to match? I would guess the hole to be around 15x24".

Is this something that should really turn me away? Its a 71 Skylark and the body is rock solid. Zero rust in any of the body panels. It does need the interior work. It also has a 455, not OEM. I could probably get it for $2500-$3000.

[blown54]

the best way to fix a problem like this is to have a donor car that you can cut the roof out.This would also make it less expensive on the repair.When you start to deal with repairing a roof you have to deal with the curviture in it and just laying in a sheet of steel is not going to do it.If you got a donor car to cut the roof out of,it should be around $500-$750 to have it done ready for paint. but if you used a sheet of metal and have to get it to look right that prive will more than triple.
Hope that helps.

[DHR racecars]

Or just vinyl top over the patch........:rolleyes:

[95silverstallion]

Or just vinyl top over the patch........:rolleyes:
that was a thought.


I suppose its a bargaining chip to get him down on the price. Myself and another friend went over and looked at it a few weeks back and pretty much told the guy that the car isnt worth crap with that sunroof. The seller agreed so we'll see. Too bad because the rest of the sheetmetal really is in good shape. Nothing needs repair at all excpet maybe a bit of floor boards.

The car isnt really on the market for sale but he will sell it. I think he just hasn't really come to grips with the fact that he'll never get what he wants out of it because of the sunroof hole.

I figured it would be upwards of a grand so now I can go back to him with a price on repair to bring him down. It'll probably be afew months till i'm wanting to buy a car. I'm selling off all my Mustang stuff and my car to get a old muscle car to mess with. Not another race car but a nice cruiser that I can get the whole family in.

[DHR racecars]

that was a thought.


I suppose its a bargaining chip to get him down on the price. Myself and another friend went over and looked at it a few weeks back and pretty much told the guy that the car isnt worth crap with that sunroof. The seller agreed so we'll see. Too bad because the rest of the sheetmetal really is in good shape. Nothing needs repair at all excpet maybe a bit of floor boards.

The car isnt really on the market for sale but he will sell it. I think he just hasn't really come to grips with the fact that he'll never get what he wants out of it because of the sunroof hole.

I figured it would be upwards of a grand so now I can go back to him with a price on repair to bring him down. It'll probably be afew months till i'm wanting to buy a car. I'm selling off all my Mustang stuff and my car to get a old muscle car to mess with. Not another race car but a nice cruiser that I can get the whole family in.

I have a friend that has a 67 chevelle that had a sunroof hole in it.
He had it patched and a vinyl top put on and you cannot even tell it was there now. ;)

[blown54]

yea being those cars did come with vinyl roofs you could get away cheaper on just adding the sheet metal and adding the vinyl top with padding and you would never know.that would save alot of time in body work and thats where the cost is.

good luck with it if you get it.

[95silverstallion]

Since I got you guys here, wheres a good place to have install a vinyl top ?

[blown54]

I have Michigan mobil glass and trim do stuff like that for me,but they are in dearborn hieghts,a bit far for you,but you can give them a call at least.

http://www.michiganmobileglass.com/

[95silverstallion]

I'd have no problem going that far for a good job. Thats only about 90 miles probably. Thats like going around the corner for me, being a truck driver. I'm used to 500+ miles a day.

[blown54]

give them a call they have done some nice work for me in the past.